Great question, Sneha.Although it isn't my forte, I’ve seen (and made) quite a few common mistakes in Quant prep. The biggest one? Chasing formulas instead of fundamentals. A lot of students focus on memorizing tricks or shortcuts for specific question types, but when CAT twists the concept even slightly, they’re stuck. Another mistake is underestimating the importance of basics like percentages, ratios, and averages — these are deceptively simple but form the foundation for tougher topics. And then there's avoiding mock analysis — many just look at their score and move on. But unless you dig into why you're making certain mistakes (silly errors, conceptual gaps, or panic-based guesses), your accuracy won’t improve. Lastly, jumping topic-to-topic too quickly breaks momentum. It’s better to master a few concepts and build confidence than to “cover” the entire syllabus superficially.

Tanushree, from my experience and that of peers, IIM interviews are rarely about how “tough” the academic questions are — they’re more about how well you understand your background. For instance, if you’re a B.Com student, they might ask about basic accounting principles or current affairs in finance. If you're from a technological background, they may hint at a few fundamentals — but they don't care how deeply you have memorized textbooks. Also, be prepared to explain your projects, internships, or even poor grades. What interviewers actually seek is how well you can link your academic journey to your personality, career aspirations, and way of thinking. So yes — anticipate basic questions, but framed in a manner that puts your ability to remain calm, reason rationally, and respond honestly to the test.