Colleges Accepting CAT Score 70 80 Percentile: Top Options and Admission Insights

You walk out of the CAT hall with your heart pounding. Months later, the result flashes on your screen. 78 percentile. Your friends are posting 99s on LinkedIn and you feel the voice in your head saying “game over”.

But it’s not over. A 70 to 80 percentile still keeps many doors open. Every year, thousands of students in this range make it to good colleges, and their incredible career begins. You must know that CAT is only one part of the story. Your academics matter, your work experience adds weight, and how you perform in the interview often matters even more than the score.

And most people miss the fact that recruiters rarely ask about CAT in job interviews. They look for proof that you can deliver results and you have relevant experience (work ex, or projects/internships for freshers). They want to see what you built and how you think.

If a high-paying role is your real goal, a Tier 1 MBA is not the only way to get there. Kraftshala’s PGP in Sales can help you reach an average salary of ₹17.5 LPA. You save time, and you also save the 20 lakh fee that a two-year MBA demands.

Here, we will show you the colleges accepting CAT score 70 80 percentile, smart admission moves, and the best alternative to an MBA dream if you don’t want to worry about CAT exam scores.

Top Colleges Accepting CAT Scores of 70-80 Percentile

If your CAT score is between 70 and 80 percentile, take a deep breath. You still have good options. Many colleges in this range can give you strong learning and a fair shot at placements. Let’s look at some of the better-known CAT 70 percentile colleges and CAT 80 percentile colleges and what makes them worth considering.

Institute of Management Studies Noida

IMS Noida accepts scores in this range and is quite popular among students in Delhi NCR. The placement drives are frequent and connect directly to companies hiring in the region. Most students who do well here focus on sales and marketing roles. MBA Marketing salary in India is high if you have decent exposure. The fees are manageable and the college brings in guest faculty from industry to teach real-world applications. Students also get to work on live projects, which adds to their profile.

University of Lucknow

Lucknow University is one of the oldest and most respected universities in North India. It accepts students in this percentile range and offers multiple MBA specializations. If you are interested in rural management or entrepreneurship, this college gives you good exposure. Placements often feature banks, manufacturing firms, and retail companies. Fees are affordable compared to most private CAT 80 percentile colleges and scholarships are available for strong academic performance.

K J Somaiya Institute of Management Mumbai

Somaiya usually considers students scoring between 75 and 80 percentile. The college is well known for its industry exposure. FMCG and consulting companies often conduct workshops and case challenges here. Alumni also stay actively involved in mentoring students. Being in Mumbai is a big advantage because internships are easier to find, which improves final placement opportunities and overall ROI.

Apeejay School of Management New Delhi

Apeejay accepts scores between 70 and 80 percentile and focuses on practical learning. It has a sales and leadership lab where students work on mock campaigns, digital marketing assignments, and even client briefs from local businesses. This hands-on experience helps students stand out during interviews and adds weight to their resumes.

Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of Management Pune

Bharati Vidyapeeth accepts students starting from 70 percentile. The college is strong in specialized domains like pharma marketing, retail, and BFSI. Its location near Pune’s industrial hubs makes it easier for students to network and find internships. Many graduates land roles in regional offices of large companies. Student-run clubs also organize workshops to sharpen presentation and business skills.

Other good options include Amity Business School in Noida, which connects well with media and startups, JIMS Delhi for BFSI and logistics roles, and Christ University in Bangalore for students aiming at tech-driven marketing and startup opportunities.

Your career does not start and end with your CAT score or the college name. We have seen students from tier 3-4 colleges land jobs in brands like Nestle, Leadsquared, Zomato, and Piramal. What set them apart was the work they could show. Campaign reports, sales results, performance dashboards. Some of them now earn 17.5 LPA without spending two years in a Tier 1 MBA. You can take the same route if you focus on building real skills.

~ Varun Satia, Founder & CEO, Kraftshala

Understanding the CAT Percentile and Its Importance in Admissions

Many students confuse CAT exam percentile with marks. They are not the same. A percentile tells you where you stand compared to others who took the test. For example, if your percentile is 80, it means you performed better than 80 percent of the candidates. The actual marks you scored do not matter as much because the percentile adjusts for difficulty and variation every year.

To calculate, you can take the CAT 2024 example. 2.93 lakh candidates appeared for CAT 2024, and scoring 80 percentile means you are in the top 58.6K applicants. This means a raw score of 37-45 for candidates in 70-80 percentile range. This system makes it easier for colleges to shortlist students in a competitive exam where raw marks alone would not reflect performance.

Now, percentiles guide the first filter for admission. Top IIMs and Tier 1 colleges usually start shortlisting from the 95 to 99 percentile bracket. The next tier works in the 80 to 90 range. A 70 to 80 percentile often gets you into mid-tier colleges that still offer good faculty, internships, and placements if you make the most of them.

What matters after the shortlist is how you perform in the next rounds like GD, PI, and WAT. Your academics and work experience also make a big difference here. Many students have been accepted into good colleges accepting CAT score 70 80 percentile, because they prepared well for interviews and showed clarity of thought.

According to Kraftshala, exams measure speed and memory. Jobs measure judgment and execution. Many students obsess over percentile at first, then realize later that recruiters rarely ask for it. The shift from learning for marks to working on real projects changes everything. That is what makes a candidate stand out in final placements, no matter where they study.

Also read: Best Job Search Sites in India (You can check your area of interest and map it with industry demand to know which MBA specialization to choose.)

Other Admission Factors for CAT 70-80 Percentile Candidates

A 70 to 80 CAT exam percentile is not a wall. It is a sign that the exam part is done and the real game starts now. Here are a few admission factors that are considered by colleges accepting CAT score 70 80 percentile:

Academic Record

Colleges love consistency because it signals reliability. It helps if you scored well in Class 10, 12, and graduation. Many schools give extra points for good academics and those points can compensate for a moderate CAT score. If you are in this category, highlight it in your application. If your academic record is weak, do not dwell on it. Move the spotlight to other strengths.

Work Experience

Even one year of structured work experience can change how colleges see you. They prefer candidates who understand real-world dynamics like deadlines, clients, and accountability. If you have this, do not just list your job title. Talk about what you achieved. Instead of saying you were a sales associate, say you managed a territory at BYJU’s and grew conversions by 12 percent. 

Interview Performance

This is where percentiles stop mattering. Many 99 percentilers lose here and many 75 percentilers win. You should know that interviews are not a memory test and they check your clarity, problem-solving, and ability to handle pressure. 

Be ready for questions on current business news, your personal story, and situations where you solved problems. Build narratives around college projects, internships, or volunteer work. 

The candidates who stand out are the ones who stop saying “I scored 75” and start saying “Here is what I built and why it matters.” 

A Practical Checklist For You

If you have no work experience

• Do at least one live project with a company through platforms like Kraftshala programs or with an internship
• Volunteer for an NGO or a student organization and take ownership of one measurable outcome
• Start a small self-driven project like managing social media for a local business or building a campus club and track results

If your academics are weak

• Nail your interview performance by preparing strong personal stories and practicing mock interviews
• Take short certifications in areas like digital marketing, analytics, or finance and complete at least one project to showcase real skills

Steps to Improve Your CAT Score and Admission Chances

Here are some actionable and practical steps to help you improve your admission chances in colleges accepting CAT score 70 80 percentile.

Preparation Strategies

You must look with a 360-degree perspective while preparing for MBA admissions.

Step 1 – Research Well

At 70-80 percentile, you are in the zone for tier-2 and tier-3 colleges, some decent state universities, and a few private schools with strong placement records. Do your research on –

• ROI (fees vs average package)
• Specializations offered (marketing, analytics, finance, etc.)
• Location advantage (metro vs non-metro for placements)

Examples: BIMTECH, XIME Bangalore, Nirma, Great Lakes (Chennai, Gurgaon), IMI Kolkata, ICFAI, Welingkar Mumbai (PGDM), etc.

Step 2 – Evaluate Your Profile

Your CAT score is fixed, but your profile score can swing the game. Most colleges have

• 30-40% weight on academics + work ex + diversity
• 30-40% weight on WAT/GD/PI
• Only 35-45% weight on the CAT score

Step 3 – Fill Multiple Forms

Don’t wait for calls. Most colleges have early-bird deadlines and so you should apply to 8-10 institutions.

• 2-3 aspirational (cut-offs 85+)
• 3-4 safe bets (cut-offs 70–80)
• 2 back-up options (below 70 but strong ROI)

Build Your Interview Muscle Before the Results Come

Do not wait for January to start thinking about “Why MBA.” That is what everyone else does. Start now. Every week, pick one personal question and write a 200-word answer. Rewrite it till it feels like something you would actually say to a friend. The best interviews sound real and not rehearsed.

For current affairs, forget scrolling headlines. Go deep into one business story. Pick something like ONDC or electric vehicles and explore three angles. What does the government say, what does the industry fear, and what does the consumer gain? Prepare three bullet points for each angle. This depth will make you sound like someone who understands context and will help you form your own opinion about geopolitical matters.

Turn Group Discussions into a Smart Play

GD is not about who talks the most. It is about who adds the most value. Think of three roles to practice. The opener who frames the topic differently. The contributor who drops a sharp fact or stat nobody mentioned. The closer who ties everything back to the bigger picture.

Start building your own data bank. Keep 15 numbers ready that can fit multiple topics. India’s GDP growth, internet penetration, renewable energy targets, rural consumption trends. 

You can find multiple Reddit threads that share common GD topics (a user-created free public resource).

For everyone, no matter what

• Write down three achievements from any part of your life and attach a number to each (percentage improvement, money saved, people impacted)
• Read business news for 15 minutes daily and practice explaining one news item in simple words
• Record yourself answering common interview questions and review until you sound confident and structured

Start Your High-Paying Careers without an MBA with Kraftshala’s Industry-Focused Programs

A 70 to 80 CAT percentile might close the door on IIMs, but it does not close the door on high-growth careers. What matters to recruiters is not your test score but whether you can deliver results in the real world. 

They ask questions like – Can you grow a territory by 20 lakhs? Can you manage a distributor who is unhappy about margins? Can you launch a trade scheme that hits targets on time? These are the situations that make or break careers in FMCG, B2B, and tech sales.

Kraftshala’s PGP-SMBL is designed for this reality. Instead of spending two years in classrooms learning theory, you spend months living the life of an Area Sales Manager through real simulations. You will work on –

• Driving territory revenues and understanding P&L thinking
• Handling distributor and team challenges under pressure
• Designing trade promotions and reporting performance metrics that matter

What this leads to

• High-impact roles like Area Sales Manager, Key Account Manager, and Brand Associate
• Packages in the range of ₹7.5 to ₹17.5 LPA, competing with top B-school graduates
• A learning experience co-created with leaders from Nestlé and other industry giants

There is no percentile barrier here because the focus shifts from marks to mastery. If you can execute, reflect, and adapt, you can build the same career outcomes as someone from a top B-school – without waiting two years and without settling for average placements. AND without spending 20 lakhs on your fees. Explore why Kraftshala’s PGP-SMBL is the right option for you.