My first attempt at CAT was in 2020 for which I had prepared very diligently. With the overall %ile being 96.5, with 98+%ile in QA and 96+%ile in VARC, I could not make it because I could not clear the sectional cut-off in LRDI in which I had gotten a mere 60+%ile. I had made silly mistakes that cost me 9 marks in that section. The weight of those silly errors was so heavy that I could not perform as well, as I could have in XAT and let my chance of getting into a B-School straight after graduation go. It took me a solid 2-3 months to make peace with the situation, take all the learnings, and move forward. It was only in July that I again started preparing for CAT 2021.
Well then what really changed and how did I ultimately get a percentile that was initially way above expectations?
Do everything that you did not do the first time. Mentors and fellow aspirants must have told you about the benefits of solving puzzles or reading newspapers but it seemed too much the first time? Please do it now. Stopped playing sports or going out with friends and family because you had to study? Do that too. Building unnecessary barricades for yourself is only going to make you feel the pressure of clearing the exam.
Minus all those from your life who take no time to comment on how miserably you performed in the exam. Surround yourself with people who genuinely understand how difficult it must be for you and leave you to deal with it yourself.
Keep reminding yourself of the “why” behind the whole process and notice for yourself how enjoyable the preparation becomes when someone is chasing their passion and their goals, more than creating the pressure to be successful, the process will become more endearing.
VARC is not going to become any different. You must have read numerous passages? No big deal. Read even more. However, do not forget to take it slow because reading without comprehending anything is as good as IIM A without LK Plaza! However, do not shy away from taking a breather now and then. I, for one, used to take breaks in between, for a week or two, from reading altogether, especially when my VARC mock scores would take a hit and become inconsistent. Helped me refresh my mind.
LRDI is the most unpredictable section of CAT and also my downfall in CAT 2020. There is no other way around this section but to practice, practice and some more practice! The more types of sets you come across and solve, the better your thinking ability will get. I, for one, started cracking Suduko, something I did not pay heed to the first time. There is like a 1% chance that a Suduko-related question will come in CAT but solving such puzzles allows you to think quickly and consider multiple scenarios at once, teaching you how to use whatever information has been provided. Devote 1 month of your time to this section, every day for 2 hours, and you will see what a massive difference regular practice can make.
QA was my worst section among the three when I had first started preparing for CAT. Fast forward to CAT 2020 as well as CAT 2021, I scored the highest sectional %ile in QA both times. There is no alternative to starting prep for this section other than going back to the basics. Revise the concepts once again. Go through the solutions given, there might be a tip or trick given. Use the options to get to the answer, sometimes it is right in front of you.
For me, it was never like “Oh I like reading passages on technology” or “Games and tournaments are my favourite types of the set to solve” or “I will attempt all the Arithmetic questions in QA and leave all the Number System questions”. I solved questions as and when they came to me because honestly, sitting to write an exam as unpredictable as CAT, you really cannot have preconceived notions in mind.
Lastly, meditate. Take out 10 minutes from your daily schedule, preferably before going to sleep, and meditate. Not only is it going to help you understand your progress about your prep but also helps you unload the pressure of succeeding in the exam, especially after not being able to make it the first time.