Analysing Mock Tests - Live Chat Transcript

Around 40 days to CAT remaining. Should you do just be giving mock tests? Should you leave the topics you're weak in? How can you improve your score by at least 50 marks in the last 40 days? Should I take up new topics in the last few days? Gave a mock test, now what? To answer all these questions and more we have ARKS Srinivas from Vistamind to help you. ARKS Srinivas is a IIM Calcutta alumnus and has trained students for CAT over the last 20 years. Here are some excerpts from the live chat:

Priyanshu Agarwal:
Hi wanted to enquire about DILR section - what to do?

Vistamind Counselling:
Hi. The best starting point will be previous year's mocks. Solve as many sets as your can to get comfortable. Work on basic concepts of percentage change.

 

Chetan Chopra:
How to deal with 44 questions in VARC section in mocks?

Vistamind Counselling:
Decide on what sequence is best for you and just get going!

 

Adish Jain:
Please guide with the strategy analyse mocks. What should be kept in mind while analysing mocks? What is to be noted after every mock? How frequently should we give mock at this stage?

Vistamind Counselling:
2 mocks per week are enough. Remaining time should go in analyzing them. DO the unsolved Qs first, then the ones you got wrong and then the ones you got right (see if you used the best approach). Revise the concepts of the Qs that you left and got wrong. This would easily take 2-3 days and you are ready for the next mock.

 

Arpit Bhatt:
At a stage where there's only 40 days to go, should we try to focus on mocks only or we should work on grey and black areas as well?

Vistamind Counselling:
Preparation should now be through mocks. 2 mocks per week are enough. Remaining time should go in analyzing them. DO the unsolved Qs first, then the ones you got wrong and then the ones you got right (see if you used the best approach). Revise the concepts of the Qs that you left and got wrong. This would easily take 2-3 days and you are ready for the next mock.

 

Praveen Pallav:
Hi.. I wanted to enquire about VA.. How to improve score

Vistamind Counselling:
That's a very generic Qs which should have been asked in 6 months to CAT session. Which part of VA/RC is bothering you?

 

Mahesh Bharadwaj:
I am screwing Para Jumbles in all the Mocks. Getting 1 correct out of 5. How to improve scores in this PJ?

Vistamind Counselling:
Accuracy in PJs can be improved by getting the basics right. Refer to some study material or notes which has the basics and try solving Qs using them. Also, with a Question Bank of 100 odd Q's, you can try making your own rules also.

 

Arpit Bhatt:
My accuracy in RC is very bad - nearly about 50%. So what should I do? As it's not a time to read novels!

Vistamind Counselling:
Yes. SO you better go in reverse. Skim through the passage, read the Qs and come back to passage searching for the answers. Also try to do more data centric passages and less of theoretical ones. In fact, all passages have some Qs which are relatively easier to answer than others and they carry equal marks.

 

Shibashish Chatterjee:
Hi, I am done with the basics and have been giving mock tests on a regular basis. I tend to get an average to good percentile in DI-LR (My DI being comparatively weaker). However, I haven't solved much material on the same. Is it suggested to solve the sets or go about giving the test and analyzing them. Also should I go about solving more questions or should I just revise the mocks that I have given?

Vistamind Counselling:
Unless you are clear with basic DI Charts, you will find it difficult to solve Qs. So get comfortable with Tables, Bar, Pie, Line graphs and stuff like Venn Diagram and Cubes. Then you can start solving Mocks and attempting Qs through it.

 

Arpit Bhatt:
What should be my strategy to improve at my Black areas?

Vistamind Counselling:
Revise the concepts. Solve Qs. Identify mistakes. Go to concepts.

 

Arpit Bhatt:
For IIFT, how should we prepare for GK section? I mean I'm so confused what stuffs to read in this limited time

Vistamind Counselling:
The best source will be VistaCareer issues of last 12 months. Its available free of cost on www.vistamind.com.

 

Nihar Agarwal:
How can I score in geometry section.. I am getting only 2-3 questions correct.

Vistamind Counselling:
Geometry will give you 4-5 Qs normally and if you are able to do 2-3, that's decent. Work on the areas that you are missing out but don't be too troubled if you aren't able to crack them.

 

Nihar Agarwal:
Should I focus more on algebra or on geometry? Both topics are equally tough for me. Please help.

Vistamind Counselling:
It is relatively easier to pick marks in Algebra than Geo given the time constraint.

 

Yashika Kapoor:
There are few quant topics that I am not comfortable with, shall I just leave them now?

Vistamind Counselling:
Yes. Don't pick anything new now. Work on chapters that you have already done.

  Sumati Gaur: How to tackle DI questions in limited time? Vistamind Counselling: First, get comfortable with percentage concept. Then do questions on each common chart: table, bar, line, pie, etc. Then attempt previous year's CAT questions. Have an exit time of 5 minutes for each set and if you are not able to make any progress, leave the set after 5 mins.   Saurabh Acharjee:As I don't have a very good vocabulary, what should be my approach to verbal section of CAT to get a good score Vistamind Counselling: Vocab will play a role in very few Qs. Eliminating the options is a good method of solving these Qs lot of time.   Saurabh Acharjee: What should be my score in verbal section to get 90 plus percentile approx? Vistamind Counselling: Verbal will have 34 Qs worth 102 marks. You should try getting 70+ to get 90%ile.