CAT 2021 Prep Tips By CAT 2020 99.72%ile, IIM Bangalore '23

Sep 15, 2021 | 2 minutes |
Tanmay Choudhuri is an engineering fresher (GEM) from NIT Raipur who scored 99.72%ile in CAT 2020, with 98.93%ile in VARC, 98.66%ile in DILR, and 99.26%ile in the Quant section. He will join IIM Bangalore this year. Here's more about his preparation journey.

When did you start preparation?
I started my preparation journey in August 2019 i.e, 14 months before the CAT exam.

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How did you start preparing?
I joined a local coaching class in Raipur. Initially, I attended all the classes sincerely. Later on, I picked up the pace and started solving various materials, and gave mock tests.

Which was the most challenging section for you? How did you deal with it?
VARC was the most challenging section for me because neither I had a reading habit and nor was I able to build a reading habit. So, I started doing extensive practice of Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability questions. I tried various strategies to attempt the paper and jotted down the most suitable one for me.

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What are the resources you would recommend to CAT aspirants (Books, Mock tests, anything else)?
I used these materials for my preparation:
Books- Sarvesh Kumar Verma Quantum
CAT Mock tests of IMS & TestFunda

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What is the one piece of advice you would give to future CAT aspirants?
It might be a cliche thing for me to say this but yes, mocks are the most important thing. Mocks are not just to give you a glimpse of questions, but also for time management and to make different attempt strategies for different sections. Before the D-Day, you need to be clear about your best strategy. Also, your mindset on D-Day would be a huge deciding factor. Just believe in yourself and kill it!

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You can connect with Tanmay on LinkedIn. I hope this blog was helpful for you. All the Best for your CAT Preparation!