This is the time to streamline everything that you have learned throughout your preparation and make it ready for D-day. Even if you have not prepared for it properly, you need to make a proper strategy for the
CAT exam 2023. After all, CAT is not a knowledge test; it is an aptitude test. So, how are you supposed to do it in the
next 20 days? Formulating an effective
CAT exam 2023 strategy requires careful planning. So here are some useful tips to help you formulate your effective strategy.
Quantitative Aptitude:
Some topics hugely dominate this section, like algebra and arithmetic. So, go through the basics of those topics once in the remaining days. Try to revise while resolving already written mocks, and go through all the questions quickly. Get a basic idea about how questions are phrased, what makes this test different from the previous test you have given, and how the topics in the test are different from the previous test. Take sectional mocks after revising topics. Don’t waste time on easy questions, mostly focus on medium-difficulty level questions.
DI & LR:
This section requires a special set of skills which is thinking about a problem before going for a solution. In this section, if you understand the set, you are almost done. Here also go through the basics of special approaches for different types of sets. The revision also would be of help, but most importantly, from now on, try to solve 3-5 new sets daily till the exam. The new set of puzzles is important because it requires you to think on the spot, so to become habitual, you need to solve new questions daily.
There are some very difficult sets; some are easy in mocks/ final exams. Try to identify easy sets first and solve them quickly, then move to difficult sets but be mindful of wasting too much time in a set. Here usually, people get stuck in a difficult set, and they end up without seeing all the sets, thus leaving easy questions in the exam. So here the most important thing to take care of in this section is to go see all the sets.
RC & VA:
This section could be daunting for some people and a cakewalk for others. For those who did their schooling in vernacular or are not habitual readers, it could be difficult for them. To do well in this section in the last 20 days, read at least 5-7 articles daily. These articles could be from magazines or editorials of newspapers.
Note: Refer to the below-mentioned magazines/editorials:
https://aeon.co/
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine
https://www.nytimes.com/section/magazine
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/
https://archpaper.com/category/region/international/
When you read, be it anything, try to follow the flow of the content, and look for hidden motives of the author, like why he is saying it. Where he is going with this? This would help you a lot when you go to questions. This was mainly for RCs; you also need to be aware of the basics of solving verbal abilities questions. For VA, try to solve at least 2-3 questions of each variety daily.
Above mention section level preparation strategy is for people who need to improve in some sections and want to improve it quickly. For aspirants who are average in all three sections, they need to focus on an overall strategy. Please take 15- 20 mocks during the last 20 days. Analysis after mock is very important; otherwise, it would not give you the potential benefit.
You can take mocks from any good coaching. It would be better if you solved the previous year's CAT papers. It would give you much clarity on the paper pattern of the final exam. You can find it on the Internet. During your mock, it's important to create a test environment as it can greatly help you manage your time.
So, in the last 20 days, taken mocks almost daily and analysed them, revised quants basics, and read for at least two hours daily. Come up with your test-taking strategy. Most importantly, be MOTIVATED!, at least till the exam. Eat healthy food, get a good sleep of 7-8 hours. Believe in yourself; you are going to rock it.
All the best!