The management exams may be some time away, but it’s crucial to focus on what truly matters and avoid spending your precious time on unnecessary concerns. Here are some suggestions for CAT 2024 exam preparation to help you save time and ultimately achieve a great percentile.AcademicsThe things that are not in your hands are something you should not spend time on. As an aspirant, it's understandable that if your academic record is not great, you may feel demotivated. However, it is not everything that a B-school considers during the interview process. A high CAT percentile and great interview preparation can help compensate for lower marks. We cannot change the past, unless you are in your last year of graduation; in that case, try to maintain good grades.
Percentile Required and Selection CriteriaMany aspirants spend time looking through the different selection criteria that institutions release, specifying points for academics, gender diversity, graduation stream, etc. This not only wastes your time but also can deviate you from your primary goal of preparing for the CAT and achieving the best possible percentile. Do not focus on what percentile is required for a certain IIM or other top B-schools, as this is unpredictable. Instead, aim to perform your best on the exam and then evaluate your options based on your results.Profile Building During PrepDuring your preparation, you may encounter many people with impressive profiles—national champions, or those working in prestigious companies and roles. You might think that no matter how high you score, they would be selected before you. However, selection is not solely based on profiles. Interviews are conducted for a reason, and not all high achievers are selected. Many times, aspirants with a decent profile but excellent interview skills are chosen. Do not devote too much time to building your profile during the preparation stage; instead, focus on your studies. After the exam, you will have time to enhance your profile.
Excessive Strategy ChangesYou will encounter numerous strategy videos throughout your preparation stage. While strategy is important, sticking to one strategy is even more crucial. Do not change your strategy every month. Trust the mentor or teacher you started with and stay away from constantly shifting to new strategies. Consistency is key to achieving a great percentile.Conclusion
Stick to your plan and stay focused.
Do not dwell on the past; look forward to the next few important months.
Believe that you can do it and eliminate unnecessary distractions.
Remember, you will have time for other important things after the exams are done.
By concentrating on what truly matters and avoiding distractions, you can optimize your preparation and improve your chances of achieving a great percentile in the CAT exam.The author of this article, Tanmay Bhardwaj scored 99.29 percentile in XAT 2024 and will be joining XIMB (2024-26).