CAT 2024 Prep: Strategies From An IIM Ahmedabad Student | Bhargav S

Bhargav emphasises that April or May is the perfect time to kickstart your preparation. Despite time constraints, dedicating four to five hours daily can yield fantastic results. His journey began with a shift from UPSC to CAT due to a lack of inclination towards the former. He shares his list of top online resources that he benefited from and utilised to tackle each section. For Quant and DILR, he extensively solved problems and revised sets. Regular reading of newspapers and editorials honed his VARC skills. Mock tests played a pivotal role in his preparation. He strategically used sectional mocks to target weaker areas, and despite his challenges, Bhargav secured calls from top institutes, highlighting the effectiveness of his preparation strategy. Insightful guidance from Bhargav, a 2023 IIT Delhi graduate, recommends starting your CAT 2024 preparation by April or May. He illustrates that dedicating 5-6 months to studying can yield outstanding outcomes, achieving scores above the 99.5 percentile.

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📚 CAT 2024 Preparation Approach:
Dynamic preparation methods for the CAT 2024 involve leveraging both free online resources and traditional textbooks, alongside engaging in extensive mock testing. Bhargav utilized YouTube as a pivotal resource, tapping into its structured study plans which significantly enriched his learning journey.

🔄 Revising for CAT 2024:
Emphasized revision is crucial; Bhargav reflects on his preparation for CAT 2024, particularly for the DILR section, noting that insufficient revision was a major obstacle despite solving numerous problem sets.

🧘 Mindset for CAT 2024 Exam Day:
Valuable insights highlight the significance of maintaining composure during the CAT exam. Bhargav strategically tackled the easier problems first, which not only helped him manage his time efficiently but also kept his focus intact throughout the exam.

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Insights Based on Data:
- Starting CAT preparation as late as August can still be effective for the same year’s exam.
- Bhargav attempted 200-300 problem sets specifically for the DILR section during his prep.
- He achieved scores of 99.46 in Quant, 95 in Verbal, and 91 in DILR, culminating in an overall percentile of 98.52.

How did Bhargav harness YouTube resources for CAT 2024 preparation?
Bhargav extensively used YouTube to enhance his preparation for CAT 2024. He followed a free resources Excel sheet shared by Sha Aora, which outlined structured study plans and linked to essential educational content. This guided him to Roda’s channel where he dedicated about one and a half months to intensive study. Bhargav’s method involved an interactive engagement with the videos, pausing to solve problems on his own before comparing them with the provided solutions. This active involvement ensured a thorough understanding of each concept before progressing.

What revision strategies did Bhargav implement for the DILR section for CAT 2024?
Bhargav outlined specific revision strategies for the DILR section, critical to his CAT 2024 preparation. He solved a vast range of problem sets, but initially neglected revisiting them. Later realizing this oversight, he underscored the importance of regular revision, which reinforces learning and enhances problem-solving skills for the exam.

How did maintaining calm during the CAT exam benefit Bhargav?
Maintaining a calm demeanor during the CAT exam was key to Bhargav’s success. This approach enabled him to efficiently navigate through the exam sections, particularly beneficial in the DILR section where he chose to solve easier sets first. His calm mindset allowed him to methodically address and solve complex puzzles, even under time constraints, demonstrating the critical role of psychological readiness in conjunction with academic preparation.