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I started my preparation during my college time. Studying at Delhi University, I always wanted to leverage the skillset and learnings that DU offers and with my studies for CAT. Firstly I enrolled myself in an offline institute with weekend batches. Made a balance between college schedule and studies for CAT. But in my first attempt, I was able to score 86 percentile only.
I made my mind to go ahead with a job and simultaneously prepare side by side. An altogether difficult journey was ahead. I enrolled myself in an online coaching. Verbal and reading comprehension was my weakest section which I was most worried about. I dedicated majority of the time to this section. While on the metro I read articles, read newspapers, in spare time solved RC questions and at night attended classes and practiced till my eyes allowed in the night. For reading comprehension, I was practising at least four RCs on a daily basis plus analyzing it. Then I started giving mocks. Believe me, giving mocks is an altogether a different journey. You can feel each and every emotion before and after each mock. Those three hours you need to be your best version. I was progressing in mocks, improving my mistakes, analyzing what I was doing wrong, practising a lot.
It was time for D-Day. I was in the afternoon slot. When the exam started, I was first bombarded with the English section, which was called the toughest in CAT history. I cursed my fortune. It was just like adding salt to my wounds. I was blank and was just going through the passages and trying to do what I have been doing in mocks. Lost some hopes after this section. Now came DILR, which again was not according to the reviews of morning slot. There were difficult sets which made me search a bit hard. But I heard from the review of the morning slot that if you are not done with 4 sets, you have lost the game. I braced myself and at the end was able to solve 4 sets. Then came quants which was my strength. I did it well. Coming out of the center, I was wondering that I goofed up in VARC and lost all the hopes. I called my parents, talked to my mom about the same. She made me calm down. After just 4 days, the response sheet was out. I made my mind to not see the sheet till my XAT exam. But after some days, I thought that better to know it before so that I can prepare for the future. But what I saw on the website that the response sheet was removed by CAT authorities. Now I need to wait for 10 more days.
In the end, I would just want to give a piece of advice to future aspirants that if you are true to yourself, ask yourself while on the bed when you are about to sleep that whether you utilized your day in a productive way. The answer will be there in front of you and believe me if you are dedicating your time, practicing well, then no one can stop you from achieving what you aspired.