There is just a month left for CAT 2020. Whether one is totally prepared, half prepared or not at all prepared, the emotional trauma is still on. Those students who have been getting good scores in the Mocks are as worried about the final outcome as the students who have been getting erratic scores! It is important to realize, that 30 days is a long time and one can easily improve marks (and therefore one’s percentile) in these 30 days too. However, it is also important to decide on where to concentrate your energies in the last 30 days!
The acing of CAT 2020 requires two parallel distinctive approaches. One aims at ensuring the utilization of 2 hours fully in the exam, the other aims at ensuring the maximum returns for the hours invested prior to the exam (read preparation).
However good one may be in solving problems of QA or DILR or good in vocabulary and grammar, the exam requires a special approach. It is much like adapting oneself to various formats of a cricket game (Test, ODI, T20) even though one may be excellent in batting or bowling!
Read how 99+ percentilers made the best use of the final 30 days before CAT!
Take Mock Tests At The Same Time As Your CAT 2020 Slot
In this last leg of preparation, writing the Mocks to finalize one’s strategy becomes imperative. At the same time, writing ONLY Mocks and doing nothing to improve one’s capability of solving more questions/different types of questions would be counter-productive. Writing only Mocks will set in fatigue in a few days and it will affect the actual exam.
Now that the CAT 2020 admit cards have been released, start taking your mock tests at the same time as your CAT 2020 slot (8:30 AM to 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM or 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM). Take 4 to 7 mocks in the next 30 days. There's no harm in attempting more mock tests, but do remember that writing mocks alone won’t improve your marks. Analysing your mock tests becomes the gamechanger here!
Ankit Gupta (CAT 99.52 %iler, IIM Lucknow student) has detailed out on how you should analyse mock tests. Read here!
Topics You Should Spend More Time On In The Last 30 Days
Here's a list of the most important topics across sections based on the questions asked in the past CAT tests.
|
Quantitative Ability
|
Arithmetic (Ratios, Percentages, Profit & Loss, Time and Work, Time Speed Distance, Averages) |
| Algebra (Quadratic Equation, Polynomials, Inequalities, Logs) |
| Number System |
| Geometry, Coordinate Geometry, Mensuration |
- Solve at least 15 questions on Number System/ Algebra on alternate days
- Solve 10-15 questions on Geometry /Arithmetic on alternate days
***
Data Interpretation
|
Tables & Its Variants |
| Bar Chart |
| Line Graphs |
| Pie Charts |
| Tournament & Games |
| Max/Minima & Venn Diagram |
| Miscellaneous – Spider, Triangle, Scatter Diagram etc. |
- Solve 2 sets daily
- Solve 15 to 20 sets in each such type of questions
***
Logical Reasoning
|
Arrangements (Linear and Circular) |
| Selection |
| Networks & Routes |
| Order Sequencing & Ranking |
| Binary Logic |
| Cubes & Venn Diagrams |
- Solve 4-5 sets daily. At the end of 30 days, you should have solved close to 120 sets of LR
***
Verbal Ability And Reading Comprehension
|
Reading Comprehension |
| Grammar |
| Para Jumbles |
| ParaCompletion/Summary |
| Critical Reasoning |
- Solve 3 to 4 RCs a day for the next 30 days. Check every answer – wrong ones as well as the ones you get right! For every wrong answer – give yourself reasons why the same cannot be the answer.
- Solve 10 Grammar questions daily
- Solve 5 Parajumbles, Para Completion, Summary questions per day
- For Critical Reasoning, solve around 15 questions every 3 days.
Must-Do In The Last 30 Days
- Record your performance in every mock test in detail. Analyse the mocks thoroughly. Ideally, you should analyse the very day you take the test. If that's not possible, then ensure you do so in the very next day.
- Maintain a notebook and jot down the important formulae, shortcuts, mistakes you are making, etc. It'll be of tremendous help during your revision. You may check this QA Formulae Handbook for your easy reference.
- Read medium (1500–3000 words) or long (3000+ words) articles across various genres (Editorials, Pop-Sci, Literature, Opinion Pieces, Policy Articles, etc.) from reputed sources (The Hindu, The Guardian, The Independent, Mint, Scroll, The Caravan, The Economist, Financial Times, Bloomberg, Down To Earth, India Development Review, etc.)
- After every mock test, make sure you know the meaning and usage of the words in the Reading Comprehension passages.
- As written above, take the mock tests as per your CAT exam time slot. Make changes to your sleep cycle if need be.
- Last, but never the least, stay healthy and optimistic!
All the best! Do let us know in the comment section on how we may help you in the last leg of the CAT preparation journey! You may also write to us at
editor@insideiim.com