Made a last minute decision to write CAT and not sure how to proceed? Well.. Don't worry... The Mock exams will rescue you!
Mock exams, as the name suggests, are online simulation test of the real CAT. They help you practice before the official exam. The benefits of taking up the mock exams are many especially in the last leg of preparation. To list a few
- Know the syllabus - While the 3 different sections of the CAT such as Quantitative Ability, Verbal & Reading Comprehension and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning are known, the topics that can come under these umbrellas are vast. Also, CAT tests not just the breadth but also depth. Meaning, it is not enough to know various topics but you should also know them in detail. This is where Mock exams help. When you take up mock exams, the insights from the feedback will tell you the topics where you're strong and help you identify where you need to work. This narrows down the list of topics you need to work on and helps you focus on your weak topics.
- Improve Speed - Getting your answers right might seem important in CAT but all that effort goes to waste if you don't solve sufficient questions within the stipulated time. Taking up mock exams will improve your speed as you will realize the amount of time you can afford to spend on a particular question. Overtime, you will be able to ration your time and in popular MBA terms, 'optimize' your performance.
- Know What Question to Pass - The important thing to remember about CAT is that its not about attempting all questions but knowing which questions to skip. This is because of the negative marking component. By practicing and taking up mock exams, you will be able to know how sound your knowledge of a topic is and so, decide if you can afford to spend time attempting a tough question. You can always come back to it if you've managed to save time.
Now that you must be convinced about why Mock exams are an important part of your preparation for CAT, here is how you can leverage or make best use of it. Remember to analyse the feedback report based on the following criteria
- The sections you found easy and the topics you found tough => Find out topics you need to concentrate
- The number of answers attempted vs the number of answers correct => Your accuracy
- The number of questions answered within stimulated time => Average time spent answering each question
- Which section took up most time => How to improve your speed
By answering the above questions, you can find out the insights and use them to your advantage to bell the elusive CAT and crack it too. Finally, I would like to leave you with a feedback from RajKumar Chandrasekaran, ( who is from IIM-B too and with so many achievements that are not within the scope of this article) - "Mock exam series helped me gauge myself against others through out the country.. it was the best way possible for me to gauge my preparedness" .
For further queries, please feel free to leave your comments below and like this post for more updates!
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About the Author:
Rinku Stephen pursued Computer Science and Engineering just because she was fascinated by the law of cartoons. But later during her course, she was smitten by the tech bug and went on to develop developed Peer to Peer Application for NFCs, automated healthcare claims and solutions to clinical trials. She also had a brief stint as the IT consultant for a Startup – Praise Foundation. She has interned at Flipkart as a Product Manager and looks forward to a long career in tech related roles. Setting the geek side aside, Rinku loves to trek, try new sports, read crazy, and of course.. GOT.