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How A Hotelier Got 99%ile In CAT | CAT 2021 Strategy For Non-Engineers

Apr 27, 2021 | 10 minutes |

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Here is a statistic for you: of the total number of aspirants who attempt the CAT exam, less than 4 percent end up getting admission to one of the twenty IIMs in the country. The acceptance rate reduces further when you look at only at IIMs ABCLIK, which implies that Harvard Business School has a greater acceptance rate than the top six IIMs. With such degree of competition, it doesn't help matters if you have been out of touch with quantitative problem solving for many years due to your non-engineering background. So does that make it impossible for non-engineers out of touch with quant to crack CAT? Absolutely not, and here is a shining example of it in the form of a hotel management graduate with no background in mathematics who cracked CAT 2020 and got shortlisted by top business schools, including IIM Kozhikode.
Meet Debansu Mukhopadhyay - 99%ile In CAT 2020, Shortlists From IIMK, XLRI, MDI, IIM S, CAP IIMs
Debansu Mukhopadhyay is a hotel management graduate from IHMCTAN Mumbai, and achieved a 99th percentile score in CAT 2020. Debansu has previously had no background in mathematics, last studying the subject in high school. Over a span of 7-8 months, Debansu not only strengthened his weak area (QA) but also built upon his strong areas (DILR + VARC), eventually scoring well in CAT and getting shortlisted by IIM Kozhikode, IIM Shillong, MDI and CAP IIMs. The following was Debansu's CAT preparation strategy that led him to a 99th percentile score in CAT 2020 and shortlists from some of India's top-ranked business schools.
Deciding to take the CAT is akin to committing to running a marathon. The process is very similar - you start from scratch, spend months preparing, put in your blood, sweat and tears and finally give your best performance on the big day. Contrary to what you may believe when you begin the journey, acing the CAT is less about whether you can solve the most difficult questions and more about how well you perform in a timed, high-pressure test. 
Mental Composure And Test Preparedness - The Two 'Additional Sections' In CAT
I believe that over and above the 3 sections of the exam, another 2 are tested - your mental composure and test preparedness. There are a few things you can do to be fully prepared for these two ‘additional sections’ : Read Next: 20 Stories You Should Read Today To Boost Your Motivation For CAT
The preparation journey from now till the D-day can be divided into three broad phases, with different strategies for each.
How To Prepare For CAT 2021: May To July
Read Next: Top 15 Resources You Can Use For Free To Prepare For CAT 2020 - Full Resource List
How To Prepare For CAT 2021: August To October
If the first 3 months were spent learning how to drive in 1st and 2nd gear, this is the time to go full throttle in the 5th. With your basics in place, this is the time to shape up the most important aspect - your test-taking strategy. This is done by taking mocks, aggressively analyzing them, identifying gaps and plugging these by either refreshing concepts or more practice. Here are some pointers to remember while taking mocks: Read Next: How CAT 99 Percentilers Attempt Mock Tests - 10 Strategies By 10 CAT Toppers
How To Prepare For CAT 2021: November
Now that the basics and test taking abilities are in place, you need to polish everything up and give your best on the big day. Avoid learning new concepts, focus on refreshing the things you already know. Do not write any mocks in the week leading up to CAT, no matter how the last one goes. As I mentioned earlier, at this stage the only preparation that you can do is in your mind. Go for the exam with it well-rested and fresh.

How To Prepare For Each of The Three Sections of CAT
The following was my preparation strategy for each of the three sections of the CAT exam. While preparing for CAT 2020, my strong area was the VA-RC section, my weak area was the QA section, while an area for improvement was the DI-LR section.
How To Prepare For The Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension Section of The CAT Exam Read Next: Best Resources To Prepare For VA-RC | How To Improve Your Reading Speed And Comprehension
How To Prepare For The Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning Section of The CAT Exam Read Next: Tackling the DILR Monster | Tips And Strategy By A 99.99 Percentiler
How To Prepare For The Quantitative Aptitude Section of The CAT Exam Read Next: Scoring Topics In QA You Should Not Miss Out On - Tips From An IIM Ahmedabad Alumna
At the end of the day, doing well in CAT is just about crafting a strategy which works for you, refining it repeatedly and then implementing it. Remember that this is a marathon where you may stumble, falter and fall. No matter what happens, the one thing you cannot do is give up. All the best for CAT 2021!
Need hard-hitting tips to crack CAT that actually work? Check out this series of interviews with CAT toppers on the InsideIIM-Konversations YouTube channel!