CAT- one of the most prestigious exams in India is not only challenging in terms of the length of its syllabus but is also daunting because of its highly unpredictable nature. The first step I took was to prepare myself mentally and physically for the exam. I set goals and understood the exam pattern thoroughly. I made a comfortable timetable that eased my preparation and made it more streamlined. But even with all that, I couldn’t really cover all the syllabus, especially QA. I made a judgment call, to leave 3 chapters and focus on the questions from chapters that I did complete for the mocks and the actual CAT paper.
The 99%ilers' Klub - Get Mentored By Seasoned CAT Trainers To Ace Your MBA Exams | A Game Changer For MBA Aspirants
I gave 9 CAT previous years' papers and 24 mocks of Career Launcher and Time. Both I felt were of great help in preparing me for a whole array of difficult and twisted questions while simultaneously improving my speed. CL's interface was actually quite close to the actual CAT while the quality of questions that were asked in TIME was in my opinion great. I used to try to solve the mocks at the same time as my slot on the day of the exam, I believe it prepares your mind to be extra vigilant and helps a lot in forming a habit of solving questions. After giving mocks in the stipulated time, I used to keep that aside and then try to solve all the questions without a time limit, It helps you think and improves your problem-solving skill, so the next time a question like that comes, you’ll know how to go about it. Thereafter I used to look at the solutions and decipher how they were solved, what tricks were used, and thoroughly go through each question again.
One more thing I did was use the mocks as a tool to help me figure out what strategies work for me, for example, In some mocks, I used to do all the questions in VARC, and in some, I used to do only the ones I was 100% sure about, Comparing the two, I realized that solving all the questions was working for me and that is what I did in the actual CAT which helped me score a 99.33 in the sectional. Again, what worked for me might not work for you, so it’s important to give as many mocks as you can and try to figure out what your strategy should be. I made short notes that helped me keep track of the portions covered and served as a ready- reckoner for revision. I also made an Excel sheet with all the scores, percentile, and accuracy levels, which acted as a mirror, helping me see where I stood in terms of different sections, and the improvement that I had shown in the time period.
Also with mocks, it is important to keep in mind that they are in no way a reflection of how you will score on the actual paper. There were times when I scored a mere 70 percentile in them, shattering me to the core but resilience has always been my forte. I realized that scores were just numbers and that they should be taken with a pinch of salt. I also learned that prior to moving into advanced topics, it was essential that I reinforced the fundamentals. I persevered with consistency on a regular basis to retain the concepts efficiently. This made my journey seamless and helped me cut through the competition.
How I Scored 99.93%ile In CAT 2021 Without Any Coaching | Ankan C., FMS Co '24
CAT Notification release is around the corner, Now is the time you take your preparation seriously and go the extra mile. To aid CAT aspirants, we have compiled a few sectional tests as a giveaway. Take them now and see how your accuracy turns out!