Class 10th- 9.8 CGPA (CBSE)
She has been working with Coal India Limited since August 2016. This was Shripragnya’s 3rd attempt at CAT. She scored 83.4 percentile in 2017 and 94.75 percentile in 2018 attempts. We talked to her about what she did differently this time and this is what she has to say-:
How did you prepare-Self study or Coaching? Which one do you think I'd better?
I was a student at Elitesgrid. Self-study or coaching depends on the individual absolutely. As I was a working professional, I needed that systematic guidance to be regular and not get lost in information overload and that is what EG provided me. If you are someone who is self-motivated and need only practice, you may not need to opt for coaching.
According to you, what is the most important aspect of preparation?
The most important aspect will be to get your basics right and do a lot of practice. Practice is the key to cracking CAT or any other competitive exam.
Which study material did you use? Which mock series did you enroll for? How many full length mocks did you take?
I used the material provided by Elites Grid and some books recommended by the faculty. I enrolled for TIME and IMS mocks and gave around 40-45 mocks.
What was your approach while taking mocks? How did you analyze the mocks later?
I took mock tests thinking of them as learning opportunities. So, I wasn't getting too nervous while appearing. But at the same time with focus because without having a serious mock attempt, it is pointless to analyse it. Later, I used to analyse mocks thoroughly and see which questions I got wrong and why, whether the approach was wrong or lengthy and what all other methods are there to solve the same question with better efficiency.
Which section were you strong in? Since you were strong in that section, how did you prepare for other sections?
Owing to my background, I was strong in Quants. So, I focused on LRDI and VARC sections more. For VARC, I used to read a lot of articles and practice a lot of RCs from different sources like past mocks and RC99. For LRDI, I used to practice the sets from Elitesgrid's Youtube playlist, their class assignments and past mocks.
Which section was your Achilles heel? How did you overcome it?
I was very weak in VARC. In my first CAT attempt which was a casual attempt, I got 49.xx %ile in VARC. So, I prepared a lot for this section. Reading a lot and practising RCs was my way.
What according to you are DO's and DON'Ts of CAT preparation?
CAT is a game of concept and time management. It's not about how much you know, it's how well you apply whatever you know. Every question carries 3 marks. So, there are no brownie points for attempting the difficult questions. If you find a question difficult, never get stuck there. Move to the next question. Every second counts. So, time management is crucial. Have faith and work hard. Improvement, especially in VARC and LRDI sections, is slow, what I felt. So, a lot of patience and through practice is required to excel in this exam.
CAT preparation is a journey with its own ups and downs. What was your low point and how did you overcome it?
During my CAT preparation there were many instances where due to low mock scores, I felt like giving up. But then I reminded myself that if I stopped working hard, the improvement will definitely not happen anyway. And last year in CAT 2018, I scored low as I had left preparation in the middle. So, I decided not to repeat history and give my 100 percent this year.
What final advice would you like to give to the aspirants?
Practice. Believe in yourself. Focus. Learn how to manage time. If your preparation is on point and a question is difficult for you, it is difficult for the entire batch, do not panic and waste your time there. Do questions in rounds. And finally, NEVER GIVE UP.
All the best!
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