How I Prepared For CAT To Convert Top B-Schools-By Swaha S, IIM A

Common Admission Test (CAT) is attempted by nearly 2 lakh aspirants every year, with the hope to secure a seat in a top business school in India. It is the first step in the long process of obtaining admission into the prestigious Indian Institutes of Management. This article follows how I secured admission into IIM Ahmedabad. 

Adapting to the new CAT Pattern 

The exam pattern for CAT was changed in the year 2020 to accommodate a shorter test, more slots, and adequate safety measures, following the coronavirus pandemic. CAT 2020 had the following pattern; 

1. The test was conducted in a two-hour format 
2. 26 Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) questions
3. 24 Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) questions
4. 26 Quantitative Aptitude (QA) questions 

The prior format was of three hours comprising 34,32, and 34 questions respectively of each section. There was also a sectional time limit of 40 minutes per section. The marking scheme remained the same, with 3 marks being awarded for every right answer, -1 for every incorrect MCQ-type question, and no negative marking for incorrect integer-type questions.

My CAT preparation strategy 

The strategy that helped me crack CAT 2020 with a 99.92 percentile was pretty straightforward. I followed a two-pronged approach that consisted of practice and writing mock tests. I cleared my concepts in each section thoroughly through practice. Instead of trying to solve questions from multiple books, I focused on one book per section and tried to acquaint myself with all sorts of questions that usually appear in CAT. Since CAT has no set syllabus, this was no easy task. 

How to transform your weakest section into the strongest one in CAT?

Approach to solving questions 

Whenever I was faced with a question that I could not solve or got an incorrect answer to, I would set forth to solve more questions of a similar type to better acquaint myself with it. I believe if a person knows the process to solve a question; then they can invariably arrive at an endpoint; an answer. The answer can then be accurately determined. This goes on to show that the process that runs at the backend is extremely important and should be focused upon. 

The essence behind mock tests 

This is where mock tests step in to simplify and boost one’s preparation. There are many advantages to writing CAT mock tests; You get to simulate the actual test-taking experience, you get to review your mistakes post taking the test and such a review helps in rectifying the mistakes made and not repeating them. Reviewing one’s mistakes engraves the correct process for solving a particular kind of question into one’s mind, so that the next time when one is faced with a similar type of question, one can collect and recall the previous instances and not repeat the mistake. This may sound complicated but it becomes seamless with every other question that is reviewed. This is a fast method that can be applied to familiarize oneself with a large number and variety of questions.

Is it possible to crack CAT without coaching?

IIM Ahmedabad selection process

Following the declaration of CAT scores, candidates shortlisted by IIM Ahmedabad were asked to fill out a form to furnish more details about their work experience, certifications and courses completed and marks obtained in the 10th,12th standard, and bachelor’s degree examinations. After the declaration of relevant dates, IIM Ahmedabad conducts the Analytical Writing Test and Personal Interview (AWT-PI) for every shortlisted candidate. The AWT process requires a candidate to critically dissect, interpret and derive conclusions from a given argument; and to write a short essay on it. 

The PI process includes a discussion on the AWT. The PI process will consist of the panelists and the candidate engaging in a conversation that may lean towards a conversation, a discussion, or an actual interview, depending on the turn it takes and the way it is steered. The topics can be anything; ranging from current affairs to the courses one has taken or studied during one’s lifetime.

Hence, based on the marks secured by a candidate in a personal interview combined with the CAT Score and the application rating received, IIM-A proceeds to select and offer admission letters to the selected candidates. This was how my MBA admission process concluded with IIM Ahmedabad welcoming me to its campus.

Read other insightful articles below:

1. Avani Raghuwanshi's journey to XLRI will help you ace MBA exams!
2. From acing CAT with 99.48 percentile to securing admission into 6 renowned MBA colleges
3. Anubhav’s journey from chronic insomnia and anxiety to NMIMS, Mumbai
4. A must-read! D2C Competitive Leader from XLRI shares everything about MBA and competitions (Part I)