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Top tips that will help you clear a CAT exam efficiently -By Palash Jhawar from MDI Gurgaon
Top tips that will help you clear a CAT exam efficiently -By Palash Jhawar from MDI Gurgaon
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Since you have taken the time to read this article, I assume that you have decided to do a post-graduation course in management studies. In case, you have not done that and if you are still in that phase to make a decision, here are some tips to help you clear a CAT exam.
First of all, you need to assess the level of competition and identify your position in the game. There are tons of mock papers available online on various platforms. Download any one of them and complete it in a stipulated time. The next step is to identify your target tier of B-schools.
It is usually decided by your current level of preparation and the tasks you have in your life. Also, you need to make a target to move forward. Thus, you have a chance to get into one of your desired B-schools depending on the placement reports. Now, you can have an idea about the percentile required to get into a good B-school. Also, it will help you figure out your position. The tricky part is to judge whether you would be able to reach that percentile after a few months of preparation.
Suppose you need a score of 150+ in CAT and you are able to score 80-100 or more, then it is an achievable target. But if you are not able to score even 50 in a mock, you have fewer chances to reach a score of 150. Entrance exams like CAT are highly dependent on an individual’s aptitude, which takes a long time to develop. So, before you start investing your time, make an informed decision.
I am currently a final year student at MDI Gurgaon. I made my way here by cracking the exam of CAT in 2017 with a percentile of 99.51. So, here I am sharing my strategy to nail the exam. Well, it was a little unconventional. I began my preparation in the final year of my graduation. I had my classes scheduled from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM on weekdays. However, I could barely get time to prepare for anything. So, I decided not to join any coaching classes. Now, it was a huge decision. If you are following the same strategy, ensure you have an appropriate atmosphere to study. Now, if you will follow my footsteps, you need some tools to study. Let’s begin with books.
There are three sections in the CAT examination: Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, and Verbal Aptitude. For QA, you can use books by SK Verma or Arun Sharma. Besides that, you can buy study material from TIME, CL or IMS coaching classes. Also, work on reading comprehension and para jumbles for verbal aptitude and DI/LR.
For better understanding, you can buy the online course of Handa ka Funda by Ravi Handa. He shares videos that explain the concepts and sample questions of all the sections. In addition, you can also interact with him through a WhatsApp group for solving your doubts. You can also attend his special sessions on the weekends for the same.
Also, you can buy the course of CrackU which comes with a question bank divided into categories and different sections. The questions come in the form of mini-quizzes which consists of five questions. This way, you will learn some time management tactics. Also, they come with an application that enables one to practice well. I used to practice 6 to 10 hours a day, depending on my schedule.
Now, let’s talk about some mock tests to clear a CAT exam. If you ask me, the mock test is the most important aspect of the preparation. During my three months of preparation, I gave more than 50 mock tests on various platforms including Bullseye, CrackU, IMS, TIME, Handa ka Funda, etc. With that, one should know how to analyze a mock test. Analyze it properly to identify your weak areas.
Along with the primary preparation, ensure that you are regularly reading newspapers related to finance. It will prepare you for the verbal section and GDs. So, this is my take on how to clear a CAT exam. I understand that it is a bit unconventional but I urge you to analyze your circumstances and make a strong strategy. Trust your instincts and use your brain to make decisions.
This article was submitted as a part of Become an Author conducted by Dare2Compete.
Assess your level of competition to clear a CAT exam
First of all, you need to assess the level of competition and identify your position in the game. There are tons of mock papers available online on various platforms. Download any one of them and complete it in a stipulated time. The next step is to identify your target tier of B-schools.
It is usually decided by your current level of preparation and the tasks you have in your life. Also, you need to make a target to move forward. Thus, you have a chance to get into one of your desired B-schools depending on the placement reports. Now, you can have an idea about the percentile required to get into a good B-school. Also, it will help you figure out your position. The tricky part is to judge whether you would be able to reach that percentile after a few months of preparation.
How to nail a good score for CAT
Suppose you need a score of 150+ in CAT and you are able to score 80-100 or more, then it is an achievable target. But if you are not able to score even 50 in a mock, you have fewer chances to reach a score of 150. Entrance exams like CAT are highly dependent on an individual’s aptitude, which takes a long time to develop. So, before you start investing your time, make an informed decision.
I am currently a final year student at MDI Gurgaon. I made my way here by cracking the exam of CAT in 2017 with a percentile of 99.51. So, here I am sharing my strategy to nail the exam. Well, it was a little unconventional. I began my preparation in the final year of my graduation. I had my classes scheduled from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM on weekdays. However, I could barely get time to prepare for anything. So, I decided not to join any coaching classes. Now, it was a huge decision. If you are following the same strategy, ensure you have an appropriate atmosphere to study. Now, if you will follow my footsteps, you need some tools to study. Let’s begin with books.
The books you need to feed your brain
There are three sections in the CAT examination: Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, and Verbal Aptitude. For QA, you can use books by SK Verma or Arun Sharma. Besides that, you can buy study material from TIME, CL or IMS coaching classes. Also, work on reading comprehension and para jumbles for verbal aptitude and DI/LR.
For better understanding, you can buy the online course of Handa ka Funda by Ravi Handa. He shares videos that explain the concepts and sample questions of all the sections. In addition, you can also interact with him through a WhatsApp group for solving your doubts. You can also attend his special sessions on the weekends for the same.
Also, you can buy the course of CrackU which comes with a question bank divided into categories and different sections. The questions come in the form of mini-quizzes which consists of five questions. This way, you will learn some time management tactics. Also, they come with an application that enables one to practice well. I used to practice 6 to 10 hours a day, depending on my schedule.
Mock tests are the necessary evils
Now, let’s talk about some mock tests to clear a CAT exam. If you ask me, the mock test is the most important aspect of the preparation. During my three months of preparation, I gave more than 50 mock tests on various platforms including Bullseye, CrackU, IMS, TIME, Handa ka Funda, etc. With that, one should know how to analyze a mock test. Analyze it properly to identify your weak areas.
Along with the primary preparation, ensure that you are regularly reading newspapers related to finance. It will prepare you for the verbal section and GDs. So, this is my take on how to clear a CAT exam. I understand that it is a bit unconventional but I urge you to analyze your circumstances and make a strong strategy. Trust your instincts and use your brain to make decisions.
This article was submitted as a part of Become an Author conducted by Dare2Compete.
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