CAT Preparation

The technique for preparation for CAT depends on upon your current level and conditions relating to the work experience or education. More than two lakh applicants enlist for CAT each year. These applicants have different profiles related with education background and experience. The preparation method and procedure will different appropriately.

If you are new out of college or if you in the last year of your graduation, you should have not given CAT once. You have to begin your preparation from the basics. The initial step is to get familiar with the CAT pattern and types of question asked in the test, and continuously move towards concepts and practice questions.

For advance level candidates, who have already equipped for CAT before and have the essential idea regarding the exam, preparation is about revision and practicing more questions, taking mock tests and analyzing the present preparation level and then further planning for improvement. This includes analyzing your qualities and weaknesses, time management, concept level, etc.  

CAT Preparation Strategy

• Traditional system (for the beginners) is to join coaching classes.
• Self-Study strategy for the individuals who don't have the option or chance to join coaching classes.
• Self-Study with test series of any well known coaching classes to get overall idea where you stand in the group.

CAT Preparation Dimensions

Speed: Number of questions you can solve (correctly) in any tie limit considering the difficulty level.

Accuracy: There is negative marketing for wrong answers. Accuracy means correct questions of all attempted.

Focus: For 120 minutes test, the level of focus declines as time passes.

Easy Qs: Every paper has some simple questions which shouldn't be left.

Traps: These are hard questions which looks simple, so candidated tend to waste time on these.

5 Steps to CAT Preparation Strategy

1. Understand about CAT

Even before you think get preparing for CAT, primary step is to understand about Common Admission Test (CAT), its pattern and syllabus. CAT being one of the most focused Business school admission test, it needs in-depth preparation. You should start preparing for this computer-based examination at the point you have chosen to attempt for it.

2. Analyze your Strengths and Weaknesses

When you have understood about CAT, analyze your strengths and weaknesses and how much time you may be required to give to your weak zones. Looking at the syllabus and the past pattern of CAT examination, you can recognize your strong and weak points. There you should study and practice more, and then on the other hand there may be a few subjects in your weak areas where you are strong enough and you may require less revision and practice sessions for them. Strategically, you should discover such weak areas and separate them from the strong ones.

3. Study Material

Next step is to discover the right study material. Whether you are preparing by yourself or have joined some coaching class, select and collect study material carefully. The online preparation mode is also very good option. The importance of daily papers and magazines is also extremely noticeable in preparing for CAT. You should build up a habit of reading them on a regular basis. This will help you to get updated with general awareness, English abilities and reading comprehension.

4. Time Management

You should become consistent with your preparation timing as appropriate time management plays an important part to scoring high CAT percentile. Four to five month of genuine preparation can get you a good confidence level for CAT. Practice and consistency is the way to success. You should ideally put no less than 20 hours a week for CAT preparation. The more, the better! Separate your available time to various sections. This will rely on upon your present level of preparation, what all topics you have already done, regardless of whether you are working or not, etc.

5. Concentrate on Basics

You should concentrate more on basics. Easy routes, Vedic Mathematics, speed multiplication and different tips are important; however you should be first clear with essentials so you can better value them. NCERT books for standard VI to X are wonderful for learning basics.