We at Bell CAT mentor individual aspirants keeping in mind their strengths and weaknesses, instead of having a one-size-fits-all approach. However, there are certain gospels and fundamental techniques that we suggest all CAT-takers to take note of!
- Getting to know your opponent is half the battle won!
No, we are not asking you to eavesdrop on your neighborhood CAT aspirant! Rather we encourage you to have a clear idea regarding the exam pattern and syllabus of CAT (and also CMAT, XLRI and other entrances). Especially in the wake of coronavirus pandemic, the test pattern of CAT (and others) have undergone a sea change and it will be to your advantage to keep abreast of these changes.
- The more you bleed in Practice, the less you bleed in CAT!
CAT will be less about your knowledge, and more about your aptitude and decision-making. It is a very, very demanding test, both intellectually and physically – you have to sit tight over consecutive hours and solve problems without losing your focus or energy.
The ultimate mantra to crack CAT, as advised by all past toppers, is practice! Almost all CAT toppers swear that the more practice hours you put in, the better you will perform.
But we warned! CAT is a “random” exam and no one ever knows what type of questions or how many will be asked. Therefore, it is crucial to attempt as many mocks as possible to familiarize yourself and be prepared for all genres of questions: direct, vague, moderate and twisted! Practice as many mock tests as you can. And don’t be disheartened if you don’t score well in your first go! Like Churchill said, “If you are going through hell, keep going!”
Online mock tests made me adept to the habit of reading from computer. We at Bell CAT have over ______ tests developed by experts in the field of MBA preparation. Additionally, we upload _____ CAT mock tests every week to ensure that you don’t face in surprises in the actual CAT!
- Analyze yourself
Mocks are only half of the job! The most important stage of CAT preparation comes after you have finished a mock. Analyzing your mock tests are as important as appearing in them! Identify your strengths and weaknesses and work on them accordingly. After attempting a mock, carefully analyze your performance: try to figure out where you have gone wrong, which section is giving you the most trouble, which type of questions are confusing you… Basically you need to do a SWOT (Strength, weakness, opportunities, threat) analysis of your performance. Maintain an error log so that you can have your doubt clarified by our mentors at Bell CAT and also, so that you may go through it later.
- Focus on all!
There are many who say: ‘Oh! But I’m not good with quant! So, I’ll prepare only VARC’ or ‘I can’t handle this type of question. So, I better avoid it’.
Do not fall into this trap! Do not focus on one section only and try to give equal importance to all of them. Get your basic fundamental cleared in all topics! Neglecting a section or a topic is a sure shot way of ending up in hot water in case those are asked in the actual CAT exam. Also, keep in mind that CAT is to enable you to enter a career where you are supposed to use your problem solving skills and reasoning abilities to solve real-world business problems! So skip those at your peril.
To avoid such hara-kiri by our students, Bell CAT has a wide range of sectional mocks for you to flex your intellectual muscles in and mentors to guide you in every subject!
- Form a peer group
Jim Rohn once said, ‘You become an average of the five people you spend most of your time with’. To increase your chances in CAT, surround yourself with aspirants, mentors, guides etc. Reach out to fellow CAT-takers over social media, form Facebook groups to discuss doubts and queries. Utilize the weapon of digital age in your arsenal!
This has another crucial benefit- keeping you motivated! Believe it or not, a huge chunk of CAT aspirants drop out after a few months of preparation or after doing badly in a CAT mock (‘Oh! My score is so low in the mock! Surely I wont make it in the real test!’) So, you need people to cheer you up while you are putting in all-nighters and solving mocks.
- Time is money (and CAT percentile)
Devote a fixed amount of time every day to solve mocks. Make a time table and try to stick it. You will need to put in consistent and focused approach to bag that IIM seat. For someone who is about to start from scratch, it might take anywhere between 6 to 9 months of full dedication to clear the exam. We at Bell CAT have curated course modules to enable you to grasp your fundamental concepts quickly and easily. We understand that many of you will be preparing for CAT, alongside full time jobs or while studying at college, and may not be able to adhere to strict class timeline. Hence, we have recorded video lectures delivered by top MBA-prep faculties that you can access any time!
- Keep calm and crack CAT!
Don’t lose heart by seeing others perform better! Don’t be intimidated by the length and breadth of the topics before you! Don’t fret if you have not started preparing 1 year earlier! Plan, prepare and persevere! And above all: Keep Calm! Remember:
‘Ten men wisely led will beat a hundred without a head!’
