There are about 90 days left for CAT 2011. By now, many of you would have started the basic preparation and have the conceptual clarity. Now it is time for you to move to the next level. To suggest you on the preparation strategy for the 90 days to CAT, the CAT 2010 toppers give you the advice in this article of MBAUniverse.com.
Manage your time
Since time is an important factor in a test like CAT. You should start solving the problems on the basis of time. Taking time bound tests are also necessary to check how far you have made yourself time bound. “Time is of the essence now. Start timing your problem solving and start putting a stress on accuracy,” mentions Kumar Anubhav, 99.15 percentiler in CAT 2011 and admitted to IIM Rohtak.
Know your strengths and weaknesses
When you know about your strengths and weaknesses, then only you can plan your preparation better. You should spend more time on the weaker areas to make them stronger. But you cannot ignore your strong areas also. You should aim to make them even stronger. “Know your strengths and weakness because that is the only factor deciding the amount of effort to be put in various sections. Try and identify your strong topics and weak ones and focus more on weak ones,” Anubhav says.
Take mock tests
Taking mock tests is the essence of CAT preparation. Take regular mock tests to judge your preparation. “Three months before CAT one should give one to two mock tests a week and analyze them in deep. Also sectional tests should be given wherever the candidate feels him/herself weak,” suggests Anustup Chattopadhyay, 96.3 percentiler in CAT 2011, now admitted to XLRI Jamshedpur. “The most important thing while preparing for a paper like CAT is taking mock tests. Never skip mock papers. CAT is more about composure and strategy and lesser about formulae. One is bound to have a few bad mock papers, but it is important to see them through,” adds Anurag Goyal, FMS (2009-11) student and CAT 2008 99.56 percentiler.
Analyze mock tests
Analysis of mock tests is as necessary as taking them. If you don’t analyze your performance in mock tests, you will not know which are the areas you need to improve and what should be your next step. Whenever you take mock test, make it a point to get it checked by an expert and take the valuable insights and suggestions on ways to improve your suggestions.
Stay focused
Focus on your preparation. You should not pay much heed to what others are doing; rather concentrate on improving your preparation for cracking CAT 2011. As Deepak Mehta, 100 percentiler in CAT 2010 and an IIM Ahmedabad admit puts it, “Just focus on you preparations. Never compare yourself with some other or get scared if someone is scoring more than you. Don't get disheartened if you get low marks in some particular mock test.”
Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more on CAT 2011 preparation.
