CAT mock tests: Strategies for taking mock tests

Add Review

MBAUniverse.com News Desk |
March 20, 2014
The month of September is already here. Approximately 50 days are left for CAT 2011. This article of MBAUniverse will discuss the strategies of taking mock tests.

The month of September is already here. Approximately 50 days are left for CAT 2011. If you are preparing for taking CAT 2011 seriously, then you must have completed at least the basic preparation. The next step is to check where you have reached and identify your areas of concern. The best method is by taking mock tests. This article of MBAUniverse.com will discuss the strategies of taking mock tests.

 

Ideal time to start taking mock tests

According to the experts, you should complete your basic preparation before you start taking the mock tests. It is ideal to start taking the mock tests at least three months prior to the actual test, i.e. CAT 2010. But for that, you should finish your basic conceptual preparation first.

Frequency of taking mock tests

The experts opine that at this stage, you should take two mock tests in a week. The rest of the days should be utilized for the analysis, correcting the errors and preparing for the next mock test.”You don’t need to take mock tests everyday. Two mock tests in a week are sufficient. Utilize the days in between to analyze them,” says Gautam Puri, Vice Chairman, Career Launcher.

Analysis of mock tests

The mock tests are meant to be taken to understand your short comings and rectify your errors. While you take the mock tests, you come to know that which are the areas which you have committed the mistake and the reason behind that. “Take an expert’s help to analyze your mock tests. You have to judge if the problem is made just once or it is a consistent error that is occurring. If the error is consistent, then judge if it is a careless error or a conceptual ambiguity and then plan your further preparations accordingly,” says Gejo Sreenivasan, Principal Consultant, Career Launcher. “If it a conceptual problem, you need to go back to your basics and study more. But if it is a careless mistake, you need to practice more,” Sreenivasan adds.

Full length vs. sectional mock tests

Mock tests can be of two sorts, full length mock tests and sectional mock tests. In full length mock tests, you take the mock test for the full duration of two-and-a-half hours with all three sections, whereas in mock tests, you take test of only one section.

If you have completed your preparation for one section and want to test yourself, taking sectional mock tests is the best idea. “Sectional mock tests are ideal to take during the initial stages of preparation or when the preparation for one section is over,” explains Sreenivasan. Sectional mock tests are also taken for a weak area where you need to practice more.

Full length mock tests are taken when your overall preparation is done. “It is ideal to take full length mock tests when you are done with the overall preparation of all the sections and when the actual exam has approached,” he mentions.

But if you are weak in a particular section, you should make it stronger first by taking regular sectional mock tests. “To work on your weak areas, you should take regular sectional mock tests. Now that its 50 days left for CAT 2011, you should take full length mock tests along with sectional ones,” says Arun Sharma, CAT guru and author of CAT preparation books.

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more on mock tests for CAT preparation.