Live Chat on 100 days to CAT: Focus on strengths to maximize score

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MBAUniverse.com News Desk |
July 13, 2013
In this latest weekly Live Expert Chat, Mr Sandeep Manudhane, Founder Chairman, PT Education shares success tips for your CAT preparation in last 100 days.
MBAUniverse.com brings you expert guidance for your CAT preparation strategy and related CAT preparation queries though weekly live expert chat.

How do I plan last 100 days to CAT? How many mock do I need to take in last 100 days? How do I manage Time and accuracy factor?

These are some of the questions that MBA Aspirants ask to MBAUniverse.com as they look for tips on their CAT strategy which can lead them to dream IIMs and other top B-schools like FMS, JBIMS, SPJIMR, IMT, MDI etc.

At this stage of your CAT preparation when CAT 2013 is just 100 days away, MBAUniverse.com brings you expert guidance for your CAT preparation strategy and related CAT preparation queries.

In the latest weekly Live Expert Chat, Mr Sandeep Manudhane, Founder Chairman, PT Education guided MBA Aspirants on their preparation queries and shared success tips on 100 days strategy for CAT. An IIT Delhi alumnus and IIM Ahmedabad select Mr Sandeep Manudhane is Founder Chairman of PT education. He carries rich experience of over 20 years in training CAT Aspirants. He is also a Corporate Trainer and Motivator. His specific areas of expertise include Language, General Knowledge- Current Affairs (GK-CA), Quant, Logical Reasoing & Data Interpretation (DI).

This article brings you some questions asked by MBA Aspirants and answer shared by Mr Sandeep Manudhane during the Live Chat session on July 12, 2013.

Neelam: In last year CAT, I got 70 percentile.  I am preparing again for CAT 2013. Please suggest me ways to increase my percentile this year.
Mr Sandeep Manudhane:  First of all, remember that since you are an experienced candidate, you have that edge by your side. Please remember 3 things: 1) What bogged you down in the last attempt? Make a list of those questions, topics or instances. Then ensure that you have a solution for them this time round. 2) Prioritise properly. Within each of the two sections (in the CAT), please prioritise your work. Do what you CAN REALLY DO first. Get that right. 3) Keep the overall target percentile in mind always. While working through smaller issues and problems, keep the larger picture in mind. Take as many mock CATs as possible (without drowning yourself into the same), and keep changing your strategy. Find the optimal strategy and work on that.

Mauhajid Khan: Sir, how should I allocate my time between Mock test and reading Stuffs? I have been preparing for last 2 months.
Mr Sandeep Manudhane: You can spend upto 2 hours each day on sincere reading. It will help you immensely with the language part, and also in developing concentration skills. Rest of the available time you can invest in the tests, analysis and so on.

Kritika kumari:  I have enrolled in a correspondence course for CAT preparation. Please suggest me plan for preparation in next 100 days?
Mr Sandeep Manudhane: Hi Kritika. Usually the institute (that you have taken the course from) will give you a detailed schedule. Try following that. If not, then please start now with the areas that you are not good at - devote maximum time (upto 70%) to those areas. The remaining time is for the sections you like, and are good at. 30 days before the exams, a change in strategy is needed. That will depend on your performance at that point in time. If the tougher areas have been mastered, that is good. If not, then a call needs to be taken regarding the approach there from.

Reshu Singh: Sir, I am from engineering background, but still have immense interest in literature. Can you suggest some reading materials which could help me get a better score?
Mr Sandeep Manudhane:  It is definitely a plus when you can maintain a "soft" interest alive alonside your "hard" engineering. Assuming you are a beginner, I suggest you start with "The Story of Philosophy" by Will Durant, and then move on to "The Fountainhead" and "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand, and then to "An Idealistic View of Life" by J Krishnamurthy. That will be a good start. Keep reading, and keep growing. All the best!

Nirmala: Sir, I am a working professional. What are the most important chapters in Quant as well as in DI? Given the huge syllabus, should I go for selective preparation in this section?
Mr Sandeep Manudhane: Hi Nirmala, first of all, CAT syllabus is not huge. If you do not agree, then I request you to take a look at the UPSC (IAS) exam syllabus. You will suddenly feel far more confident and happy.
On a serious note, DI needs really good mental calculation abilities and approximation skills. And Quant will need a good grip on the 5 most basic areas: Number systems, Basic Arithmetic, Geometry, Mensuration, and Algebra. These are all upto 10th standard only, anyways. So it is quite manageable. Practice is the key. So get on with it - get onto it - get through it!

Gaurav: Out Of 60 questions what number of correct answers would open up chances for TOP 20 B schools.
Mr Sandeep Manudhane: Since it is all relative, and since your X and XII scores, and Graduation scores too play their own part in getting that coveted call from the top B-schools, I would suggest your focus - till the CAT is taken - should be on ‘DOING MY BEST’. Don't let the analysis and strategy and process bog you down. MAX YOUR SCORE - that's the keyword. But please attempt at least 22-25 in both sections, with 80% accuracy.

Aravindh: Sir, I am doing self-preparation on CAT. Please help me with tips on Logical Reasoning.
Mr Sandeep Manudhane: Hi Aravindh, LR is all about basic thinking through on complicated situations. Some ground rules: 1. Break a big problem into smaller ones. 2. Attack each smaller one separately. 3. Get data in tables so meaning can be drawn from them. 4. Create your own image of what the problem really is. 5. Start from the questions, and see if any one of them (from the set) is the key to the full set. Practice really is the key. As you get exposed to more and more types, you will realise that there are some fundamental patterns in LR that are repeated each year.

Purnima R M: Sir, I am preparing hard but every time when I take mock, I feel that something is missing. Is it related to my confidence or something else?
Mr Sandeep Manudhane: Hi Purnima! Confidence really is the key. Perhaps you are waiting for the proverbial Krishna to prompt the success secret into your ears before the Yudhh begins. Let your preparation be that Krishna. Let your attitude be that positive enabler. You know, once you have put in enough hard work and smart analysis over the next few weeks, your confidence will open all the doors for you. Stop thinking negative.

Vishnu: Sir I want to get into a good B school. I have started self-preparation for CAT and feel confident. Can you suggest a good strategy that I can follow?
Mr Sandeep Manudhane:  Very good to hear that you are feeling confident. That is what most students seem to be scared of. A good strategy for you will be: 1) Please analyse last 3 years CAT questions (available in bits and pieces on the internet) carefully. It will boost your confidence further, knowing that you can actually tackle most of them. 2) Go through at least 20 Mock CATs from here till the D day. That will be the foundation of your strategy. 3) Do not drain yourself out completely. Let the last big boost of energy remain for the last week.

Mathew: Sir I am unable to memorize new words. What should I do to cope with this problem in VA Section?
Mr Sandeep Manudhane:  Some suggestions for you: 1) Go through sites like dictionary.com daily. They have interesting content for you. 2) Revise your formal wordlist at least 15 minutes daily. 3) Read newspapers and underline all new words - refer the thesaurus immediately. Remember, your preparation on words will take time. This time reduces if you make sentences, create examples, and relate them to facts and figures.

Reema: How to manage time and accuracy in mock CAT?
 Mr Sandeep Manudhane: The only way to do that, is by fixing the time allotments clearly in your mind when you start, and then not breaching the same. Keep a wrist watch in front of you, in addition to the screen-timer ticking away. Be conscious of both. Try new strategies. It comes with practice only.

Juhi Singh: How much time we should spend to complete 1 RC passage. How many RC passages are generally there in CAT ?
Mr Sandeep Manudhane: There are 3 to 4 passages in CAT usually. Their word limit can range from 300 to 600 words. You should ideally do 3 out of 4 passages at least, not taking more than 10-12 minutes on any one.

MBA Aspirants seeking guidance and advice from renowned CAT Experts can login to MBAUniverse.com Chat page and post their query to the expert who shall revert on real time basis and guide them with their CAT insights. The Aspirants can also post their pre-chat queries on [email protected] to seek information and guidance on preparation for CAT 2013.

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more CAT Prep features and Expert tips from Live Chat sessions.