CAT 2014 Exam pattern needs to develop faster methods and apply short cuts to ace

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MBAUniverse.com News Desk |
September 12, 2014
Short cuts are innovations which are developed with practice and can be applied even when you are under immense stress
Shortcut is an approach to solve the question and arrive at the right answer option faster than the conventional method.

In an endeavour to facilitate preparation tips from experts and mentors, MBAUniverse.com shares with the aspirants the 60 days preparation strategy that will help CAT 2014 aspirants to study with a focused methodology and develop a few short cuts to ace the test.

Prof. SK Agarwal, author and expert in Verbal Ability shares an insight and focus on different type of questions in Verbal Ability section to crack this section. In his view Shortcut is an approach to solve the question and arrive at the right answer option faster than the conventional method.

 

This article will share important tips on how to arrive at a high percentile in CAT and be a winner

 

Learn to apply short cuts

 

Short cuts are not meant to be applied when you are feeling easy. Short cuts are innovations which are developed with practice and can be applied even when you are under immense stress. The purpose is to arrive at the answer option in less time than you would have otherwise taken.  It is not necessary that you have to begin with the toughest problems and questions to develop this methodology.  On the other hand you can begin with such problems as you can solve with little more efforts and move up to more difficult ones.

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Read the Directions attentively

 

CAT aspirants give the feedback that they marked the wrong answer option, as they were not careful while reading the direction, before the question. The direction is to pick out the incorrect sentences or opposite meaning words, phrases, parts or full sentences but, due to the carelessness in reading the direction,  we pick out the correct ones, we not only lose, despite knowing the correct answer but also become panicky, which adversely affects our further attempts to other questions. Every word and every sentence in direction part is as important as the question itself.  When you go for your practice mocks, do remember this   

 

CAT 2014 will have a changed face and more topics in Verbal Ability can give you trouble in the testing room. Those who study too much and go equipped with conventional methodology  to crack CAT, may not sometimes get a high percentile than the aspirants who work steadily on certain tips and tricks along with the meticulous study pattern.
The time for concept building is over and the time for action has begun. Everyone is anxious to find where  he or she stands in Mocks. If one is low on percentile, the thought how to improve spontaneously comes to mind as everyone wants to be a winner in CAT. Apart from whatever you have learnt till now, let us discuss a few important tips on this strategy.

 

Divisionalise to assess your performance level

 

Segmentalise the Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning in different parts like- Error corrections, Vocabulary Usage, Jumbled paragraphs of various types, Questions on Reading Comprehension, Team Formation, Blood Relations, Seating Arrangements, Binary Logic and so on. All these topics contain the source of more questions and you have to make sure to go through all of them

 

More practice to develop Short cuts needed

 

Your performance in some of the above areas may or may not be very good. You must find out what your strong holds are and which are the areas that will have more questions as they will give you more answer opportunities than the ones, where you find lesser number of questions. For example- if you have better skill to solve parajumbles and not such a good understanding on error correction problems, practice to form more coherent and meaningful paragraphs out of the jumbled ones. Do not cram your head in solving the error correction questions. If you have strong fundamentals like grammar, you can work on both.

 

RC: short cut is simple

 

Reading comprehension is another area where aspirants tend to lose track. CAT 2014 is all set to place about 15-16 questions on RC passages. If you can crack even 8 questions out of 15, you stand a very good chance to get through.  One passage is followed by at least, 3 questions; you may solve it in 10-12 minutes as the passages are not very long. Three questions in ten minutes is not a big deal that too, when their answers directly or indirectly, are lying in the passage.

 

The best approach is to write the important sentences and words while you are going through the passage. By the time you finish reading it you will be knowing answers to almost all the probable questions.

 

Practice LR with right approach

 

Again, Logical Reasoning in Verbal Ability is expected to have 15-16  questions in CAT 2014.  They are based on natural human instincts, displaying logic.  Go for those ones, where you are little more comfortable, for example some aspirants are good at questions on Team Formation, seating arrangements while other are skilled enough to understand blood relations, binary logic, arguments.

 

It does not require as much calculation as Quant and DI but with a little systematic and to the point approach, may raise your percentile substantially.  If you can practice 5-6 types of questions in this area and can solve 7-8 problems in the examination, you are the winner.

 

It is better to leave the weak areas and work more on strong areas. If you are able to crack 20-22 in Verbal and 7-8 questions in Logical Reasoning, you may get a high percentile and can expect a call from very good B-school

 

Mocks: Improve the strategy of attempts

 

If you are determined to get your desired B-school, attempt the questions with a clear methodology. The first attempt is supposed to crack those questions which are from your strongest domain of understanding. Out of 30 questions, you may be able to solve 10-12 of them. Second attempt with more thoughtful understanding may get you another bunch of  8-9 questions. The third attempt has to be with a little more caution since the remaining questions are the toughest ones for you and you may lose your accuracy on them. So move cautiously on each of the questions- you may crack 3-4 more. But you need a few more questions to solve with accuracy.  The strategy is that in three attempts you have already got a fair idea of understanding of these unattempted questions, catch those questions which appear comparatively friendly to you and attempt them with an accuracy level of not less than 90 percent.   

 

CAT 2014 is one of the most important entrance examination to the best B-schools in India. It enjoys the reputation of moving ahead of time.  What the mentors in various preparation centres do anticipate, seldom happens in CAT. Despite the fluctuation in number of test takers, competition remains tough. 

 

Maintain your cool

 

No one has seen a fish, a goat or sheep climb a tree, nor are these species depressed that they have not been able to do so. The aspirants who get depressed and panicky lose their calm and tend to forget the importance of approach to CAT. If you know less but can remain cool, you will be able to answer more questions accurately than any other one who has lost it. Be composed and calm, it will definitely redefine your ability to attempt the questions and improve your percentile.

 

CAT 2014: Search for appropriate candidates

 

Is CAT meant to admit professors on Quant, DI, English and Logical Reasoning? You know, it is not. Hence the need is to have intelligent approach to the examination.  They have stopped asking conventional type of questions like the core synonyms, antonyms nor the passages are so lengthy as they used to be.  On the contrary, your skill in application of  language gets tested. Hence relax, be on your own, and avoid being a copy-cat. You are genius and that’s the reason you are going to take CAT. So be your natural self and attempt the examination. When you are high on morale, you stand greater chance to be a winner.

 

Related links

 

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