CAT 2016 can be anticipated a tricky exam where your high or low overall percentile means nothing unless you have a balanced high sectional percentile. If you scored 60 percentile in CAT last year after regularly devoting 2-3 hours of study, don’t think you can suddenly jump to score 99 percentile by making a 24 hours study plan for CAT 2016.
High score in CAT 2016 can be obtained by following tips and tricks and devising to the point study plan of limited hours. You may find many CAT aspirants who scored a high percentile even with less preparation, on the other hand there may be many candidates who could score a low percentile even after studying for full day and also quit their job to prepare for CAT.
IIMs need Average student with leadership qualities
CAT 2016 in fact will be the exam for common candidates. IIMs do not need a professor in English Literature or in Mathematics. Instead an average student at IIM is the one who has good academic record and may not be a topper in his bachelor’s degree. The candidate also scores well in CAT exam by systematically following the study plan, is flexible in his approach, is conceptually clear among other factors.
The candidates are not exceptionally intelligent but right from the beginning they know what they have to study and how to study it within limited hours instead of burning mid night oil.
If you wish to crack CAT 2016 and plan to study day-night, think twice before going for it. The suggestion is to follow a well chalked out path instead of losing your energy level
Not all 2 lakhs candidates serious
Don’t be overawed by the number of total registered candidates for CAT 2016. They may be more than 2 lakhs. But out of them, real fight to get into IIM will be among a maximum number of 30,000 to 40,000 CAT 2016 test takers. To get at least 1 IIM call, all you need is to be among top 11,000 - 12,000. The ratio comes to more than 25% candidates getting call from IIMs.
Check, how confident you are
If you begin believing right from the beginning that you cannot get into IIMs, you can never get one. You must prepare with a clear focus on CAT 2016. Instead of more time spent, more concentrated and limited study hours can give you more confidence. Never think that you cannot and won’t get into IIMs even if you are not scoring high in initial days of your preparation.
Target positive marks
Are you aware that Zero marks in CAT is equivalent to 55 percentile. That means almost 55% of total aspirants score zero marks or negative marks. If you score high in CAT 2016, it is all about a slight push on what you are studying. You will be surprised to know that candidates cracking 8 out 32 correct scored a sectional percentile as high as 85.
If you continue studying and practicing questions for long hours without any clarity on concepts, it may not take you anywhere. It will be better to focus on relevant concept and practice a variety of questions based on it to build your basics and have clarity on the concept.
Are your concepts clear?
If your concepts are clear, practice the questions based on the concepts. Prof Nishit Sinha asks you to check it well. For example - if 2 and 3 are the roots of a quadratic equation ax2 + bx + c = 0, what is the value of (a+b+c) ?
Do you know the answer? It is - cannot be determined uniquely.
50% correct can fetch 95 percentile
If CAT 2016 also has 34 questions in VARC or Quant section and you are able to crack around 17 of 34 right, you will be at 94–95 percentile
Are your fundamentals clear?
Getting your fundamentals strong does not require long duration study hours. Instead fundamentals imply how and where you can use a concept and what are the limitations?
For example - What will be the LCM of 10, 20 and minus 30?
Or, Can I call (-2) (minus 2) an even integer? Can I use unitary method in directly proportional relations or inversely proportions relations?
If you have this clarity on other topics also, give a few practice sessions to it, else further check what remains to be completed.
Are you aware of your strengths?
If you are jack of all and master of none, the first job is to identify your natural strength area. It can be quant, verbal or LR or none. Since DI / LR is more about practice, practice upon quality content, regularly. Then try to get into the areas which need to be improved further instead of grabbing all at a time.
Don’t be afraid of LoD
Level of difficulty in questions asked in CAT 2016 depends upon the fact whether you have practiced similar questions or are seeing it for the first time. If you find yourself average in an area, it means you have not solved similar questions. It is your time - to go through the concepts and solve the questions - that will take you to higher levels of intelligence.
The good part is that the types of questions asked in CAT are finite. A question is difficult only if you are seeing it for the first time. If you find a question difficult even if you are seeing it for the second time, ask yourself - Are you honest enough with your preparation? While spending full day in study, what was the real time spent on study? So it is better to limit your study hours allowing more space for activities necessary in everyday life instead of getting confined to a room, quitting your job and gaining nothing after 24 hours of study.
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