Part -1:Guideline / Strategy for CAT Preparation Thousands appear for their CAT exam in the final year

of their undergraduate studies. Those who are not able to get through in their first attempt reappear the following year and add to the ever increasing pool of candidates with work experience. With the Indian Institutes of Management IIMs! and other Indian b"schools too laying stress on work experience since the past few years# candidates with work experience can fancy their chances as being stronger. $ut for a working professional# working %"& days a week# CAT preparation becomes all the more difficult. With this schedule# taking the help of a professional coaching institute is also difficult and hence in most cases their preparation is irregular and incomprehensive. In this article I try and draw from my own experiences as well as those of some of my friends who successfully belled the CAT while they were working in some of the most stressful and demanding 'obs there can be. Importance of discipline:-A study schedule is very important for anyone who is preparing for CAT but in the case of a working professional# discipline is far more important. (very single day no matter when I reached back home after office# I made it a point to stick to my preparation plan. At the same time# it was important to know my limitations. I knew that on a weekday with my hectic work schedule# devoting more than an hour and a half to CAT preparation was stretching myself beyond limits. )thers who I knew to have successfully cracked CAT told me that they did not put in more than *"+, hours on all the weekdays combined. It is always important to keep your mind and body up and running for the next day at office. Importance of sectional tests and analysis -itting for full length tests on weekdays was practically impossible. -o on weekdays# I used to attempt three sectional tests of ., minute duration each with +, /uestions in each. After these tests I used to spend ., minutes on the analysis of the tests including analysis of incorrect answers as well as better0faster methods of doing /uestions I had not attempted correctly!. -ectional tests should ideally form the most important part of a working professional1s preparation schedule owing to their focus on a specific area and the tests2 short length. Target a number of tests:-I had a personal organiser that helped me track the number of tests I had to take every week. This number kept changing depending on the past week1s performance. )f course# sectional tests do not have a minimum cut off as such# so I kept a record of my accuracy in an (xcel sheet. (very week# I calculated the average accuracy over the cumulative number of tests taken till date. The goal used to be to improve the accuracy consistently especially in the verbal section!. My Study Sc edule in detail:-I feel that preparation time of %"& months with the right focus areas is enough for a person who has attempted the CAT exam in the past to succeed in the test. $arring some glaring conceptual glitched# ironing out most of the past errors is not too tough. Additionally# since you have attempted the CAT earlier# practising the same kind of /uestions and studying the same concepts can become very boring and demotivating after some point of time. 3ence# it is advisable not to overdo anything. Mont 1: started by taking a couple of full length tests and analysing where I was going wrong. I broadly identified the weak areas Algebra# 4roblem -olving# 5I# 67# etc! and also noted the accuracy I was achieving in each of these sections. The first step after this was to go back to the basics and revise the concepts 8 especially the ones I was weaker in. I also started solving -udoku and crossword pu99les and reading newspapers with a specific eye on the tone of the article# the ma'or ideas that have been talked about and the inferences0'udgments0opinions present in the article if any. And not matter how inconse/uential it might appear# it certainly helped me. Mont ! and ":Th e aim by now was to keep working on the basics while at the same time improving on them by practicing a lot of sectional tests. I have always found it difficult to concentrate for long hours and hence sectional tests made perfect sense for me. At the same time I made sure that I was constantly analysing my results and keeping track of my accuracy. Two important points to note here 8 I gave only a couple of full length tests during this time#

mainly to understand if my plan was having enough impact on my overall score. -econdly# I made it a point not to practice more than &"* sectional tests even on the weekend 8 to ensure that I was not overdoing anything. The core idea was to attempt all the /uestions in any test even if it took say a couple of minutes more than the allotted time# simply to learn# improve and be exposed to as many /uestion types as possible. Month : and % 5uring these two months I took a couple of full length tests each weekend. 3owever# I was still practicing ."; sectional tests a day. -omething else that I did at this stage was to note down the time I was saving in each sectional test. This means that if I finished a test in say +% minutes# I noted down the % minutes I saved. Within a month I had a good amount of data to identify topics where I could achieve good accuracy without spending much time the <star1 topics!# the areas where I had to put in considerable efforts to get the correct answers and topics where I was better off leaving the /uestions for the end when I had spare time to spend on them. =ow was the time for some strategy 8 in any test sectional0full length! if I encountered a /uestion whose answer I was not able to find in a straightforward manner# I noted down the /uestion number and the topic# came to it at the end of the test if I had time. I also started optimising my time utilisation 8 which /uestions could I get correct with the highest possibility in the last +, minutes. This helped me a lot in maximi9ing my score. Month & $y this time I was subconsciously able to decide on"the"go whether to attempt a /uestion or leave it for the end even from my strength areas!. At this time I again brought down the fre/uency of full length tests to around ."; per fortnight from the earlier :"% a fortnight to prevent exhaustion!. 6ast +, days I took 'ust one full length test during this time. I did not revise any new concept and did not try out any new type of /uestions 8 to ensure that I was totally relaxed# and not over worked when the 5" day arrived. >or a working professional# it is very important to conserve as much energy as possible because of professional commitments!. 3ence it makes much more sense to do less full length tests as compared to say a candidate who is giving CAT for the first time# more so because a working professional has already gone through the rigours of preparation multiple times. >ocus only on the areas you need to improve.

Part !: Preparation Plan Common Admission Test a.k.a CAT# conducted every year by IIM Indian Institute of Management!# is one of the most popular $"-chool entrance exams in the country. The CAT exam was started by the IIMs and is used for picking students for their business administration courses. Apart from the IIMs# a huge chunk of Management colleges in India offer admission on the basis of CAT score. Thus# it is important for M$A aspirants to clear the CAT exam with flying colors to gain entry to leading $"-chools. 4reparation is thus very crucial. Although the pattern of the CAT has been changing constantly every year# you can score well by having a preparation strategy in place. 3ere are some 4reparation Tips for those appearing for CAT .,+:. C art out a preparation plan: The first step is to prepare a time table and plan according to days left for taking the exam. ?ou will have to look at the syllabus# pick a topic first# and make up your mind on the time re/uired for completing it. -imilarly# you should allocate time for all the topics in the syllabus.

CAT !#1$ Syllabus: %nglis &anguage: 7eading comprehension -entence correction Idioms @erbal reasoning Antonyms and -ynonyms >ill in the blanks -yllogisms Analogies

Mat ematical: Trigonometry Aeometry =umber -ystems 4ermutation Combination Mensuration Averages 6inear (/uations &ogical 'easoning: Clocks -eating Arrangement 4remise# Conclusion -eating Arrangement $lood 7elations $inary 6ogic Assumption $inary 6ogic 6ogical -e/uence Calendars 6inear And Matrix Arrangement Calendars 4robability Algebra 4ercentages Buadratic Time and Work 4rofit And 6oss

C ec( pre)ious CAT *uestion papers: Ao though previous years1 CAT /uestion papers and syllabus and check whether you will need additional time to improve on certain areas. $y having a look at the /uestion papers# you will get an idea on the type of /uestions usually asked. Spot your strengt and +ea(nesses: The CAT exam covers analytical ability# conceptuali9ed knowledge and decision"making skills. It has two sectionsC +. 5ata Interpretation D Buantitative Ability# and .. 6ogical 7easoning D@erbal Ability. ?ou will have to find out the areas where you are weak and allocate additional time for preparation. Ta(e moc( tests: ?ou can attend mock tests once in every ten days to improve your accuracy and speed. -uch tests will help you to identify your mistakes and prepare accordingly. ,ocus on t e -asics:

7emember# that the CAT is meant to check your understanding of basic concepts. -o# if you have done well to learn the basics# it means that you have accomplished a ma'or part of your CAT .,+: preparation. 'efer boo(s and online resources: ?ou can make use of preparation material and guides specially designed for CAT. There are plenty of resources online# which you can use for preparing on the calculations and vocabulary part. ?ou can also read newspapers and maga9ines regularly to improve vocabulary. Stay .ealt y: Taking care of your health is as important as spending time on the preparation. Thus# maintaining a healthy diet and getting sufficient sleep is very important. $urning midnight oil is a strict no no on days leading up to the exam. 'e)ise: )n the last week prior to the 5ay of exam# students should 'ust focus on revising whatever they have learnt# rather than getting into new topics. /n 0-0ay: It is important to keep your calm on the exam day. Make sure you keep all your re/uired materials# like admit card# pen and other stationery items ready to avoid last minute panic. When you get your /uestion paper# see that you give a /uick glance to note down the easy /uestions# and answer them first. As negative marking is part of this exam# it is better to avoid guesswork while answering /uestions. 3owever# you can make a calculated guess if you are able to eliminate at least ."; choices. Part ":&ast ! Mont s CAT .,+; is now a matter of . months. 3ow to prepare for CAT .,+;E This is the bu99ing /uestion in the minds of the CAT .,+;aspirants now. In this special series of CAT .,+; preparation strategy# we present to you the exclusive interview of Famlesh -a'nani# Managing 5irector# IM- 6earning 7esources where he shares tips and tricks for CAT .,+; preparation. -trategies for CAT .,+; preparationC BC There are approximately . months left for CAT .,+;. What should be the strategy forGtheGaspirantsGatGthisGpointE AC -uccess in the CAT .,+; could be defined as the achievement of percentile re/uired to get into your desired list of $"schools. The first step therefore would be to find out the CAT .,+; cut off percentiles of various $"schools that you are interested in applying to. $ased on past data# we have observed that while a H%I overall percentile with e/ual competence across sections! can get you into the IIMs# you would need at least a J%I overall percentile to get into some of the Top +,, $"schools in the country. It is therefore imperative that you define your CAT .,+; success benchmark by first shortlisting the $"-chools that you aspire to 'oin. )nce you have defined your success benchmark# you should follow an effective and efficient study plan from here on to ensure that you meet your target CAT percentile. $ased on the data collected from past CATs and IM- -imCATs# we have an analysis of the number of /uestions students must attempt and get correct to achieve certain percentilesC Sectional -enc mar(s Percentile -tage + J% percentile -tage . *% percentile 1 2uestions # Attempts ;, ;, +. +% # Correct +, +; Minutes Per 2uestion %.: :.;

-tage ; H% percentile -tage : HH percentile

;, ;,

+* .:

+% .,

;.& ..J

The ob'ective is to reach your target percentiles in a stepwise manner by achieving the benchmark attempts and number of correct answers at each stage as per the above table. The first step# therefore# is to identify your current level of preparation by taking a simulated CAT in a proctored environment or at home. After taking the test# analy9e your performance to identify where you stand with respect to the above table. The remaining months from now until your actual CAT .,+; must be e/ually divided to improve your performance from one stage to the next. -o# if you are at -tage + i.e. at J% percentile! then the remaining +. weeks should be divided into ; periods of : weeks each to ensure that you reach stage : before taking your test. Within each period# target to achieve the stated benchmarks of the next stage byC Working on your conceptual and application skills and >ine"tuning your test"taking skills. At the end of each period# take another simulated test and check your sectional performance. If your attempt and accuracy is greater than or e/ual to the benchmarked percentile# you are ready to move to the next stage. If on the other hand your attempts and accuracy are less than the benchmarked percentile# then analy9e the test to find out where you need improvement. Kse the explanatory answers provided to you with each test to aid this improvement. BC What should be the section wise study plan for CAT .,+;E AC CAT has . sectionsC -ection 8 +C Buantitative Ability I 5ata Interpretation and -ection 8 .C @erbal Ability I 6ogical 7easoning. >or -ection +# target /uestions of your strength areas first. Aive priority to solving the standalone /uestions and do not devote more than ..% minutes for a /uestion even if you do not get the solution. 5o not have a mind block on a particular topic as there might be some very easy /uestions from that topic. 7ead all /uestions and identify these /uestions to ensure high scores. )ne must ensure that all the /uestions are read by the end of the section. >or section .# attempt the vocabulary and (nglish Ksage /uestions first. They are the least time consuming as either you know the answer or you do not. Then devote time to your strength areas from among 7eading Comprehension# 6ogical 7easoning and @erbal 7easoning. (nsure all /uestions are read by the end of the section in the stipulated time. 7ead all 7C /uestions as there might be an easy /uestion alongside an apparently difficult 7C passage. BC CAT candidates generally belong to . categories# working professionals and students. What should be the separate preparation strategy for themE AC Ideally# you shouldn1t spend more than : hours a day on studying for the CAT .,+;. The manner in which those : hours are utili9ed depends on the individual student1s strengths and weaknesses. -ome may prefer to spend more time on @erbal Ability while others on 5ata Interpretation. Kltimately# you must ensure that your progress in each section is e/ual. This holds greater relevance if you are aiming only for the IIMs because at these institutes# cut offs matter. )rgani9e your day in such a way that the hours spent studying are those when your brain is most alert. Working professionals for example# shouldn1t study at night after a hard day1s work. My tips for CAT .,+; preparation for you is that preparing for this test is not like preparing for school and college# where you need to spend long hours memori9ing. BC Candidates who take CAT generally also opt for LAT. 3ow different would be the preparation strategy for these two ma'or M$A entrance examsE AC An often repeated /uery from $"-chool aspirants is MWhat is the additional preparation that I need to do to crack tests like the II>T# LAT# -=A4 etc.EN It is interesting to note that most of the tests mentioned above assess more or less the same concepts that are tested on the CAT. 3ence# you will find that there is really not much difference when it comes to concept building for any of these tests. 3owever# the various tests differ in terms of the test structure# /uestion types

and overall difficulty level of the test. Therefore# we only need to understand the test structure# get acclimati9ed to the different /uestion types and develop specific strategies to ace these tests. More often than not# if you have prepared well enough for the CAT .,+;# then there is a high chance that you will perform well in the other tests. The LAT# for example# additionally assesses 5ecision Making and Aeneral Awareness type of /uestions. The preparation for LAT will therefore re/uire the student to get oriented to these /uestion types. Additionally# the tip to crack CAT and LAT is one should take : to % mock tests for LAT and analy9e the same similar to CAT to thoroughly get ac/uainted to the test structure and the type of /uestions. BC 3ow should the aspirants tackle the time management factor given that CAT.,+; would be a section wise time bound examE AC Time bound sections check the student1s section"wise strengths. If one has prepared the basics of all concepts and is confident of his application skills# time management should not be a difficult issue. )ne must follow the basics and strictly follow the section"wise strategies as mentioned earlier to ensure optimum usage of time and ensuring completion of the section in the allotted time. The trick is not spend more than ..% minutes on a /uestion# solve set"based /uestions in the middle and always keep an eye on the timer. 5o not do guess work and answer /uestions in a hurry as it may cost heavily due to negative marking scheme of the test. BC What is the importance of mock test. What should be the fre/uency of taking mock tests and things to follow after thatE AC To achieve your target we suggest you take + mock test per week or a maximum of . tests per week!# especially if you are working professional. >or every test you take# as per the above table# you will attempt only the specified number of /uestions to ascertain your performance. =ow for the post test analysis and the process of improvementC Work on the /uestions that you got wrong 8 this is very important since 8 you had more time per /uestion and still got them wrong. It either means either an error of comprehension or a conceptual issue. =ext pick the /uestions you did not attempt# solve these /uestions without a time limit# once again this exercise will point out your areas of improvement. 5oing this process for each test will definitely improve your performance in the next. To summari9e# we commend that you should take not more than & simulated tests in the last :% days. $ut more important than taking the test is its analysis. If you don1t learn from each test before proceeding to the next# there is no point in taking a large number of them. Try out various strategies for each test such as dividing your time e/ually in each section or spending more time on the weaker sections by working /uickly in the stronger sections. It is also important to attempt a variety of tests because you may score well in a test that is more suited to your strengths while the CAT may carry more /uestions of the kind you are uncomfortable with. An exposure to range of problems and the rationale behind them will ensure that you are better prepared. BC What is your message for the CAT .,+; aspirantsE AC )n the 5"day# stay calm and focused. 5o not stress yourself by worrying. )n the eve the CAT .,+;# sleep early and ensure that you are fresh the next day. (nsure that you have the Admit Card and 4hoto I5 ready. Mentally break the test into shorter tests"carry the success in one mini" test to the next# but leave any failure behind. 5o not give up at any stage during the test. >or all you know# you may perform relatively better than the others. +" If you are doing your Araduation than start preparing from second year of graduation. ." If you completed Araduation and ready to give the Cat in next coming =ovember# 4repare ar least +,"+: hours daily and seriously. ;" Minimum +, hours study re/uired before the & months of Cat exams.

:" Minimum +,#,,, @ocabulary new databank! re/uired to prepare. %" 5aily two hours re/uired to study newspapers and (ditorials. (nglish! &" 7ead at least two maga9ines# one novel each week. J" Try for the shortcuts of mathematics. Calculations must be strong. *" -ee any type of graph in any where you find# try to interpret that as fast as possible. H" Change your attitude. Make one decision strictly. And only try for right decision or don1t answer in case of ambiguity. +," 7ead whatever you love. $ut try to read on different sub'ects articles. ++" $efore three months of Cat# 5aily solve one set of available /uestion paper. +." Try to make logical sense everywhere. +;" Try to solve calculations mentally.

Part $:CAT ST'AT%G3 (very year# over ..% lakh graduates# post graduates and professionals sweat it out trying to bell the CAT. >or those living under a rock# CAT Common Admission Test! is the gateway to the Indian Institutes of Management and other such institutes of repute. )ne cursory glance at that mind boggling statistic and most of you have already thrown in the towel. 3owsoever a single seat should suffice for you and all you need for this is a little self"belief and a well thought out cat strategy. -tep +CFnow your enemy <Fnow thy enemy and know thyself and you can fight a thousand battles without disaster.1 8 -un T9u# MArt )f WarN. 6et us begin with the first half of the aforementioned /uote. ?ou need to be well versed with your enemy 8 CAT the exam# not to be confused henceforth with its feline namesake !. O >or the next few days learn as much as you can about CAT from various sites# friends and seniors. O Try to get a basic idea of the pattern of the exam and the type of /uestions encountered. =ext# you move on to the most critical aspect 8 finding out your strengths and weaknesses. O -imply pick up a past years CAT exam papers. O Attempt as many /uestions as you can without putting the time limit in one go say you sit for : hours read all the /uestions D attempt which ever you are confident ofP..don1t make any blind guess for any of the /uestions!. O Check your answers and attempts. Write down your overall score# along with sectional score. 7epeat the above steps for :"% more 4ast ?ear CAT 4apers. O With your consolidated scores for :"% attempts of different Mock CAT tests# you would be able find which section is your strength and which one is your weakness. O 5o not panic if your scores are too low initially# slowly with time D preparation your score will definitely improve. )nce this is done you move on to the next phase -tep .C Aetting ?our 3ands 5irty O ?ou should start with self"preparation and stick to it for few months. 7evise your class +, and +.th maths C$-(0IC-( if possible! to strengthen your basics.

O If you are confident of your foundations and0or are hard"pressed for time you may try study materials of various coaching classes. O The number of hours that you are re/uired to put in depends on your individual aptitude. >or working professionals# however# a minimum of : hours is a must. O Qoin for Mock CATs after few months of self"preparation. $ased on your performance in Mock tests and your self" preparation# you must decide if you really re/uire classroom coaching or not. -tep ;C Aiming for the stars )r the nearest comets! After spending considerable time in preparation it would also be advisable for you to set a clear cut target about your aspirations# whether you are planning to take admission only in top +, colleges or top ., colleges or top ;, colleges. The target must be realistic based on your self" analysis your preparation and your confidence in yourself. -tep :C <A diamond is a chunk of Coal made valuable through 4olish1 Clearing the written test is not the end of your preparation. ?ou need to focus on the bigger picture and keep yourself prepared for group discussion and personal interviews. (veryone has ideas in their mind but the most important thing is how well you convey all your ideas efficiently to the group or the interviewer. 3ere comes the need for you to polish yourself and rise above the tide. While you are at it# do make an effort on improving your body language. Also if you have time on your hand# start reading good novels stressing specifically on the <good1 part!.>or those looking at improving their grammar# practice for =orman 6ewis for an hour a day. It would help you both during the exam as well as after it. -igning off with the most important tip of them all 8 6ots of 4ractice. All the planning will come to naught if not backed up by rigorous practice. 5uring your practice sessions# keep a tab of your mistakes and keep organi9ing them. It shall go a long way in helping you out. <>or every minute spent in organi9ing# an hour is earned.1 >inally# what is the right time to start preparing# you may ask. 5o not waitR the time will never be M'ust right1. -tart where you stand# and work with whatever tools you may have at your command# and better tools will be found as you go along. Part 4 -trategy is always the bu99 word among aspirants preparing for competitive exams. >rom microscopic strategy involving finding avenues to solve /uestions to macroscopic strategy involving making a plan to approach the exam# strategy plays an important part in maximi9ing aspirant1s score. In exams where speed and accuracy are one of the main attributes tested and where the /uantity and /uality of competition is immense# strategy happens to be the trump card for success# and CAT is no exception. Wide range of difficulty level of /uestions makes exam strategy even more important when it comes to CAT. -trategy might vary from one candidate to the other. It should be student specific because what suits one# might not suit the other. 3owever there are few generic pointers to be kept in mind before forming a strategy which can help you to maximi9e your CAT score. -haring these pointers with you is the purpose of this article. $ut# before we go to the pointers# let us first spend some time onC Buestions in CAT can be broadly classified in four categoriesC %asy-+easy ones: A cone made of wood has a slant height of %cm and a radius of &cm. What is the volume of the coneE 5o not be surprised if you see such straight forward /uestions in CAT. If you are extremely lucky# you may get two or three of them. If you are extremely unlucky# this may be your last /uestion and you might not have enough time to even read this /uestion. T e 5clic( ne6t and mo)e on ones7: This section is self"explanatory. Consider this exampleC The fifth s/uare of a number is five times the sum of s/uare roots of two other numbers multiplied by the fourth root of the second digit of the first number. What is the third digit of the second numberE ?ou do not want to waste your time on such /uestions. =ot initially at least. If you have

some time left in the end# you can always come back to these /uestions.

Tough to classify ones: Buestions which have medium difficulty level. This also comprises of
easy /uestions from an area about which you have no clue or tough /uestions from an area in which you are an expert. -o it gets sub'ective to an extent here.

Speed Breakers: Buestions which are effectively designed and efficiently engineered to drag an
aspirant1s attention and consume a huge chunk of his time without his knowledge. -ome /uestions attract aspirants in a way that they lose the feel of time and spend more than +, minutes for a single problem. 3uge numbers involved# lot of calculations# lengthy word /uestions# close options which differ only in the third decimal are the usual characteristics of these /uestions. Buestions come from areas in which many aspirants have interest and a certain comfort level arithmetic 4art & (xpert -ays " (asiest way to 4repare for a Competitive (xam Its not (asyS )f course its notS -tudying itself is usually a very boring exercise# something which most of us would like to avoid. $ut eventually# sitting for competitive entrance exams is# more often than not# a regular feature in any students life. -tarting from pre"nursery admissions to post graduate courses given the limited number of seats in the prestigious colleges and courses# the competition is bound to rise. And as it gets tougher it get more stressful for most students. Fnow your strengths and Weaknesses. ?ou can plan the 'ourney to the destination well if you know the start point. ?ou need to understand your strengths and weaknesses for any test preparation# like you can be strong in Mathematics# average in 4hysics and totally clueless in Chemistry. This is important because then you will create your plan to turn your weaknesses into strengths and ignore certain weaknesses if they are not important from exam point of you and improve your strengths. 4lan your preparation It is rightly said# T3e who fails to plan# plans to failT. =obody can undermine the importance of planning when doing any important task# and if it means preparing for the CAT exam# you should be even more careful. The -tudy 4lan that will be created for you will be weekly# you will be assigned some chapters to study every week so that you are able to complete your syllabus in time

Practice Hard 5on2t forget that only learning chapters will not take you anywhere# it is /uestions that you need to answer in the final exam. -o practice# practice and practice till you are perfect at the chapter and then move ahead Beyond Studies It is important study hard and spend few hours daily on preparation but an hour or a half in your daily timetable demands to be 'ust for yourself. (xercise in this time to keep your mind# body and soul fit. $reathing exercises should be included in this regime in order to relieve the stress and be ready for intellectual challenges. >ood is also a very important aspect that needs to be taken care of when preparing for entrance examinations. -tay away from fried# fatty and high sugar foods and eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.

Special Tips for Students $elow mentioned are some important tips when deciding what chapter to study on any given dayC U If you have enough time for the exam# pick a chapter you are weak in and one that is important from the exam standpoint. U )r if you do not have enough time# pick a chapter that you are comfortable# have not practiced enough and that is an important chapter. U Any day give priority to important chapters if you have not revised them or not practiced enough /uestions on them. U If exams are 'ust approaching# leave out any new chapters because it will create a lot of stress and anyway you cannot master it enough for the exam. U Feep in mind important milestones coming up# like mock tests or school exams# festivals or family functions. Other Articles By Experts 4lan to -ucceed " $est Test 4rep -trategies 4art + T. years for my entrance examE More than enoughS I am gonna bree9e through it.TThis was the first thought when I decided to appear for a competitive exam IIT"Q((!. I thought I can. I gave into make it but it was without action# without motivation idlingaround with T@# internet# friends# outdoors and what not. Then there was pressure of school exams. Two years slipped like sand from my fists.TI always wanted to crack the exam. I was intelligent as well. What happenedETIt has been some time after... Part 8 -oo(s 4roviding Top % best e$ooks for the candidates who are preparing for the CAT .,+;# MAT# CMAT .,+; and other M$A entrance (xam .,+;. Are you preparing for CAT .,+;E The common entrance test for getting admission in the top most institutes of India like Indian Institute of Management IIM!. -tudents preparing for CAT are 'umbled about which book to referE There are number of books available and each institute material has We will discuss which the top % books for CAT .,+; preparation are CAT .,+; exam /uestions have become more complicated and lengthy as there are : sections in the exam paper. When it comes to books for preparation# there are some books which can be considered as a reliable guide. 3ere are some books which you should referC +. $est book for /uantitative aptitude test is <simple and easy to understand1# prepared by Arun -harma and publisherC Tata McAraw hill .,+.. .. <>or Advanced1# a 4earson guide for data interpretation and /uantitative aptitude for CAT by =ishit -inha# 4ublisherC 4earson. ;. Moreover# normal 6ewis vocab book which is highly recommended. :. <Buantum CAT1# a /uantitative aptitude common admission test for IIMs by sarvesh F verma# publisherC Arihant# .,+; edition. %. Another book is shakuntla 5evi pu99le book.

Choose the book which suits your re/uirement and covers all the topics you want to learn. 4lan your exam schedule in such a way that you finish whole syllabus at least two months before the examination date. -tudy and practice all the sections and do not stick to any one section as preparing all of them by strategy will give you a flawless clarity. ?ou may read articles and novels online to develop a platform on the screen. It is all about smart work not hard workS Always remember CAT is more about cleverness. There are so many average students who have got admission in the IIM. I was also appeared in the AC(T .,,H and AC(T .,+, earlier and my best friend =irav was appeared in the CAT .,+, was placed in =irma Kniversity for M$A!# so i am using this list as per our experience and also have taken opinion of all other CAT aspirants in my circle. $est of luckS

+. Analytical D 6ogical 7easoning >or CAT Aut or: - S Si9+ali: A9ay Sing .. 3ow To 4repare >or @erbal Ability And 7eading Comprehension >or The CAT Aut or: Arun S arma: Meena(s i ;pad yay ;. 3ow To 4repare >or Buantitative Aptitude >or The CAT Aut or: Arun S arma :. -tudy 4ackage >or The CAT )nline With C5! Aut or: Meena(s i ;pad yay: Arun S arma %. The 4earson Complete Auide >or The CAT Aut or: <is it = Sin a

4art * Miscellaneous 0oes Common Admission Test >CAT? ma(e you ner)ous@ Are you confused about + ere to begin your preparations@ T ese are t e normal feelings for anyone + o as 9ust started to prepare for CAT for pursuing management educationA Irrespecti)e of getting admissions to IIMs or not: you must aim to score ig percentile in CATA ,or ac ie)ing t is: you definitely need a sound preparation strategyA The method of preparation for CAT depends on your current preparation level and circumstances pertaining to the work experience or education. More than two lakh candidates register for CAT every year. These candidates have varied profiles related to education background and experience. The preparation method and strategy will vary accordingly. If you are fresh out of college or if you in the final year of your graduation# you must have not given CAT once. ?ou need to start your preparation from the basics. The first step is to get familiar with the CAT pattern and types of /uestion asked in the test# and gradually move towards concepts and practice /uestions. >or advanced level candidates# who have already prepared for CAT before and have the basic idea about the exam# preparation is about revision and practicing more and more /uestions# taking mock tests and analy9ing the current preparation level and then further planning for

improvement. This involves analy9ing your strengths and weaknesses# time management# concepts level# etc. CAT Preparation Strategy +. .. Traditional strategy generally for beginners or first"timers! is to 'oin a coaching institute. -elf"-tudy method for those who don1t have the option or opportunity to 'oin coaching classes. ;. -elf"-tudy with test series of any popular coaching institute to get overall idea where you stand in the crowd. CAT Preparation 0imensions

Speed: =umber of /uestions you can solve correctly! in any time limit considering the difficulty level. Accuracy: There is negative marking for wrong answers. Accuracy means correct /uestions of all attempted. Concentration: >or +., minutes test# the level of concentration decreases as time passes. %asy 2s: (very paper has some easy /uestions which shouldn2t be left. Traps: These are hard /uestions which looks easy# so candidated tend to waste time on these. 4 Steps to CAT Preparation Strategy 1A ;nderstand all About CAT (ven before you think of preparing for CAT# first step is to understand about Common Admission Test CAT!# its pattern and syllabus. Qust get a feel of it. CAT being one of the most competitive $usiness school admission test# it needs in"depth preparation. ?ou should start preparing for this computer"based examination at the moment you have decided to attempt for it. !A AnalyBe your Streng ts C Dea(nesses )nce you have understood about CAT# analy9e your strengths and weaknesses and how much time you may be re/uired to devote to your weak areas. 6ooking at the syllabus and the past pattern of CAT examination# you can identify your strong and weak points. There you will have to study and practice more# and on the other hand there may be a few topics in your weak areas where you are stronger enough and you may need less revision and practice sessions for them. -trategically# you must find out such weak areas and segregate them from the strong ones. "A Study Material =ext step is to find out the correct study material. Whether you are preparing by yourself or have 'oined some coaching institute# select and collect study material carefully. The online preparation mode is also emerging as one of the most sought after options. The importance of newspapers and maga9ines is also very prominent in preparing for CAT. ?ou must develop a habit of reading them on a regular basis. This will help you to get updated with general awareness# (nglish skills and reading comprehension. $A Time Management ?ou must become consistent with your preparation timing as proper time management plays a key role to scoring high CAT percentile. >our to five month of serious preparation can get you a good confidence level for CAT. 4ractice and consistency is the key to success. ?ou should ideally put at least ., hours a week for CAT preparation. The more# the betterS 5ivide your available time to different sections. This will depend on your current level of preparation# what all topics you have already done# whether you are working or not# etc. 4A ,ocus on -asics

?ou should focus more on basics. -hort"cuts# @edic Mathematics# speed multiplication and other tips are important# but you should be first clear with fundamentals so that you can better appreciate them. =C(7T books for standard @I to L are wonderful for learning the basics. Prepare for CAT in t ree p ases >irst %,V of your time should be spent in building the fundamental concepts and basics. The next .%V in building intensity# practicing more /uestions and fine"tuning your concepts. >inal .%V of the time should be spent in taking lots of mock tests.

4art *

7(6AT(5 A7TIC6($ut the fact remains that work experience brings you an edge over other aspirants and increases your selection possibilities at top $ schools like IIMs >M- Q$IM- -4QIM7 M5I which offer weightage on years of work experience. Are you a working executive and preparing for CAT alsoE If yes# you are most likely to get admission in a top $"schools provided you score a high percentile in CAT. >or working executives# however# the factors like <Time Management1 and <getting the academic rigor back1 remain huge challenging areas while they prepare for CAT and other M$A entrance exams like LAT# II>T entrance# =MAT etc. When they start preparation for CAT# it becomes a bit difficult for them to take both " work and preparation# simultaneously. While their profession consumes a lot of time and energy# the CAT preparation is e/ually demanding and re/uires a lot of concentration along with regular study schedules. Dor(-%6 a great ad)antage $ut# the fact remains that work experience brings you an edge over other aspirants and increases your selection possibilities at IIMs# >M-# Q$IM-# -4QIM7# M5I and others top $"schools which offer weightage to candidates on their years of work experience. The admission data from top $" schools suggests that working executives comprise *, per cent or more share of the total students in top management institutes. -ample this admission data for .,+."+: batch from two IIMsC " In the batch of ;*+ students in IIM Ahmedabad# .*& have +"; years of work experience. " At IIM 6ucknow# out of the batch of :+: students# ;,+ students has more than + years of work experience -o# how do you take advantage of your work experience to prepare for CATE 3ow do you balance your work and study hoursE What do you do to bring back academic rigor in your life again while preparing for CATE In this article# we bring you success mantras from working executives who successfully cracked CAT. These CAT toppers were working also during their CAT preparations# yet they scored high CAT percentile and secured admissions to top $"schools in India. Manage your Time 7ohit Anand Aarg cracked CAT .,+. with an overall EEA1F percentile and secured admission to IIM 7aipur. Mr Aarg worked for Tata Consultancy -ervices TC-! for ;: months after his (ngineering degree. )n his time management during CAT prep# he says# MI was a working

professional while preparing for CAT. In order to balance my work commitments and CAT preparation# I designed a schedule to devote minimum ;, hours per week to my preparation assigning appropriate weightage to all the sections. I devoted ."; hours daily after work and J"* hours on weekends to meet my targets. I believe an average of :"& hours a day of serious efforts would surely help a student to bell the CAT.N Anusha -ubramanian of IIM $angalore# another working executive scored HH.*, percentile in CAT .,++ with sectional percentiles of H%.,H in /uantitative ability D data interpretation and HH.HH in verbal ability# says M-ince I was working hectic hours# I didn1t get too much time to prepare for CAT on weekdays. I tried to put in about +, to +. hours a week focussing specifically on time management in mock tests and maintaining a good accuracy level.N 4arag 4oddar scored HH.&% percentile in CAT .,++ and after a stint with the industry# he now plans to own a start"up venture which will cater to the needs of the society. 3e used to prepare mostly on weekends and took tests every Tuesday and -aturday. )n other weekdays# he used to analy9e the paper and focused on brushing up his weak areas. 7egular feedback from friends and perseverance helped him to cope up with the hectic schedule. -iddhant Aupta# who scored H*.&J percentile in CAT .,++# prepared a specific time table to manage his time. 3e said# M-ystematic preparation of timetable that is divided on the basis of units0chapters0sub'ects! should be done rather than spending time unnecessarily on them. >igure out the most productive time of your day and plan study hours accordingly. -tudy with a fresh mind and take regular gaps so that you can retain what you have studied. -tudy sessions of shorter durations with high concentration level help a lot.N Get your academic rigor bac(G 5ue to work pressure at their work place and high involvement in their office assignments# working executives variably lose track of their academic background. They also feel it difficult to devote time for study and concentrate on the same as they did during their student life. ?et# top $"schools are filled with working executives which indicates their success ratio is much higher than the freshers applying for M$A admissions. -o# how do you score high CAT percentile despite losing interest in study. ?ou first need to get determined and be firm with your preparation schedule if you wish to score high percentile in CAT exams. Many of your peers# have done it in the past and are now a part of Top $ schools including IIMs while many have gained successful advancements in their career. To crack CAT and score high percentile# you need to be thorough with the concepts of different topics in Buantitative Techni/ues# @erbal Ability# 5ata Interpretation and 6ogical 7easoning. According to CAT toppers# consistency in preparation is key to your success. 5eb'it =ag# who scored HH.HJ Vile in CAT .,+. with the sectional cutoffs of HH.*. percentile in BA"5I and HH.JH percentile in @A"67# says that# for improvement# there is no other way than practice. 3e started reading a lot to improve his @A skills and gradually things got better. According to him# the regular mock test and analysis"based preparation helps a lot. -haring his preparation strategy# 4arag 4oddar says# MThe syllabus for CAT revolves around basic aptitude and is concentrated around mathematics and aptitude preparations done during Class @III to Class LII. I started with brushing up basic concepts and formulae for each chapter and supplemented my preparation by taking chapter"wise mock tests.N >or the verbal ability section# he concentrated more on reading speed and comprehensions. 3e started reading newspapers to increase his knowledge and gain speed in reading and interest in various sub'ects. )nline tests and surfing articles regularly made him adept to the habit of reading from computer and helped him concentrate better during his tests. 3e shares his success mantra# M7egular tests and analysis is the best way to identify one1s weakness and improve on them.N