How To Ace Your Second Attempt in

CAT?
CAT. Not able to clear the CAT exam in the first attempt in not the end of the world. Its just
the first glitch in the journey of achieving something good at the end.
Let me tell you my own story here, my journey with CAT has started when I was in my 3rd
year of engineering when I started my preparation for CAT. I worked hard along with my
engineering studies till final year, but in the final year, I got so involved in placements and
alll, that the CAT took the back seat. After leaving the college, I had the good job with only
70% in CAT, but then I decided that I will make a comeback after having 2 years of work
experience. I did the same. But what all I did correct this time.
1. First and foremost, introspect what all wrong you did in your previous attempt and
jot down everything and paste it in front of you so that you will never repeat them
2. Start with the basics first and complete them as early as possible
3. Make reading a habit. Read at least 3-4 editorials of different genre daily.
4. Start with Mock tests as early as possible but only when you covered at least 70% of
the syllabus otherwise it will simply be wastage of time and money. But till that
stage, you can give topic tests which not only strengthen your concepts but also give
you the idea of what all kind of questions will be in mock tests. Having said that you
should start giving mock tests before three months of the date of the exam as giving
a mock test and its proper analysis needs a good amount time and it also gives you a
whole lot of new insights which only solving a question can give you. So, start early
with one mock interview in a week, then two in a week and keep going but never
give more than one mock test in a day.
5. Don’t lose hope even if you are getting not so good %ile in mocks. Just analyse them
properly and work more on your weaknesses and don’t give up till the D day.
6. Finally, at the D day, take enough sleep and go to the exam centre with a lot of
confidence and positive mind set.
Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of
enthusiasm- Winston Churchill
Along with all the tips, tricks and strategies to crack an exam, the next very important thing is to
keep your motivation or enthusiasm level intact till the end. Here are some of my tried and
tested ways for the same.

Manage a ‘To Do List’ - A Wonderful Way to Succeed!

Maintaining a ‘To Do List’ is a great tool while preparing for the CAT. You should start
your everyday with jotting down the points which all you want to cover that day. This
can be a great backup to get quick details about your performance level. With the help
of this list, you can be in sync with what all you covered, what gets left behind and what
should be your next target.

Reward Yourself - A Secret Mantra to Enhance Exam Motivation

Want to how I motivated myself during those tensed and anxious months of
preparation? Chocolates!!
Start with setting daily goals as per your ‘To Do List’ and reward yourself with little treats
when you accomplish them. Along with daily goals, also chart out short term goals and
try to accomplish them. This will encourage you to push your limits and keeps you going
further with an exciting and positive outlook. So, reach for the stars and once you get
there, be ready to do more than pat yourself on the back. Celebrate, then be ready to
aim even higher next time!
Review your progress regularly - A way to stay on track for your goals
Anything which is more important than completing the course or giving mocks is to
review your progress regularly. It is important to monitor your goals and track your
progress that how far you have reached and how much you have still to cover, this will
refrain you from losing the right track.

Post Affirmation and get yourself Self-Motivated

Nobody can motivate you the way you can motivate yourself. If you have a dream,
nobody can imagine it better than you do. So just do everything which can take you one
step towards that dream and motivate yourself for the same whatever the way is be it
watching the videos of previous 100 %ile holder or reading motivating articles on
InsideIIM. But just keep your energy level high and visualize the way you attain your
goals and imagine your moment of triumph.
Do What Works the Best for You!
Having best approach is one of the most effective deeds for a successful study. Do what
works the best for you whether creating an environment to study which is makes you
comfortable and be in line with your needs and demands of the exam; or finding study
buddy or study alone; or switch off the phone while studying; or keep yourself away
from social media. But do whatever suits best to you.

In the last, I just want to say that whatever the situation is, whatever your scores are in
mock tests, just be confident and true to yourself and your dreams. You will achieve
your goals if you believe in yourself and put in the right efforts. But just don’t leave the
race till you reach the finishing line. That’s all what matters. That’s something I myself
has done, and it works pretty well for me.