The Common Admission Test or CAT, being one of the toughest tests to crack, is probably the most feared exam in our nation.
CAT is now a computer-based online test which has 2 sections:
- Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation
- Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning
Each section comprises of 30 questions and both the sections are to be attempted sequentially i.e. Quant & DI have to be attempted first. There is a sectional time limit of 70 minutes which is maintained by an on-screen timer.
A CAT aspirant therefore cannot choose the preferred section to solve first. Also, once the candidate is done with the first section, he/she cannot go back to it. With just a week away from taking up the exam, the aspirants might be little nervous regarding their CAT preparation. Here is some quick analysis on things to keep in mind before the final countdown begins.
FOCUS
The aggressive time limit is what raises the overall difficulty level of the CAT exam. The questions are such that they can be solved by even a 10th grader. It’s the time management required to solve maximum questions correctly in the given time (speed and accuracy) that makes it so difficult.
Candidates are supposed to attempt the Quant and DI section first. So even if LR or/and Verbal Ability are your strong sections, you can’t begin your test solving these. You therefore need to build up your knowledge on Quant and DI because:
- You have to meet the sectional cut off.
- You have to get a decent overall score
- You have to give a positive start to your test.
Sectional time-limit is a now major turn-off for some CAT aspirants. So make sure to devise a proper plan where-in you put an equal emphasis on both the sections.
ANALYSE
With only one week left for CAT, you ought to analyse 2 major things:
- Areas of perfection and weakness.
- Speed and accuracy.
- Which are your areas of ease?
- In which section are you more likely to score better?
- What type of questions you are normally able to solve?
- What are your weak areas?
- Which questions are most unlikely to be solved by you?
- Which sections are more likely to take too much of your time and effort?
Mock tests will help you in making an in-depth analysis of both of the above mentioned parameters thereby assisting you in CAT preparation. The more you practice, the more you come across your stronger areas and the areas you need to work on. Final week won’t be a good time to build up totally new skills. You must therefore emphasize on sections you’re better at, so that you could manage to solve maximum number of questions in those sections.
PLAN
CAT is all about managing time. You got to plan on how to manage time such that you don’t spend too much of time solving a question.
This could be a major obstacle in clearing the sectional cut-off. By being well aware of your strong areas, you can devote time to each section accordingly and wisely. Like it’s generally advised to avoid spending more than 2.5 minutes on any question. But again, it varies with a person’s skills and abilities. Not everyone can solve every question in a span of 2.5 minutes. Here are some points you need to focus on:
- Take online mock tests
This will help you simulate the computer based format of taking the test and help you to keep up with an on-screen timer. However, usually mock tests tend to more difficult than the actual exam, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t find your performance up to your expectations. Just strive to do better each time than the previous one.
- Perform a quick scan before you attempt the test (not more than 2-5 mins)
An example could be clicking on a question in verbal section to find the number of Reading Comprehension passages.
- Be careful about clearing the sectional cut-offs
If you’re weak at Logical Reasoning, you can prepare and do well in Verbal Ability, to clear the sectional cut-off for the combined LR and Verbal section.
- Concepts Remain the Same
Don’t forget to solve and examine the previous year’s question papers. You are not likely to find any repeated questions but you might be able to get a fair idea of what the questions actually looks like and what is being tested.
- Speed is vital
You ought to increase your speed for both “reading”, “analyzing” and “solving” the questions. The faster you read and analyse a question, the quicker you solve it. Also, don’t spend too much time on one single question. If you find yourself getting stuck, move on to the next question. The good part about sectional time limits is that someone else has already done some time management for you.
- Find the Sitters
Both the sections will have some very easy questions which are termed as 'Sitters'. Try to locate such questions while scanning the paper initially.
- Watch out for Speed Bumps
While you’ll have the sitters to help you, there are often many speed bump questions which could end up taking all of your time to get solved.
- Don’t ignore the OMR sheet
Make sure you keep marking the bubbles in the OMR sheet periodically. Filling up the OMR sheet at the end could be a potential risk and might make you fill up the wrong answers. There have been cases of students who solved the entire paper but still failed to clear CAT since they didn’t fill up the OMR sheet till the end!
Quick Tip: The Elimination Rule
“Elimination Rule” is a much discussed rule during the CAT preparation:
Sometimes, the options given in a question are such that you might not even need to solve it. You can simply eliminate any option through simple logic and common sense. This could potentially avoid any wastage of time.
Keeping the above mentioned points in mind will help you significantly. Remember that you can’t get back the time you have wasted until now. You only have to focus on how to utilize the available time in the best possible way.
Be patient and keep working on your goal. All the best.
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