With just over 30 days left for CAT it is time for us to move on to the next stage of preparation. While the earlier stages of preparation were about building up of fundamentals, application of concepts, exposure to MCQs, increasing speed and working out strategies for various types of questions, the focus of this stage of preparation is to ensure accuracy with speed.
This stage of preparation is also a stage of confusion.
Do I have sufficient knowledge to tackle the paper? Which topics can I afford to leave? How many Mock CATs should I take?
This is not the time to worry about the question types that you are never able to solve. This is the time to accept the fact that if you have not been able to understand a concept in the last six to nine months of preparation, no miracle will take place in the next 30 days and it is in your best interest to ignore these islands of ignorance and focus on the areas where you can improve your speed and accuracy. The plan for these 40 days is to focus on only three things: Practice – Analysis – Revision. Let us understand this in detail:
Practice: Mock CATs (Proctored & Unproctored) along with Section Tests and past CAT papers are the only things you should consider to keep you in shape for the D-day. Do not worry about the questions in your funda books, infact you can throw these books away. The focus has to be taking tests (Mock CAT, Past CAT papers and Section tests) under actual test condition because so that you are CAT-ready.
Please ensure that all tests are taken at the same time that you have chosen for CAT. So if your CAT is scheduled at 10 am, all test should be taken at 10 am.
Past CAT papers should not be taken as a whole but in the form of section tests. The time limit for past CAT papers should be 2 minutes per question hence a section of 40 questions should be attempted in 80 minutes.
Analysis: A test is useless if it is not followed by a detailed analysis. Every 70 minute section needs at least 140 minutes for analysis. Analysis helps us in identifying what we are doing correctly and incorrectly in the paper. It helps us in fine tuning our strategy for the sections.
Revision: The reason why many of us have a problem of speed and accuracy is lack of revision. The focus in this last stage of preparation is to ensure that we are able to attempt about 22 – 25 questions in each section with at least 85% accuracy. Weekly Revision of important questions identified in Mock CATs, Section Tests and Past CAT papers ensures that if you come across a similar question type you are able to solve it fast, it eliminates silly mistakes, makes you more comfortable with vocabulary, grammar and difficult questions and improves your ability to choose the right questions to attempt. All of these result in higher attempts with high accuracy.
How to manage all three?
I would suggest a 3 day cycle of Practice, Analysis & Revision. This would ensure that not only are the Mock CATs and past CAT papers taken care with analysis but also revision is not neglected. Your schedule could be as given below:
Day 1: Practice (Mock CAT) & Analysis
Mock CAT and Analysis of the test. One section test of QADI or EULR or one section test of past CAT paper.
Day 2 : Practice (Section Test) and Analysis
One section test of QADI and EULR with detailed analysis. If time is available you could take another section test of QADI or EULR. Alternately take one past CAT paper section wise with detailed analysis.
Day 3: Revision
Revision of important questions from all Mock CATs, Section Test and Past CAT papers taken so far.
Day 4: Practice (Mock CAT) and Analysis
Mock CAT and Analysis of the test. One section test of QADI or EULR or one section test of past CAT paper.
Day 5: Practice (Section Test) and Analysis
One sections each Test of QADI and EULR with detailed analysis. If time is available you could take another section test of QADI or EULR. Alternately take one past CAT paper section wise with detailed analysis.
Day 6: Revision
Revision of important questions from all Mock CATs, Section Test and Past CAT papers taken so far.
Obviously, based on your specific needs you can modify the above plan.
This is not the time to worry about the question types that you are never able to solve. This is the time to accept the fact that if you have not been able to understand a concept in the last six to nine months of preparation, no miracle will take place in the next 30 days and it is in your best interest to ignore these islands of ignorance and focus on the areas where you can improve your speed and accuracy. The plan for these 40 days is to focus on only three things: Practice – Analysis – Revision. Let us understand this in detail:
Practice: Mock CATs (Proctored & Unproctored) along with Section Tests and past CAT papers are the only things you should consider to keep you in shape for the D-day. Do not worry about the questions in your funda books, infact you can throw these books away. The focus has to be taking tests (Mock CAT, Past CAT papers and Section tests) under actual test condition because so that you are CAT-ready.
Please ensure that all tests are taken at the same time that you have chosen for CAT. So if your CAT is scheduled at 10 am, all test should be taken at 10 am.
Past CAT papers should not be taken as a whole but in the form of section tests. The time limit for past CAT papers should be 2 minutes per question hence a section of 40 questions should be attempted in 80 minutes.
Analysis: A test is useless if it is not followed by a detailed analysis. Every 70 minute section needs at least 140 minutes for analysis. Analysis helps us in identifying what we are doing correctly and incorrectly in the paper. It helps us in fine tuning our strategy for the sections.
Revision: The reason why many of us have a problem of speed and accuracy is lack of revision. The focus in this last stage of preparation is to ensure that we are able to attempt about 22 – 25 questions in each section with at least 85% accuracy. Weekly Revision of important questions identified in Mock CATs, Section Tests and Past CAT papers ensures that if you come across a similar question type you are able to solve it fast, it eliminates silly mistakes, makes you more comfortable with vocabulary, grammar and difficult questions and improves your ability to choose the right questions to attempt. All of these result in higher attempts with high accuracy.
How to manage all three?
I would suggest a 3 day cycle of Practice, Analysis & Revision. This would ensure that not only are the Mock CATs and past CAT papers taken care with analysis but also revision is not neglected. Your schedule could be as given below:
Day 1: Practice (Mock CAT) & Analysis
Mock CAT and Analysis of the test. One section test of QADI or EULR or one section test of past CAT paper.
Day 2 : Practice (Section Test) and Analysis
One section test of QADI and EULR with detailed analysis. If time is available you could take another section test of QADI or EULR. Alternately take one past CAT paper section wise with detailed analysis.
Day 3: Revision
Revision of important questions from all Mock CATs, Section Test and Past CAT papers taken so far.
Day 4: Practice (Mock CAT) and Analysis
Mock CAT and Analysis of the test. One section test of QADI or EULR or one section test of past CAT paper.
Day 5: Practice (Section Test) and Analysis
One sections each Test of QADI and EULR with detailed analysis. If time is available you could take another section test of QADI or EULR. Alternately take one past CAT paper section wise with detailed analysis.
Day 6: Revision
Revision of important questions from all Mock CATs, Section Test and Past CAT papers taken so far.
Obviously, based on your specific needs you can modify the above plan.
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