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CAT Study Plan For The Last 90 Days Before The Exam
April 29 2024

Aspirants have exactly 90 days before they sit for the CAT exam.  One could only imagine the pressure and stress the candidates are going through! In this turmoil, one should gear up and channelize all the energy towards preparing for CAT with a concrete strategy.

 The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a national-level entrance exam for admission to the best B-schools of India such as the IIMs. And cracking CAT takes a lot of determination and hard work. We at CATKing, have paved an easy way for our students with our experts curating an easy study plan for the next 90 days,  for the CAT 2020 exam.

 

As the countdown to the Common Admission Test (CAT) begins, MBA aspirants across the country are gearing up for the final sprint in their preparation journey. With just 90 days left until the exam, it's essential to devise a strategic study plan that maximizes productivity, optimizes learning, and ensures peak performance on the D-day. In this comprehensive guide, we'll outline a structured CAT study plan for the last 90 days before the exam, covering essential aspects such as time allocation, topic prioritization, mock tests, and revision strategies.

Weeks 1-4: Diagnostic Assessment and Conceptual Clarity

  1. Week 1: Diagnostic Assessment

    • Begin with a diagnostic assessment to gauge your current level of preparation.
    • Take a full-length mock test to identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas needing improvement.
    • Analyze your performance to understand patterns, time management issues, and question-solving strategies.
  2. Weeks 2-4: Conceptual Clarity

    • Allocate time to revisit fundamental concepts in each section: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA).
    • Focus on strengthening weak areas through targeted practice and conceptual understanding.
    • Utilize high-quality study material, online resources, and video tutorials to reinforce concepts and clarify doubts.

Weeks 5-8: Section-wise Intensive Preparation

  1. Week 5-6: VARC

    • Devote dedicated time to each sub-section of VARC, including Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Verbal Reasoning.
    • Practice reading diverse texts, analyzing passages, and improving vocabulary through daily reading habits.
    • Solve a variety of questions from previous years' papers and mock tests to hone your verbal skills.
  2. Week 7-8: DILR and QA

    • Divide your time between Data Interpretation (DI) and Logical Reasoning (LR) exercises, and Quantitative Aptitude (QA) practice.
    • Focus on developing problem-solving techniques, shortcuts, and mathematical concepts in QA.
    • Solve complex puzzles, charts, and graphs to improve your DILR proficiency and analytical skills.

Weeks 9-12: Mock Tests, Revision, and Strategy Refinement

  1. Week 9-10: Mock Tests

    • Take at least two full-length mock tests per week to simulate exam conditions and build endurance.
    • Analyze your mock test performance meticulously, focusing on accuracy, time management, and question selection.
    • Identify recurring mistakes, conceptual gaps, and areas needing improvement to fine-tune your preparation strategy.
  2. Week 11: Revision and Strategy Refinement

    • Allocate time for comprehensive revision of all sections, focusing on weak areas and frequently tested topics.
    • Refine your exam strategy based on insights gained from mock test analysis, such as time allocation, question prioritization, and decision-making approach.
    • Experiment with different approaches and techniques to optimize performance and minimize errors.
  3. Week 12: Final Mock Tests and Mental Conditioning

    • Take a few final mock tests to assess your readiness and build confidence before the exam.
    • Focus on mental conditioning, relaxation techniques, and stress management to stay calm and composed on exam day.
    • Review exam-day logistics, such as venue location, transportation, and required documents, to ensure a smooth experience.

Additional Tips and Strategies:

  1. Healthy Lifestyle: Maintain a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise, proper nutrition, and adequate sleep to enhance cognitive function and overall well-being.

  2. Positive Mindset: Cultivate a positive mindset, self-belief, and resilience to overcome challenges and setbacks encountered during the preparation process.

  3. Stay Updated: Stay updated with current affairs, business news, and trending topics to excel in the General Awareness section and enhance your overall profile.

  4. Seek Guidance: Seek guidance from mentors, teachers, or professional coaches if you encounter difficulties or need assistance in specific areas of preparation.

In conclusion, the last 90 days before the CAT exam are crucial for consolidating your preparation, refining your strategy, and maximizing your performance potential. By following this structured study plan, complemented by discipline, dedication, and perseverance, you can embark on the final leg of your CAT journey with confidence and clarity. Remember, success in CAT is not just about intelligence but also about effective preparation, strategic planning, and unwavering determination to excel.

CAT Pattern (For the year 2021)

 

The pattern of the exam in 2021 is likely to repeat in the year 2022. Here's what the pattern might look: 3 sections and a total of 66 questions in 2 hours.  

Section Number of Questions Sectional Time limit
Verbal Ability 24 40 minutes
Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation 10+10 40 minutes
Quantitative Aptitude 22 40 minutes

 

CAT 2022 Pattern Prediction.

Our experts in CATKing have intensely studied the pattern of the exam in the past years, and according to this evaluation, they have been able to understand and predict the pattern of CAT 2022.  Here’s what we can expect from CAT 2022 pattern:

  • The paper pattern of CAT 2022 will not be very different from that of CAT 2021.
  • There will be around 76-66 questions this year in the question paper.
  • Topics that’ll have more weightage:
You can also solve the past year CAT question papers 
Section Topic
Data Interpretation Games and Tournaments
Logical Reasoning Arrangements, Caselets
Quantitative Aptitude Arithmetic: Times and distance, Time and work, mixtures and allegations

 

 

Some constants in the CAT exams since 2005:

  1. The question numbers and timers are always set up in a way that’ll provide the candidate 2 minutes to attempt each question, i.e.e 2 minutes per question.
  2. One-third of the questions are very easy. Just by attempting all these easy questions from the section can fetch you 90%ile.
  3. The next one-third of the paper is moderate, and determines 95%ile in the exam.
  4. And the last on-third is the set of difficult questions. Now, remember these questions should not be touched unless you are confident with the procedure and of obtaining an answer. So it’s advised better not to attempt than to give a wrong answer and lose your marks

 Magic Method: Questions that need to be attempted first in the paper

Some of the question types have been repeated quite often in CAT, these questions from the questions should be attempted which’ll guarantee your overall good percentile.

  1. For the Verbal Ability section, Para Jumble, Para Summary and Out of context, these questions have no negative marking. So out of 8 questions from these categories, at least 6-7 should be attempted correctly.
  2. From Quantitative Aptitude, more than 50 percent questions are from Arithmetic, the most common topics are Vedic math, percentage, average and ratio.
  3. For Data Interpretation and Logical reasoning, divide them into two sections and solve them one by one.

 

How much do I need to score to get the desired percentage?

While the top-notch IIMs consider 95%ile and above, most of the good b-schools give out the PI calls at 90%ile and above. Percentile can vary according to the candidates’ educational background, work experience and sometimes depends on most scored sections and in case of reservation. But, there is a generalized breakdown of Scores Vs Percentile:  

Number of Candidates in the same percentile (Rank) Percentile No. of questions to be solved (correctly) from each section (at least)
40k 80%ile 6,6,6 (6 questions from each section)
20k 90%ile 8,8,8, (8 questions from each section)
10k 95% 11,11,11 (11 questions from each section)
2k 99%ile 13,13,13 (13 questions from each section)

 

  Tip: For the candidates aiming for 99%ile and above should make sure that they solve 13 questions correctly from any two sections and take the other one to the moon.

 So, your chances of getting a higher percentile becomes more clear. It could be either Verbal Ability, Logical Reasoning or Quantitative Aptitude. In that one section, the candidate should try to answer 17-19 questions correctly.  

Preparation Plan for the next 90 days:

  1. Test takers must divide their studying schedule in 40+30+20 days.
  2. The first 40 days is to cover up the entire syllabus and simultaneously give sectional and mock tests. 
  3. The next 30 days is to particularly focus on the important topics and again give sectional tests and mock tests.
  4.  And the last 20 days are solely for the mock tests and previous year question papers.
  5. Devote at least 2 hours a day for CAT preparation. And your practice schedule should be- 2questions from Logical Reasoning, 2 from Reading Comprehension, 2 from Data Interpretation and  20 quants problems.
  6. Give as many mock tests as possible. Try out CATKing Mock Test Series For CAT.
  7. Finally, prepare with your best shot with the help of CATKing Bible LOD1 and CATKing Bible LOD2
Author
Anisha Mukhija

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