Great Lakes - PGPM & PGDM 2025
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CAT 2025 Preparation Material - If you're planning to take the CAT 2025 but aren't sure about the best study materials, you've come to the right place. Choosing the right resources is essential for adequate preparation, and this article will guide you on the best materials for the CAT exam and share tips on when and how to start your preparation. Using good-quality resources is critical for achieving success. Careers360 offers all the information you must need to determine the best study materials and succeed in this national-level B-School entrance exam.
Below is a general CAT exam preparation strategy that any candidate can follow to build an overall preparation plan.
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Also read- Check out the CAT Best Study Material
Candidates who are well-prepared for the CAT 2025 will have a better chance of scoring well. Candidates who prepare with the help of coaching institutions may find it easier to get excellent material. However, such applicants must not be comfortable with minimal resources. Is there a severe issue with applicants who do not want to attend coaching and get appropriate preparation materials for the CAT 2025? We will understand it better while going through this article.
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Well, for all those candidates who are preparing for CAT for the first time, it might be difficult to figure out what books they should purchase. From where can I get sample papers? Should they rely on the self-preparation of notes or buy them from online/offline sources? Well, wait, all these things that we discussed just now are all part of your CAT 2025 preparation material. Let's take a look at each component carefully.
Features of Good Preparation Material for CAT 2025:
The richness of Content: Preparation material that is rich in content will only be good for CAT. The preparation material’s information must be according to the reader’s requirements. Complete details related to the topics that help in understanding the syllabus content easily and accurately will be considered good material
Author’s Credibility: Before picking any preparation material, applicants should ensure it is reputable enough to be referred to. CAT 2025. preparation materials are reasonably priced on the market. Some are first-time writers attempting to give appropriate preparation material, while others are seasoned authors who will provide excellent CAT 2025 preparation material. As a result, before picking CAT 2025 preparation materials, applicants ought to examine the author and consider using them as a CAT preparation guide.
Quick Link- CAT Exam: Important topics for preparation
Best books for CAT preparation
CAT question papers
Mock test of CAT entrance exam
CAT sample papers
E-Books of cat
Let’s see each component one by one in the descriptive form:
After analysing the syllabus for CAT 2025, it is most likely that all candidates will find books that contain overall topics. Getting the best books for CAT may be complicated and hectic if you do not know where to find them. Some of the books based on each section are given below.
For Quantitative Ability Section:
Best Books | Author |
How to prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CA | Arun Sharma |
Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT | Nishit K. Sinha |
For Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension Section
Best Books | Author |
Barron’s Pocket Guide to Vocabulary | Samuel C. Brownstein |
Mastering the Verbal Ability for CAT | Ajay Singh |
Note that for this section, reading and improving vocabulary is the key. Read newspapers like The Hindu, The Economist, Business Standard etc.,
For Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation Section
Best Books | Author |
How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT | Arun Sharma |
Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for CAT | K. Sinha Nishit |
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The importance of solving previous year's questions cannot be ignored by candidates. Topper of CAT, Vishesh Garg, said that he solved question papers for CAT entrance exams to know what kind of questions came. He practiced the question papers of CAT to make his time management skills strong while solving all questions. In CAT, sectional timing is allotted to each section; hence, it is imperative for candidates to know the best possible way of solving the questions. Hence, the toppers of CAT suggest that solving previous years CAT question papers helps a lot.
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The Indian Institute of Management administers the CAT and will offer students a CAT mock test 2025 to simulate the actual exam day atmosphere. Mock tests may assist applicants in understanding how much time they need to finish each question and how to travel between various parts based on the difficulty level of the CAT. The CAT 2025 mock exam is quite comparable to the actual CAT. It will feature three components. Check out the brief link below to learn what the sections are and how to prepare for them.
Quick Link: Why, When and How to take CAT Mock Test
Benefits of CAT Mock Test 2025:
Help in understanding the exam pattern of CAT 2025
Helps in finding areas of improvement
Help in time management
According to CAT topper Ashish Sen, all candidates who wish to crack the CAT entrance exam must try to solve the sample CAT papers. After solving a set of more than 30–40 sample papers for CAT, candidates will reach a point where they will not find any new types of questions. The wording or arrangement of questions may change, however, the basic structure of the question remains the same. Solving previous year question papers given an add-on advantage to candidates.
Quick Link: One Year Study Plan for CAT
Due to digitization, candidates are moving from basic offline books to e-books of CAT. The biggest advantage of e-books is that they can be easily accessed from anywhere. The content given in e-books is easy to mark, and the meaning of different words is easily available with one click.
Do some brainstorming. Apart from the basic preparation material for the CAT mentioned above, candidates can also take some time and indulge in brainstorming sessions. According to the topper of CAT, Shivam Chandak, “I have always been involved in some brainstorming activities like playing chess, minesweeper, Sudoku, etc.”
Ideally, you should begin studying 8 to 10 months prior to your exam to completely cover every topic and devote enough time for revision and sample examinations.
It all depends on how you choose to study. Many people prefer paperback books, but e-books are more handy, conveniently available, and allow for flexible study.
Choose resources that cover the whole syllabus, include enough practice problems and mock tests, and contain answers or explanations to help you grasp concepts better.
Mock test is important because it helps us to analyse our mistakes, understand the level of preparation for CAT Exam and the exam pattern
You can take the exam as long as you match the eligibility criteria as there is no limit for maximum attempts.
Begin your preparations at least 8-10 months before the test to provide adequate time to cover the topics and practice.
Coaching is beneficial but not necessary. Many students pass the CAT by self-study using the correct resources, sample examinations, and constant practice.
Mock tests are necessary. They assist you in understanding the test format, improving time management, and identifying weak areas.
To improve speed and accuracy, practice often, concentrate on the fundamentals, answer past years' problems, and take timed mock examinations.
Yes, with proper time management. Dedicate 2-3 hours every day and make the most of weekends for training.
Begin with 2-3 hours each day and gradually progress to 5-6 hours as the test approaches. Quality is more important than quantity.
Top MBA colleges based on CAT, XAT, SNAP, and NMAT scores include some of India’s best institutions. For CAT, the IIMs (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta) and FMS Delhi are highly regarded. XAT results in prestigious colleges like XLRI Jamshedpur and XIMB. SNAP is known for Symbiosis Institutes, such as SIBM Pune and SCMHRD. NMAT scores open doors to NMIMS Mumbai, SPJIMR Mumbai, and ISB Hyderabad. Each exam has unique eligibility requirements, and their cutoffs vary, so it's important to research the specific criteria and select based on your preferences and strengths.
Hello,
Here are important points regarding your query :-
Hope it helps !
Hi,
Based on the previous year analysis, According to your CAT 2024 percentile some of the colleges in which you have chances to get a seat includes:
You can predict more colleges using the CLAT 2024 college predictor tool .
Hope this information will help you
Hello Greetings
With a CAT 2024 percentile of 68.28%, you may face a challenging time getting into IIT Delhi, as their cutoffs are typically higher. However, being an SC female student, you may be eligible for relaxation in the cutoff criteria .
To give you a better idea, here are some general CAT cutoff percentiles for IITs and other top B-schools:
- *IIT Delhi*: Typically above 90 percentile for general category students.
- *Newer IIMs*: Such as IIM Vishakapatnam, IIM Shillong, and IIM Udaipur, may have lower cutoffs, around 80-90 percentile.
- *Other top B-schools*: Like IMT Ghaziabad, XIM Bhubaneswar, and TAPMI, may also consider students with lower percentiles.
It's essential to note that CAT cutoffs can vary from year to year, and other factors like your academic background, work experience, and performance in the personal interview (PI) and written ability test (WAT) also play a significant role in the admission process.
To explore more options and predict your chances of getting into various colleges, you can use online CAT college predictor tools .
Have a great day
Hello Greetings
Considering your 82.58 percentile in CAT and 22 months of industry experience in IT and Financial analysis, you have several options for General Management PGDM or PGPM programs.
*Decent Colleges Accepting Low CAT Percentile:*
- _SPJIMR_: Offers PGDM and PGPM programs, accepting CAT scores, with a minimum eligibility criterion of 50% aggregate in graduation ¹ ².
- _SOIL_: Provides PGPM and PGDM programs, considering CAT scores, with a focus on experiential learning ³.
- Other institutes like _IMT Ghaziabad_, _XIMB_, and _IRMA_ might also accept candidates with lower CAT percentiles, but this may vary depending on the program and intake.
*Key Factors to Consider:*
- _Work Experience_: With 22 months of experience, you might be eligible for PGPM programs, which typically require more work experience than PGDM programs ¹.
- _Career Gap_: Explain your career gap effectively in your application, highlighting any relevant activities or skills gained during that period.
- _Profile-Based Selection_: Some institutes consider profiles, including work experience, academic background, and extracurricular activities, in addition to CAT scores ¹.
*Next Steps:*
1. Research the institutes mentioned above and their programs.
2. Review the eligibility criteria, admission process, and fees for each program.
3. Prepare your application, ensuring you effectively communicate your strengths, work experience, and career goals.
4. Be prepared for interviews, focusing on your profile, experience, and motivation for pursuing a PGDM or PGPM program.
Remember, a lower CAT percentile doesn't necessarily limit your options. Focus on showcasing your strengths, experience, and fit with the program to increase your chances of admission.
Have a great day
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