Great Lakes - PGPM & PGDM 2025
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How to Crack CAT 2025 in the First Attempt: The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a highly competitive entrance exam for MBA aspirants in India. It is the most difficult MBA entrance exam, and cracking it in the first attempt can be a daunting task. However, with proper planning, preparation, and a strategic approach, it is achievable. If you're planning to take CAT 2025 and want to increase your chances of cracking it on the first attempt, then this article is going to be very helpful for you. Here, you will learn some of the best tips and tricks suggested by toppers on how to crack CAT in first attempt.
Know how to prepare for CAT in 3 months
The first step towards cracking the CAT exam in the first attempt is to understand the exam pattern and CAT syllabus thoroughly. CAT is a computer-based test, consisting of three sections - Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Ability.
It is essential to have a clear understanding of the exam pattern, the number of questions in each section, the duration of the exam, and the marking scheme. With a clear idea of the CAT exam pattern, you can get your CAT preparation right by improving your weak areas and strengthening your strong areas. Time management is also crucial while preparing for CAT 2025, as it is a time-bound exam, and you will need to solve a large number of questions in a limited amount of time.
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180+ Companies | Highest CTC 15 LPA | Average CTC 8 LPA | Ranked as Platinum Institute by AICTE for 6 years in a row | Awarded Best Business School of the Year
To crack the CAT exam in first attempt, candidates are advised to follow the steps below;
No one knows you better than you do. So, candidates are advised to assess themselves and try to know where they stand in the race for the most difficult entrance exam for MBA admission in India. When they know their weak and strong points, they will be able to diligently study for CAT 2025. After having analyzed it, candidates will know that they would need the guidance of the coaching institute.
Many resources will be helpful. Also, in this article, some of the best tips on how to clear CAT exam in 1st attempt is given. Coaching may help understand the basic concept of the exam and draw the right CAT preparation study plan. But it is not a guarantee of success.
Through self-preparation, candidates can crack the exam and achieve a good score enough to get a call from the IIMs, and other top MBA colleges in India. All you will need is to remain focused, set targets, and draw the right strategies to crack CAT to achieve the target score.
To get the fruitful results for any task, one must put time and effort into it. It is usually believed that six months to one year is a good amount of time to crack CAT 2025 in the first attempt. One of the biggest advantages of starting early for CAT preparation is that in the fag end, candidates will not panic in case they had difficulty understanding any topic or subject.
Early preparation would mean that they would have a good amount of time to revise whatever they had studied during the early stages of CAT preparation. They would have ample amount of time to prepare for CAT 2025 and would not be jostling towards the end. Therefore, aspirants, who are only aiming to crack CAT 2025, must start preparation as early as possible.
An answer to the question of “how to crack CAT exam for MBA” is that one should have a good grasp of the syllabus of CAT. Though the IIM which conducts the exam does not prescribe any specific CAT syllabus, the relevance of the topics can be understood by going through past years question papers on CAT. Based on the CAT sample papers and question papers, one gets to know the topics and sub-topics from which the questions are primarily asked.
By knowing this, the candidates will be able to determine for themselves how much time they would need to devote to each of the topics. Having a good understanding of the CAT 2025 syllabus will pave the way for being studying well and answering the questions with ease.
After going through the syllabus thoroughly, the candidates need to start section-wise preparation. Here are some tips that are given below for the same.
Preparation for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) section - This section broadly consists of questions based on Reading Comprehension, Grammar, Vocabulary, and Verbal Reasoning. Each area in this section needs a different approach to preparation. To prepare for the reading comprehension part, students should inculcate the habit of reading newspapers and novels, for Vocab and Grammar, part one should go for a good book for regular practice of both and should practice lots of questions based on verbal reasoning.
Preparation of Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) section - This section in the CAT is there to check one's analytical skills and logical rationale or reasoning. To deal with this section it is important to understand and clear the basic concepts. The DILR section consisted of questions based on Line charts, Pie charts, Bar charts and Mixed charts. Candidates should regularly practice lots of questions based on the mentioned topics to have a strong grasp and better concept clarification.
Preparation for Quantitative Aptitude section - This section requires lots of practice and excellent command of the formulas, concepts and theorems as it is the section in which questions are asked from Maths topics only. Usually, candidates find this section the most rigorous one among all but having a strong command of basic concepts of the topics would lead you to have an edge over others. This section includes questions based on Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry and Mensuration. Strong mental calculation serves a lot to cater for this section.
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While you prepare for each section, make sure that you proceed towards learning the basic concepts first and then move towards more difficult ones. If your basics are strong then you will be able to do well as you will be able to solve the most complex problems without much difficulty. You should build your preparation on the principle that a durable house has a strong foundation and will be able to survive in all kinds of adverse situations. Similar is the case with CAT preparation.
With regards to reading comprehension, start with reading books written in simple language and after each paragraph or completion of a chapter comprehend what was mentioned in it. In the initial stages, it might be difficult, but later on, it will prove beneficial. Similarly with quantitative ability, first be thorough with your class ninth and tenth maths and after knowing the formulae and their applications in easy questions move on to the more difficult ones.
It is normally stated that time lost never returns. Therefore, the candidates must divide the time that they have in hand as they prepare for CAT and how to crack IIM entrance exam itself. An average to brilliant student might easily prepare for CAT in six months. Therefore, going by the past years' trends, one can assume that questions will be asked from three sections.
Hence out of the six months, candidates must try to finish all three sections within a span of three to four months and keep the last two months before the exam to take the mock tests as they will be able to know the type of questions that are asked in the entrance exam.
Mock tests are an elixir to the preparation of any entrance exam. Candidates must take two to three mock tests in a week and should analyze them thoroughly to make their SWOT analysis. While taking the CAT mock tests, candidates must ensure that they adhere to the sectional and overall time limit.
It is then only that they will be able to solve the questions with ease on the day of the exam. If one adopts a leisurely approach, then in such a case they would be decisive themselves and once the CAT result is out, then it might not be to their liking. The primary objective of the mock tests is to identify one’s strong and weak areas.
Candidates should also practice from the model test papers of the different coaching centres as they are updated and consist of new types of questions based on the same concept that you have studied throughout the preparation. Aspirants should practice a question of a new type at least two to three times to understand the pattern
The above-mentioned preparation tips will help you to land in one of the premier MBA colleges in India. So, pull up your socks and start preparing for CAT 2025.
Here are some tips and strategies by previous year toppers. Rahul Gupta (100 percentiler) of CAT 2019 shares his section-wise preparation strategy of CAT. Rahul says “Since I appeared for the CAT last year, also, this time I gave four to five months for serious preparation for the CAT. I started preparing for the CAT in June and took up the basics in each section”. Check the section-wise preparation strategy of Rahul.
For the English Section - As far as my preparation for reading comprehension and verbal ability is concerned, I used to read a lot of fiction novels as well as newspapers. In order to ensure that I could answer the questions with ease, again I used to practice with CAT mock tests.
For DI and LR Section - I used to practice a lot of questions from particular topics and also focussed a lot on them while taking the mock test.
For Quantitative Ability - I studied basic theory, arithmetic, and number systems. Two months before the exam I used to regularly take mock tests and used to devote at least four to five hours. I practised a lot of questions on Geometry so that I can solve it with ease as solving more questions gave me the confidence to respond correctly on the day of the exam
Preparing for CAT in just three months requires focused and efficient planning. Here’s how you can approach it:
Firstly, familiarize yourself with the CAT exam pattern and syllabus. Understand the types of questions in each section: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA). This will help you prioritize your study areas.
Secondly, create a detailed study plan for each section. Allocate time based on your strengths and weaknesses. Focus on improving your weaker areas while maintaining your strengths through regular practice.
Thirdly, practice consistently. Solve previous years’ CAT papers and mock tests to get accustomed to the exam format and time constraints. Analyze your performance to identify areas needing more attention.
Lastly, revise strategically. In the final weeks leading up to the exam, focus on revisiting concepts, formulas, and shortcuts. Stay calm and confident, and remember to take care of your health and well-being during this intensive period of preparation. With dedication and smart studying, you can make significant progress in preparing for CAT within three months.
The CAT entrance exam is not as easy to crack. It is one of the toughest MBA entrance exams in India and requires thorough practice and preparation.
With the proper strategy and dedication, a focused aspirant can aim for the top CAT percentiles even on the first attempt.
Based on your CAT and NMAT scores, here's a suggested preference order for the colleges you've applied to, keeping in mind that MBA Finance specializations often have specific cutoffs:
You must make considerations on specialization, placements, faculty, curriculum and campus life and go for the college that you believe suits you the best.
All the very best!
Hello,
CAT percentage score: 92.4%ile; Educational background: B.Sc. Botany; Work Experience: 34 months; CGPA 9 in Class 10 With such a profile, the niche programs like IIMA FABM (Food and Agribusiness Management) and IIML ABM (Agri-Business Management) present a competitive edge. This is because these programs offer good diversity in academic backgrounds that align well with your profile.
While your 12th (65.7%) and graduation (65.2%) scores may eliminate opportunities at the older IIMs for their core PGP programs, newer IIMs in the list are IIM Udaipur, IIM Raipur, and IIM Kashipur; the MBA programs at the IITs like IIT Madras, IIT Roorkee, or IIT Kharagpur are also worth examining with their slightly lower cut-offs.
Emphasise academic diversity, work experiences, and career goals that are in agribusiness to strengthen your application and prepare for interviews to eventually apply strategically to maximise your chances at institutions whose values align with yours.
You can use the online CAT College Predictor tools to estimate the probability of receiving interview calls from different IIMs and other top MBA colleges based on your CAT percentile of 92.4% and academic background.
Hello,
Based on the details you provided, here is an assessment:
IIMs (General Category) :
IITs :
Improvement Areas :
Hope it helps !
Hi,
No, you cannot change your category after the CAT examination during the IIM selection process. The category you mentioned in your CAT application form is considered final and will be used by IIMs for admission purposes. If you have applied under the General category, you will be evaluated as a General category candidate throughout the selection process, even if you belong to the OBC category.
To avoid such issues in the future, it’s essential to double-check your category details while filling out the application form for any examination.
With a 59.95 percentile in CAT 2024 and ST category, you can expect calls from newer IIMs like IIM Bodh Gaya, IIM Jammu, and IIM Sirmaur, as they have lower cutoffs for reserved categories. Non-IIM options like IIT Madras (MBA), NIT Trichy (MBA), and state universities like Delhi School of Economics (DSE) might also consider your profile. Apply to institutions that prioritize diversity and offer ST reservation. Ensure your application highlights strong academics and achievements.
For more details you can visit the link given below
https://bschool.careers360.com/cat-percentile-predictor
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