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Last Minute Preparation Strategy for CAT 2024 - With the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2024 in its last leg, candidates should move towards effective CAT preparation. It is high time to focus on the last-minute preparation strategy for CAT exam. In order to ace the toughest entrance exam of Management of Business Administration (MBA), last-minute CAT strategy plays an important role. A few days before the exam is known as the high time to gear up and take the necessary steps toward CAT preparation. Read the full article to know the last-minute section-wise preparation for CAT 2024.
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Every year prior to a few days before the exam one should take the CAT mock test which will be released by the exam authority to get more familiar with the CAT question paper.
Prior to a few days of CAT, one should evaluate themselves, and how well they are prepared to tackle the exam day pressure. Apart from that how you are going to apply the concept while solving a question on the exam day to not lose the accuracy level and manage time as well. Check the CAT last-minute preparation tips that one can apply during the last-minute preparation strategy of CAT 2024 and fetch the desired score.
If we talk from the point of view of CAT preparation for the last five days, it is totally different and crucial as compared to the early days' preparation strategy. At this point, candidates should slender their CAT preparation and should avoid doing unnecessary things such as taking new topics to cover, investing too much time in lengthy questions, and getting overconfident about the CAT.
These are the things included in the last-minute preparation strategy for CAT 2024. For those who are taking CAT 2024, this article belongs to them, it contains all the important tips and strategies that one needs to follow at the CAT last minute tips.
In these last few days of CAT 2024 preparation, never ever touch on any topic that is new to you. Learning an entire topic in these crucial days will lead one to confusion. The main demerit of taking a new topic is, that it will reduce the quality of understanding and it will make it difficult to memorise pre-learned concepts. Candidates should only focus on and polish such topics about which they are confident.
Expert says- keep polishing learned concepts and get command over them. On the exam day prior to solving any question from the section, one should invest five minutes to scan the section so that one will get to know, which question they should take to solve first so that time will be easily managed.
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As per experts, it is good to do last-minute CAT preparation with the prepared sticky notes and not touch the books that they have used during the early days of preparation. Doing revision through handouts will help you to brush up on such topics in which you are confident about it. Sometimes, candidates can easily figure out the answer while just taking a look at those notes (This clearly saves candidates time if they are able to do the calculation in their mind).
Apart from saving time, practising with handouts in the last days of preparation will boost the candidate's confidence level. So, candidates are advised to avoid preparing from the textbook and from other study materials in the last days of CAT 2024 preparation.
It is always better to give mock tests every day, but due to the length syllabus of CAT many candidates would not be able to take mocks every day in the last five days of the examination one should take mocks and keep track of the time. While taking final mocks one should set an aura like they are sitting in the examination hall for this they need to keep aside their phone, the room should be locked, have your rough sheet and a pen, and the timer should be set.
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Candidates should ensure that, do not take such questions first when they are not sure of what. By doing this one can lose their confidence level at the beginning of the exam. Firstly, they should solve such questions that they can solve while reading the question. At the beginning of every section one should keep aside the difficult questions, through this candidates can increase their overall number of attempted questions.
Losing speed and accuracy is always a bane in any entrance exam. When the exam day is near one should keep the focus on them, as speed and accuracy are an integral part of the CAT. If someone is seeking an answer how they can maintain speed and accuracy level? Then here is the answer- candidates should try to increase their calculation speed in a smart way.
Do mental calculations as much as one can. As per the past year's trend, the questions asked in CAT do not require complex calculations, hence, candidates are easily able to do the mental calculation, try to avoid an on-screen calculator as it will save time. There are lots of tricks available over the internet and in textbooks to increase mental calculation speed. Those questions related to the reasoning part will be easily solved by doing mental calculations. This is one of the most important last-minute preparation strategies for CAT.
Also Read- How many questions to attempt in the CAT exam to get 99 percentile
After taking command over speed and accuracy level candidates should take a look at time management. Firstly, they need to evaluate whether they are able to solve a section within the stipulated time or not. If we talk about the CAT 2024 time management strategy, then one should classify their time into three parts. In the first part, one should attempt those questions, which they can answer at the time of reading the questions or need a bit of calculation.
After that candidates should take such questions, that they find they can solve but need some additional time. In the end, candidates take such questions which are time-consuming and tough ones. If a candidate is able to solve 75 percent of questions from the whole paper with good accuracy and speed one can expect a decent percentile. By doing time management, candidates can stay relaxed on exam day.
All candidates must follow the Do’s and Don’ts written on their admit cards.
The list of important CAT exam day dos and don’ts are as follows:
Do’s
Reach the CAT examination centre as per the Reporting Time (90 Minutes before the test commencement time) given on your admit card.
Carry only your original ID and CAT exam admit card with your affixed photograph.
Follow the dress code detailed on your CAT Admit card.
Follow the security check guidelines.
Don’ts
Don’t carry any electronic gadgets like a watch, calculator, digital car key, tablet or mobile phone.
Women candidates should not wear jewellery, apply hina (mehndi) on the palm side,
Don’t use social media like Instagram, Facebook or YouTube for the latest updates and information as there may be confusing information there. You should visit CAT's official website for any updates. This is an important last-minute tip by CAT Toppers.
Check Also - How to score 100 percentile in CAT
In the last moments of preparation, candidates need to focus on major as well as minor things. No doubt preparation as a whole is very important for any competitive exam but at the same time, it is also essential to emphasise specific sections of the test as it ensures how well one can attempt the paper. Check preparation strategies given to ace each section of CAT 2024.
The quantitative aptitude section is considered to be the most difficult section in CAT. To ace this section, one needs to have a good speed and accuracy rate. The major part of this section is covered by concept-based questions. Thus, it is quite important for the candidates to first, clear their concept for each topic.
To excel in this section one should have a strong command of calculation as well and one should try to calculate in mind without using pen-paper in order to save time. In the last days of CAT 2024 preparation, candidates should go through the previous year's question paper so that one should know the dominating topics of the Quantitative Aptitude section and attempt such questions first while taking the CAT 2024.
The Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section is wholly based upon practice. Generally, the question asked under this section is to check the analytical and logical thinking of the candidates. There is no need to learn any kind of formulae to ace this section. One needs to apply his mind logically to get the answers. The elimination method can also be used to perform better in this section i.e., one can eliminate the options that are totally irrelevant and illogical to get the right answer.
The Verbal and Reading Comprehension section is well known for taking the time. The only section which can disbalance time management. In this section, candidates will have to read long passages and answer all the asked questions pertaining to the passage. This section requires good reading skills. Another important thing is that the aspirants must have a good command of their vocabulary as it is very important to ace the verbal ability section of the paper.
Only those candidates who can easily tackle questions from the Verbal Ability section did their Verbal Ability preparation for CAT 2024 from day one. In the last-minute preparation of CAT 2024 for the Verbal Ability section, one should read the flashcards they have prepared at the initial stage of their preparation.
Those who have a good command of reading can easily excel in the Reading Comprehension section. Those who have developed the skill of concluding the long passages by reading at the time of preparation can score well in this section. Experts say while taking this section at the time of CAT 2024 one should read very carefully the whole passage and try to understand it in the first read. Do not read the paragraphs in a hurry, because sometimes questions asked in the Reading Comprehension section are tricky ones.
Quick Links - 10 Days to go for CAT: Last-minute preparation tips
Check out the list of leading B-schools accepting CAT scores to offer admission into MBA programs.
IIM Ahmedabad | IIM Bangalore |
IIM Calcutta | IIM Lucknow |
IIM Indore | MDI Gurgaon |
SPJIMR Mumbai | SJSOM IIT Bombay |
DMS IIT Delhi | FMS New Delhi |
No one can prepare for the CAT in one day, one can only revise the important formula in the last day of CAT preparation.
Yes, 1 mark will be deduced for each incorrect answer.
The CAT exam is divided into three sections including Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA).
There is no shortcut for the preparation of the CAT exam. You need at least 6 months for the preparation of the CAT exam. The CAT exam seems to be very difficult for candidates who are not completely prepared for the exam. So, you should plan to prepare as early as possible if you want to score a good percentile in the CAT exam.
On the last day before the CAT exam, you should relax don’t panic. Don’t study any new topic. You should revise key concepts, your notes and formulas. Revise the mistakes you made during your mock tests and practice tests. Maintain a positive mindset.
Hello,
Here you can get study material for CAT :
https://bschool.careers360.com/download/ebooks/cat-quantitative-aptitude-questions-answers-pdf
Hope it helps !
Balancing CAT preparation with college studies requires strategic planning and time management. Here’s a concise approach to help you prepare effectively:
1. **Create a Timetable**: Allocate dedicated time for CAT preparation daily, even if it’s just 2-3 hours. Focus on one CAT section (VARC, DILR, QA) each day to maintain balance. Weekends can be used for extensive practice and mock tests.
2. **Leverage College Breaks**: Use gaps between classes, study breaks, or commute time to revise formulas, solve quick questions, or read newspapers to enhance your reading comprehension and vocabulary for VARC.
3. **Focus on Basics First**: Strengthen your fundamentals in Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation. Use your college academic breaks to dive deeper into complex topics.
4. **Mock Tests & Analysis**: Start taking mock tests early to build exam temperament. Analyze your mistakes thoroughly to improve your strategy and time management.
5. **Consistency over Intensity**: Study regularly, even for short periods. Consistency will help you cover more topics without overwhelming yourself.
6. **Balance Both Priorities**: Ensure your college assignments and studies are managed well to avoid last-minute stress. Prioritize subjects in both CAT and college where you need more attention.
By maintaining a disciplined schedule and staying focused, you can efficiently manage both CAT preparation and college studies.
hope this helps you!!
Hello Nikita,
To get into any of the top IIMs, such as IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, Kozhikode, or Indore, a good percentile in CAT is required, although academics play a vital role too. Let's break it down below:
CAT Score: 98+ percentile is an excellent score and makes one competitive.
Academic Scores:
Your 10th score at 84% is quite good.
A 12th score of 65% is on the lower side, which might hamper your chances at some of the top IIMs since they give weightage to past academic performance.
IIM Selection Criteria:
Every IIM has its own weightage for the scores of academics, CAT percentile, work experience, if any, and diversity.
For example, IIM Ahmedabad requires consistent academic records, while IIM Bangalore puts the strongest focus on work experience and diversified profiles.
Graduation: You are currently pursuing graduation, and your performance during that will also be considered in the shortlisting process.
While your CAT score is going to be the major pointer, your academic record-doing in class 12-is going to affect your prospects a bit at IIMs that place significant emphasis on your past performance. Still, you will have a healthy shot, at least at institutes like Lucknow, Kozhikode, and Indore, where a good score in CAT may offset lower marks in academics.
If you have diverse profiled extracurricular activities, leadership roles etc, or work experience, then it can build up your application further.
Hello!
Prep for CAT 2024: Application Pattern
Syllabus: Focus on those areas that fall under the syllabus; for instance, Quantitative Aptitude, Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning.
Books: Stick to standard books from renowned authors, say, Arun Sharma for Quant, Norman Lewis in vocabulary, and some mock tests available from TIME, IMS, or Career Launcher.
Mock Tests: Take mocks and study the mistakes made.
Time management: F ocus on speed and accuracy.
If you need a more structured approach, consider a coaching institute.
Start early and become a regular.
Wishing you the best! thankyou!
Hello,
While starting your CAT preparation late can be challenging, it's still possible to achieve a good score with focused effort. Prioritize understanding the exam pattern, and focus on key areas like Quantitative Ability, Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, and Verbal Ability.
Create a structured study plan, practice regularly with mock tests, and review your performance to identify weaknesses. Use quality study materials and consider joining a coaching class if time permits. Stay consistent and motivated, and remember that dedicated effort in the coming weeks can lead to positive results.
You can refer to the following article for help :
https://bschool.careers360.com/articles/last-minute-preparation-strategy-for-cat
Good luck!
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