How to prepare for CAT exam?

Dear Student,

Many aspirants are seen to be very worried about CAT preparation. You will find students straightway going for the best books for CAT preparation and often get confused from the content and level of questions asked in those books.

CAT indeed is a tough exam and you will require good books to prepare but your first step should always be making a study plan. Here are some steps that will help you when preparing for CAT:

1. Decide the time of preparation: The ideal time to prepare for an amateur candidate is 1-year. However, experts say that 6 months are enough to prepare if you have a good hold on the basics.
2. Make a study plan: Divide the syllabus and decide the number of topics you will cover each day. Decide how many hours you can dedicate to CAT preparation every day. Ideally, you should set aside at least 2 hours each day and 4 hours on the weekends.
3. Set your targets: If you are not targeting the top IIMs, there is no need to pressures yourself by targeting a 99 percentile score. Set your targets and aim for a score 5 percentile higher than your college cutoff.
   Remember, there are colleges that accept 80 - 90 percentile in CAT but there are also colleges accepting 60 - 70 percentile in CAT.
4. Practice: Don't just study. Practice solving questions each day. Find previous year papers, solve as many mock tests as you can find. It will increase speed and accuracy, and also give you a better idea of how to complete the exam.
5. Take help if needed: Join a coaching institute if you feel that you need help. Or just ask questions from your peers, colleagues or people who have expertise in the subjects. Look for help online.
6. Take a breather: In order to keep a healthy and stable mind, it is important to take breaks and enjoy yourself. Don't let the preparation completely take over your life. Having a good plan at the beginning will help a lot in this.

You can also check our detailed CAT preparation strategy for more information. Here are some other relevant articles about CAT that you may find useful:

• CAT DI and LR Preparation: Expert Advice and Tips

• CAT Score vs Percentile Analysis

• How to Make the Cut in CAT

Please feel free to write back if you need more information.

Thank you.