CAT 2014 prep: Learn how to do it right with tips from SP Jain student

CAT 2014 is knocking on the doors. Come November 16 and 22, several MBA aspirants will attempt the holy grail of all MBA entrances.

To help you with preparation, we decided to speak to Vishakh Lakshminarayan. His CAT 2012 score was 99.03 percentile (Section 1: 99.37 percentile & Section 2: 95.06 percentile). He is currently pursuing MBA in Marketing from S. P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai.

Vishakh has studied Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) in Electronics and Communication from Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology. Thereafter, he worked with Schneider Electric for 22 months, before joining SPJIMR. He has interned with Marathwada Gramin Vikas Sanstha, Aurangabad, and is a part of the Public Relations Committee at SPJIMR.

Here are some exclusive CAT preparation tips from Vishakh:  

 

1. According to you, what is the minimum time frame needed to prepare well for CAT? How long did you prepare for it?

I started preparation from April for the examination in November. There is no fixed time frame. It all depends on one’s capabilities. I have seen people with minimum preparation getting through. However, I would recommend on an average at least four to five months of thorough preparation.

 

2. Is it necessary to join a coaching institute or is self-study good enough?

CAT tests one’s aptitude. All problems can be solved. However, it is more about knowing the fast techniques to solve the same problem. Hence for beginners, it is better to join a coaching institute. Moreover, it also helps you develop a study circle which is essential for CAT. However, I would not recommend one to join a coaching class for people who are not giving CAT for the first time. I would recommend aspirants to join Mock tests at multiple coaching centers.

 

3. What study plan did you follow for your CAT prep?

I did not have a fixed plan. My aim was to complete the quants syllabus as quickly as possible and give more time to Verbal. I always used to spend a lot of time analysing the mock tests I gave. It gave me more insight into what areas I should focus more.

 

4. How did you divide time for each section? Which sections did you spend more time on?

I spent more time on Grammar and Discrete Mathematics. Grammar was critical for me as far as CAT was concerned. I used to make a lot of mistakes. I was also weak in Permutation & Combination. I had to put in more efforts on this topic.

 

5. CAT 2014 test pattern has changed quite a bit – 100 questions to be attempted in 170 minutes, with the option of switching between sections at any point during the exam. What’s your take on it?

I had given CAT in 2012 when the pattern was 60 questions in 140 minutes. I feel now with the increase in the number of questions, the level of difficulty will be slightly lower. Switching between sections is also an added advantage. It enables you to devote more time for the weaker section by finishing off the stronger section quickly.

 

6. How should be a candidate’s preparation strategy for the new CAT 2014 pattern?

I would recommend solving the stronger sections first and moving on to your weaker section. It will give you the necessary boost to attempt the tougher questions.

Also I would suggest that the aspirant should look at completing the test in multiple rounds. At times we get stuck in one question and miss out on the latter part of the test where you might get the easier questions. Hence ensure that you give a complete run through of all the questions rather than being obsessed about one particular question.

 

7. How did you work on improving your weak areas for CAT prep?

As I said earlier, I used to analyse my mock tests thoroughly. It helped me identify my weak areas. I used to bucket the errors I made into conceptual mistakes and careless mistakes. In case of a conceptual mistake, I used to revisit the concepts and give sectional tests. In case of a careless mistake, I practiced more problems to erode the possibility of a careless mistake again.

 

8. How much time did you spend on revision?

I used to take every mock test as a mode of revision and use the sectional tests for concept building.

 

9. Any useful study material/ reference books you can recommend for CAT prep?

I used to refer Pagal Guy and Total Gadha a lot for their online material and forums. I used to follow the discussions for questions on the sites. I also referred some of my older Career Launcher material.

 

10. What did you do right to crack it?

I was not gifted enough to crack CAT at one go. I cracked it in my second attempt. It is all about being regular and learning from your mistakes. You will have periods when you are not getting the right scores in your mocks and you would want to give up. You will be tempted by the comforts people in your social circle are enjoying. You just have to keep your focus and know that you have a goal at hand and work towards it.

All the best!