How to Crack CAT in First Attempt?

Every year a large number of students prepare and apply for the CAT exam which is conducted by IIM with the hopes to study in the best business schools in the country. Cut-throat competition to secure a seat in IIMs or any other top-rated MBA college has increased the stress on aspirants. To excel in the exam there are various tips and tricks which can help you secure a good score and hence land you at the college of your dreams. The essential question of how to crack the CAT is foremost when you have a firm thought of taking the exam. This blog will guide you with some advantageous ways how to prepare for the CAT exam without coaching, preparation tips for MBA students, step-by-step guide on how to crack the CAT exam in 3 months.

How to Crack CAT Exam: Step-by-Step Guide

To crack the CAT exam, start by following the below detailed steps.

Step 1: Investigation 

The primary step for clearing any exam is to analyze the pattern of the exam along with a detailed inspection of your weaknesses and strengths. The preparation for the exam need not be perfect around every sphere but you should ace on the areas where you lack. You must try magnifying your potential and hence save time in the sections of your strengths. Following are the three main sections of the CAT exam:

• Quantitative Aptitude 
• Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning 
• Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

First of all list all the topics that come under each section separately and then bifurcate the list into sub-topics for a better analysis. This list can work out as your major step of starting your journey towards how to crack CAT. Divide each topic into three categories that are, strong, mediocre and weak. Getting to know your weaknesses and strong points is not an easy task, it requires great help through which you may frame them out. The best way to do this is to take tests and then analyze your test data so that you will know where your scores are consistent. 

Also Read: How to prepare for CAT Exam

Step 2: Operation 

After getting through the analysis part you should start with your plan of action. You should regularly practice and revise strong areas to create a better grip on them. Whereas the topics you quoted under mediocre, need attention and great practice. The topics listed under the weak category must not only be practised but also revised at regular intervals of time. Students should keep in mind that the mere practice of taking tests is not helpful until your concepts are clear. Following are the section-wise details for how to crack CAT: 

• Quantitative Aptitude: This section can be aced by having your fundamentals and concepts thoroughly clear. Also, you have to make sure that the set of questions you practice is progressing at regular intervals from easy to difficult. 

• Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning: To excel in the Data Interpretation section of the exam you must go through a lot of practice of the demo tests. With a lot of practice and revision, you will get a hold on the calculation part of the questions which can be really time-consuming for you otherwise. Under this field, each question is very distinct and may require an innovative trick to solve it, so you should have ample practice. While the Logical Reasoning Section is full of puzzles hence as a student aspiring How to Crack CAT, the only possible way to master it is constant practice.

• Verbal Ability: To master this section you must have a strong command of speaking and reading abilities. Developing the habit of reading quality content is not an easy task but you must start this practice as soon as you can. Topics like cloze tests, vocabulary and critical reasoning should be regularly practised.

Step 3: Revision and Practice

We can understand that you must be feeling that the word ‘practice’ is hackneyed used in this blog but it is the only key that can unlock your dream of having a prestigious MBA degree. Long gone is the era where hard work was the synonym for success but in this new age, the ladder to achieve a set target is built through several steps of smart working. Start planning your weekly and monthly schedules. In a week’s time make sure you get a  hold of one of your weak areas. To convert your preparation into tangible targets you need to acme the learning and practising part. 

How to Prepare for CAT Without Coaching?

The question of where to begin without coaching is a significant one. Before enrolling in CAT preparation training, a number of things influence the decision. If a candidate follows the guidelines below on how to crack the CAT exam without coaching, he or she will undoubtedly do well on the exam. Here are some tips and tricks on how to prepare for CAT without coaching

• Practice Mock Test: The first stage in your CAT preparation should be to take a practice test to determine where you stand. Candidates will gain an understanding of the paper’s difficulty level and how to navigate between the three sections by taking CAT mock exams. 
• Understand the CAT Exam Pattern: After you’ve analysed what you need to know about how to prepare for CAT without coaching through a sample test, you’ll want to look at the CAT exam pattern and syllabus. The question paper had 100 questions in total, and the exam was conducted online, according to the CAT’s general exam schedule.
• Time Management: Candidates should devote a significant amount of time to researching shortcut approaches. Make time management a top priority in your life.
• Group Study: Be socially engaged and try to identify people who are similarly driven to pass CAT 2022. It is recommended that candidates actively seek out persons who are taking or have taken CAT exams.
• Select the Right Study Material: How to prepare for CAT without coaching starts with selecting the right books. Aim for books with a lot of information rather than ones with a lot of pages. Always prioritise quality over quantity when studying for the CAT 2022 exam.

Strategies to Crack CAT 2023

Main strategies can be summed up in the following categories:

• Speed and Accuracy
• Selecting the Right Set of Questions
• Time Management
• Devising the Number of Attempts
• Section Wise Planning
• Joining Online Study Groups
• Mock Test of CAT

How to Crack CAT on the First Attempt?

Some of the most significant tactics are presented here to assist students in understanding how to crack the CAT exam on the first attempt. 

• Begin Early: While repeaters just require a few months to prepare, first-time participants should begin studying at least a year before the real CAT exam. This gives you adequate time to ensure that all of the contents are covered and mocks are prepared. 
• Make a Timetable: Create a strategy and a schedule that should include the number of hours you plan to study each day and when you intend to finish topics. Make a weekly micro-goal and make sure you’re on track to meet it.
• Practice Mock Tests: The key to succeeding in the CAT is to take practice papers. The more tests you take, the better your chances of getting a better grade. Make sure you complete at least 100-150 sections tests and more than 20-hour full-length mocks. 

How to Prepare for CAT in 3 Months?

Below we are outlining the study plan on how to prepare for CAT in the first attempt to get the most out of these three months you have. 

12 Weeks to CAT

• On the first day of your preparation, take a CAT practice test. This will give you an indication of where you stand right now and how much effort you’ll need to put in to get to the desired percentile.
• Also, set a time limit of two weeks to cover all of the fundamentals of Quantitative Aptitude. You can learn from a decent Quantitative Aptitude book or from a reputable coaching institute’s Books and Materials bundle. Covering the fundamentals includes working through the book’s solved examples. 

10 Weeks to CAT 

• Start solving all of the previous year’s genuine CAT problems for Quantitative Aptitude.
• Ensure that you attempt all of the VARC questions in the mocks that you will be taking. That is your ultimate goal in the CAT exam. To be able to answer all of VARC’s questions with an accuracy of roughly 80%.
• The fractions and basic Vedic maths questions you learned in the first week should help you with DILR. 

8 Weeks to CAT 

• All of your preparation must be done through the mocks starting this week. For the next two weeks, raise your mock frequency to two per week. 
• After each mock, an in-depth analysis should be conducted. In this analysis, you should retry the problems that you were unable to answer to see if you could have solved them if you had additional time. This will show you where your concepts need to be revised.

6 Weeks to CAT 

• Your mock frequency should increase to three per week starting this week and continuing for the next four weeks. As previously said, the emphasis must be solely on learning from the mock experiences.
• You will be able to define a plan for yourself after 3-4 mocks, and it is recommended that you stick to it.

2 Weeks to CAT 

• If you are currently employed, this is the time for you to take a holiday from your work. Reduce your mock exams to about two per week, but go over all of the concepts in all of the topics you’ve studied thoroughly.

• Once you’re at home, revising the concepts shouldn’t take more than one day. Take all of the mocks you’ve attempted previously and go through them on the other days. Resolving 2-3 of your worst mocks is a good idea because it refreshes all of your errors.

Exam Week

• It could be beneficial to do some light revision and look through some past mocks.
• Let go of any research you’ve done in the last three days. Before taking the CAT exam, you should give your mind a break.

Tips & Tricks

Some of the essential tips and tricks to crack cat exam are mentioned below.

• The better you know the exam the better you will be able to extract out the result from it.
• You should always seek a reliable source for your study material as some uncertified books can create confusion.
• Internet being so easily accessible can work as your anytime buddy, especially for your late-night queries.
• Wondering how to prepare for CAT without coaching? There are several mock tests available online through which you can practice a plethora of questions that can help to tackle how to crack CAT.

How to Crack the CAT Exam for MBA?

FAQs

Through this blog, we have given you a go-to guide for how to crack CAT and how to prepare for CAT without coaching and we hope that you shine with your CAT score. You can also make your dream of pursuing an MBA come true by seeking admission to top B-schools of the world through the GMAT exam. To know the process of how to apply to universities abroad, contact Leverage Edu and we will help you build a great career,