CAT 2010: Countdown Begins
CAT 2010 is just two weeks away. In this final phase, you should ideally be in the final stages of your preparation and busy fine-tuning your strategies. Read on to find out what the appropriate strategy for the remaining days should be.
Take regular mock tests
This late stage should be dedicated to taking mock tests. Take mock tests after every two days and pay attention to the analysis. This will serve two purposes. One, you will get to know about the shortcomings in your preparation. Two, you can now finalise and fine tune your test-taking strategy. In fact, all your further strategies will revolve around taking mock tests.
Improve your percentile
By now, you must have taken a lot of mock tests and analysed them thoroughly. If you are getting a uniform percentile in all your mock tests, you can expect that this to be the percentile you might obtain in the actual exam. So, now your task will be to work on the areas where you haven't been able to score to your potential. Also, finalise your test-taking strategy.
The test-taking strategy
At this stage, your test-taking strategy should be finalised. You should fine tune it by taking more and more mock tests and sticking to the strategy. Make sure that you are comfortable with the strategy chosen and don't follow one just because it has been suggested by your mentor or a friend. The strategy varies from person to person.
A CAT expert asks, "Should you start with the section in which you have maximum confidence to have a great start? Or should you start with the section you are weakest in to take advantage of a fresh mind?"
You should try both of these strategies in the mock tests and settle on one of them for the actual test.
SWOT analysis
While taking the mock tests, you will get to know areas still need your attention as well as the areas you are most comfortable with. "Fifteen days to the exam, one should try and do a final stock check of what one knows and what one is comfortable with," says Swagat Sinha, an MDI Gurgaon student who scored 99.92 percentile in CAT 2009.
Brush up on concepts
You must revise all the concepts within the areas of quantitative ability, verbal ability and data interpretation and logical reasoning. Brushing up on concepts and regular practice will help you in improving your percentiles in the mock tests. The last 15 days should be for revision of concepts across all sections.
Do not try to learn anything new. Just keep in mind the basic concepts of all sections, and make sure you apply them correctly in the questions asked in the mock tests. "Don't read anything new during the last 15 days. Brush up all your concepts and learnings," says Manish Sharma, who scored 99.58 percentile in CAT 2009 and is a student of MDI Gurgaon.
Source: HT Horizons
Date: 19th October, 2010
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