CAT 2014: 7 tips to handle MBA preparation stress

As MBA admission season 2014-15 gears in slowly, prep season has commenced in full force. Dates for CMAT, NMAT, MAT, IIFT and IBSAT are out. Soon CAT, XAT and SNAP dates will be declared.

With the pressure to complete prep syllabus within the next three to four months, candidates are bound to feel the heat. You may be a working professional or a final year student or taking a gap year. Irrespective of your current status, aspirants need to take off some heat and focus coolly on preparation.

Stress is eternal. It’s been a part of human psyche since the dawn of homosapien evolution. So if you see stress rearing its ugly head during MBA prep, don’t fret. We have a perfect 7-point solution for you:

1. Plan
Have a plan in place. Create a proper study schedule or time table. This time table is going to be the poster-girl of your room for the next few months. It can very well be the key to cracking CAT (along with actually study/practice).

2. Sticking to plan

Okay. Now, step two. Stick to the time-table you created. Be systematic in your approach. As time passes, you’ll be able to cover every topic, only if you stick to the time table. You’ll even be able to finish revision on time.

3. Identity strengths and weaknesses

With more practice and study, you’ll slowly start discovering your strong and weak points. Maybe you need better time management or spend more time on Quant. Whatever maybe the case, figure out your weaknesses and tweak the time-table accordingly.

4. Mock tests

There’s just one principle for mock tests. The more the merrier. As you practice, you’ll grow confident and handle your weak points efficiently. It also requires analysing each test thoroughly and re-solve the paper again.

5. Have fun

It’s okay to take a break. You are a human and humans need to relax. Hang out with friends or at your favourite joints or simply relax. Just don’t stretch it too far.

6. Think positive

Don’t be bullied by the society or get affected by other’s successes. You are unique. What works for you may not work for others and vice versa. So don’t get trapped in the black hole of guilt.

7. Back-up plan

MBA is not the end of the world. Have a back-up plan in place. What would you like to do if MBA doesn’t work out for you? Study something else or work or prepare again. Think it through.