CAT 2020 Exam: 10 Mistakes You Are Doing In MOCKS

You need to keep these 10 mistakes in mind that have to be avoided in the mocks. Give your final CAT mock test after reading this article.

By Rahul Singh

CAT 2020 is right around the corner, let's share the insights from a CAT 99%iler with you. While you are prepping up with the last mile push giving a mock each day, some candidates are super aggressively giving two mocks a day too. You need to keep these 10 mistakes in mind that have to be avoided in the mocks. CAT 2020 exam is scheduled on November 29. Give your Final mock after reading this article.

1. Avoid Trailing effect: It often happens while approaching new questions in the exams, we end up thinking about the previous questions that we are even slightly doubtful about. PLEASE AVOID this at all costs. To do this effectively, take a deep breath before you approach the next question.
2. Not preparing before a mock: Always plan to take a mock in advance. Prepare and go through the formulae list, make a list of the mistakes you made in the last mock and go through it a day before your next mock attempt. To keep yourself motivated, remember your “success” mocks (in which you’ve scored the highest marks) and always aim to score more in the subsequent mocks.
3. Attempting one section without heart and soul: Naturally, we tend to give our best in our favourite/strong section/s. Try to get rid of your pre-conceived notion about any section so as to improve your overall efficiency in that section.
4. Taking questions personally: No matter how strong any section/topic might be for you, if you’re not able to get the right answer in the stipulated time, please move on to the next question without wasting any more time.
5. Not measuring your accuracy/benchmarking: After every CAT mock test you take, analyse it thoroughly. Identify the areas where you can improve your efficiency and accuracy and ace those parts in the subsequent mocks.
6. Tough mock on purpose: As we barely have a few days for the “D Day - CAT 2020” now, DO NOT attempt any “difficult” mocks on purpose. Not giving a mock would be better than getting your confidence level shaken by taking such a mock and not ending up with a good score.
7. Random question strategy: Do not take next mocks without any strategy. Either consult with toppers/previous CAT-takers/mentors for mock strategies or make your own strategy before taking the next mock.
8. Reading inappropriately: This happens when you miss out on keywords in a question such as “except”, “can’t”, “doesn’t” etc. Read the passages and questions carefully before you start solving them.
9. Wrong entry on your notebook/rough pads: While solving the question in your notebook/rough pad, you start solving it with wrong details from the question. E.g. taking wrong values or drawing the diagram incorrectly while solving QA sections or missing out on keywords in VARC or LRDI section, AVOID DOING THIS.
10. Mind frame: During the CAT exam, you tend to have a similar mindset similar as you have had while taking the mocks. You also might have thoughts such as job pressure, taking CAT next year, and similar distracting thoughts. CAT is all about your mindset and strategy. Please make sure that on the FINAL DAY, once you sit in front of the machine assigned to you, DO NOT let any such distracting / destructive / negative thoughts cross your mind. Leave for the exam centre taking traffic into account and go with a positive mindset.

On D-Day of CAT: Avoid these MISTAKES

1. Always apply Round-Robin strategy before attempting a section – go through all the questions at the start of a section and divide the questions into Easy/Medium/Hard LoD.
2. Stay calm before and during the exam.
3. Prepare yourself with the notion that VARC and LRDI would be difficult and QA would be a bit easier.
4. Don’t get stuck on a particular set in LRDI.
5. Revise VARC rules, QA formulae, and DILR shortcuts.
6. Don’t get too stressed. An optimum stress level, if channelised, can be used to your advantage.
7. Make sure to make your attempted questions count! Avoid half-hearted attempts and improve your accuracy.
8. Go through and try to remember all the questions before attempting a RC. If you are not used to reading long RCs (or reading, in general), start the VARC section with para jumbles, para completion, odd one out et cetera questions. Starting the section with those questions will give you the boost to attempt further questions.
9. Do not start a new topic now. Focus on your strong topics and improve your weak topics.
10. Make sure to revise the important and tricky questions in all the questions.
11. Take a maximum of two mocks before November 28, if needed. Or else, you can take sectional mocks.
12. Schedule your mock time and sleep cycle according to your CAT time slot. Get enough sleep.
13. The moment you feel like solving one more RC or one more set in LRDI, take a few seconds to decide whether to solve another RC/LRDI set or to solve the rest of the questions.

Hope these mistakes help you not fall into anxiety and exam pressure, everybody talks about DO this, DO that but it is very important to understand what not to do. Keep this as your success mantra, follow it through, and crack CAT with flying colours.

All the Best !

Rahul Singh

About the Author:

Rahul Singh is the Director of a premiere Mumbai-based MBA coaching institute. He has completed his MBA from SPJIMR and Master of Information Technology from Virginia Tech. He has also pursued SPNM from Harvard Business School. He’s also been a TEDx Speaker at IIM Calcutta and NMIMS inspiring young minds on Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Leadership. Among numerous awards, he's been honoured with Digital Entrepreneur of the Year Awarded for Skill Development & Employability by Times Network, Digital India Summit 2016 and Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2015.

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