CAT 2022 Topper Interview: Know How Psychologist Deepshikha Uppal Secured 98.5 Percentile

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CAT 2022 Score-

Overall CAT 2022 Score: 98.5

Sectional Scores:

VARC- 99.41 percentile

LRDI- 96.67 percentile

Quant- 85.97 percentile

CAT 2022 Topper Interview with Deepshikha Uppal

Shiksha: Are you satisfied with your CAT result? How much score were you expecting?

VARC: Most people find this section difficult but for me, it was always my strength. I have been good at English and very fond of reading too. However, as I started preparing I realized to score well in the exam, one needs to polish the critical reading strategy. Even though my reading speed was very good (I could finish reading all RCs and attempt all VA questions in the given 40 min), my accuracy, in the beginning, was quite low. That’s when I started focusing on understanding how our instructors read and analyze a passage, how they eliminate close options, which words and expressions to look out for that indicate that an option is wrong, etc. Soon, I was scoring 98-99 percentile in all my CAT mock tests. I think the biggest fallacy is that people believe you need to have a good vocabulary for doing well in this section. This may be true for some other exams, but not for CAT. You just need to get an accurate gist of what the passage is trying to say and the arguments being presented by the author. Anyone can become good at that with practice.

LRDI: This was the most frustrating section for me throughout my preparation journey. Coming from a medical background, I was more used to reading facts and figures and understanding processes, rather than thinking logically and solving puzzles. One mistake I did was that I started with trying to solve LRDI sets from previous years' CAT question papers in the initial days of my preparation. I was hardly able to solve any and it made me very demotivated. I then started with more basic sets given in abundance by the coaching institutes and kept practising them till I got better before moving on to more difficult sets. Training your mind to think logically takes time and it is not something you can achieve in just a few days. I consistently practiced two LRDI sets daily for months and this number increased to up to four in the last two months of my CAT preparation. It took time for me to see improvement in my LRDI scores. But if you keep practising consistently, you will see a sudden and noticeable change in your ability to solve these sets after a period of time. Practice is the key.

Quantitative Aptitude: Admittedly, I was quite scared of this section initially as there is so much hype created about the notion that CAT's QA section is too difficult for non-engineers. I agree that engineers do have some edge in this section as they have been practicing Math more than others. However, cracking this section does not require you to be a Math genius. My coaching institute helped me get a solid understanding of all concepts right from the basic level. One thing that I believe is absolutely necessary for all students is to have their own formula and shortcut copy, and even more importantly to revise that on a weekly basis.

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Shiksha: Which books did you refer to for CAT preparation?

Deepshikha: Personally, I did not refer to many physical books. Today, the materials provided by the coaching institutes are so comprehensive and rich and that one does not need to refer outside for any additional material. These questions are also better categorized according to the relevance of topics, difficulty levels etc. The past CAT question papers are all available for free all over the net.

Also Read: Best Books to Prepare for CAT

Shiksha: Did you join any coaching institute? How does a coaching institute help in CAT preparation?           

Deepshikha: As mentioned earlier, I joined two online coaching. Coaching institutes definitely play an important role as the CAT exam is as much about strategizing as much as about the content itself. Coaching institutes help you develop your own strategies like how to select the best LR sets, time management, how to improve speed as well as balance it with accuracy, etc. It's possible yet difficult to achieve those things by yourself. Also, studying with others who share a similar goal and seeing them struggle and learn keeps you inspired and motivated.

Shiksha: How many mock tests did you attempt and how important is a mock test series?

Deepshikha: I gave a lot of CAT mock tests, around 40 I think. The last two months of CAT preparation was all about giving CAT mock tests. My goal was to give a mock test every two days and then analyze it. Whichever topic I was not able to perform well in, I would spend the next day solving questions from that topic. Mock tests I think are the most important component of CAT preparation and a lot of people choose to avoid that for various reasons. As I said, cracking CAT is a lot about strategizing and time management. Mocks help you understand where you are lacking, so you can work on those areas. They also give you a practice of performing under exam stress.

Shiksha: What was your exam day strategy?

Deepshikha: My CAT exam day strategy was to ensure that I was not stressed. I did not study anything the previous day except revising my formula copy. I listened to some music and ensured I went to sleep early. It is important to be fresh and stress-free in order to be able to give your best on D-day.

Shiksha: Any tips for future CAT aspirants?

Deepshikha: Start early. Be consistent with your practice. I had made a rule of practicing two RCs, two LRDI sets and 15 Quant questions daily early on during my preparation. The number, of course, increases as you move closer to the exam day. Identify your strong and weak areas. Remember to focus on both. Give as many mocks as you can.

Shiksha: Which IIMs /Institutes are you targeting?

Deepshikha: I am currently targeting the top five IIMs, i.e. IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Lucknow and IIM Indore. I am also targeting IIT Delhi, IIT Mumbai, Faculty of Management Studies, and MDI, Gurgaon.

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