CAT Exam Strategy 2024: Beat the Competition with These Hacks

Common Admission Test 2026 ( CAT )

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Vipra
Vipra Shrivastava
Senior Manager - Content
Updated on Oct 15, 2024 15:57 IST
Get here the best hacks to beat the competition in CAT 2024. As you move into the final phase of CAT 2024 preparation you need to devise a fresh strategy to stay ahead. Here we tell you hacks to beat the competition. Read the best CAT preparation strategy now.

Get here the best hacks to beat the competition in CAT 2024. You will not need much hard work on the CAT exam day, if you do these things from right now. Read the best hacks for CAT 2024.

CAT 2024 Strategy

CAT 2024 Strategy: Beat the Competition with these Hacks

CAT 2024 exam is just over 40 days away. It is time to put yourself in fast gear for exam preparation. The CAT preparation strategy so far must have been covering the syllabus and solving practice questions. Now the time is to change the strategy and speed so that you stay ahead of your peers.

Like every year, the competition is going tough this year too. So, you have to be better prepared for the CAT 2024 than everyone else. And as you move into the final phase of CAT 2024 preparation you need to devise a fresh strategy. The CAT preparation strategy now should be based on focus areas and strengthening important topics. Here we tell you CAT hacks to beat the competition.

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CAT 2024 Strategy: Beat the Competition with these Hacks

Revise topics: It is time to start the revision of important topics for CAT. You might have completed the CAT syllabus through and through by now. If any topic is left, make an assessment of how much time can you spare for it, from the time allotted for revision. You need to revise at least one topic each from the three sections of CAT every day.

Find out short cuts: Hacks for CAT Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation are tricks and shortcuts for calculation. Join study forums, find mentors to learn short cuts and tricks for Mathematical calculations. If you learn them right now, you will have enough time to try them and assess result. If you do it later, you may fall short of time to find another option, if one doesn’t work.

Practice CAT Mock Tests: The best way to prepare for CAT is by attempting mock tests. As you all know, CAT is a speed-based test, you need to have good speed in reading, choosing and solving 66 questions in 2 hours. This is the time to start practicing CAT mock tests. Many of you must have already started practicing the CAT mock tests series, but those who haven’t must start now. Go for about 30-40 CAT mock tests until the last week of CAT 2024 exam. Gain speed and accuracy in choosing and solving the right questions.

Analyse Mock Test: Another thing that you MUST DO, is analyse each CAT mock performance to note the gaps to fill. The purpose of CAT mock test practice is improvement in speed and scores. If that’s not happening find out why. May be you need to stop attempting certain type of questions or maybe you need to go through some concepts once again.

Check below Shiksha free CAT mock test:

CAT_Mock_Test-1  CAT_Mock_Test-1_Solutions
CAT_Mock_Test-2 CAT_Mock_Test-2_Solutions

Focus on Important Topics: It is an understood fact that one can’t solve all the questions from all the topics. So the best hack is to focus on the CAT topics which dominate the question paper. Go through CAT question papers of previous years to see which are the topics from which maximum questions are asked. Over the year, arithmetic has dominated the Quantitative Aptitude section. Similarly, in VARC, there are very less or no Grammar based questions. You can ignore topics from which 1-2 questions are asked because one doesn’t have to attempt all the questions. Focus on topics and subjects that have the potential of getting you more scores.

Make a CAT Exam Day Plan: As we’ve mentioned above that one doesn’t have to solve all the question in CAT, questions that you will address in the exam should be pre-decided. Yes, analyse your strengths and weaknesses viz. the topic wise weightage, and then make a plan of which and how many questions will you target in every section. This exam hack works best as CAT has sectional time limit and negative marking both. So be clear beforehand, what and how to do.

Set a Target: The next hack that will keep you ahead of your competition is to set a target for yourself. The reason behind appearing for the CAT exam is getting into a good MBA college. Check out the CAT cut offs of your preferred colleges. Now, you know how much score you need for admission to that college. In the last leg of CAT preparation, focus on scoring as much in the mock test and also calculate the number of questions you need to solve accurately in the exam to get there. In the exam, if you have solved questions as much as you need, don’t be greedy and try other questions unless you’re 100 percent sure of solving it accurately. CAT has negative marking and one wrong attempt can affect your CAT score as well as percentile.

Keep Room for Last Minute Changes: The greatest hack to crack the CAT exam is having a Plan-B. You should be prepared for the exam day in a certain way but always have a plan that is flexible. You need to be prepared for any unforeseen situation like change in pattern or weightage. To explain it, do not stick to preparing only 1-2 dominant topics. Have a decent practice of other topics as well so that if faced with unfavourable questions, you can still find some way to score well in CAT 2024.

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Vipra Shrivastava
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Vipra Shrivastava is MA in English Literature from Delhi University with extensive experience in content writing of over 14 years. She has been handling content for Management, Accounting and Commerce streams for 8

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Answered 13 hours ago

No, CAT is not compulsory for MBA at SOA University. Candidates without CAT scores can appear for SAAT conducted by SOA for admission in MBA. Aspirants can choose any of these of admission pathways. 

N

Nishtha Shukla

Guide-Level 15

Answered 16 hours ago

Yes, candidates can get admission to specific executive or online MBA programs at IIM Mumbai without the CAT by using alternative exams like GMAT or GRE, or by clearing the institute's own entrance test. However, the regular, full-time flagship MBA programme strictly requires a valid CAT score.

R

Raj Priya

Contributor-Level 10

Answered Yesterday

CAT coaching institutes in Ludhiana that offer weekend batches are TIME, IMS, Master Mind, Bulls Eye and Career Launcher.

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered Yesterday

To choose the best CAT Coaching institute in Ludhiana, candidates must consider the following points:

  • Ask about batch size, number of full-length mocks, recorded sessions/notes
  • Compare classroom vs. online/hybrid formats
  • Final fee structure and refund/installment policy.
  • Success Rate of the centre.

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered Yesterday

The average fee in Ludhiana is from ₹50,000 to ₹85,000 for offline classroom courses and ₹18,000 to ₹35,000 for online courses.

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 days ago

CAT coaching institutes in Kerala that offer weekend batches are IMS (Kochi), Career Launcher (Trivandrum) and T.I.M.E.

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 days ago

To choose the best CAT Coaching institute in Kerala, candidates must consider the following points:

  • Success Rate of the centre
  • Compare classroom vs. online/hybrid formats
  • Ask about batch size, number of full-length mocks, recorded sessions/notes
  • Final fee structure and refund/installment policy.

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 days ago

The average fee ranges in Kerala from ₹50,000 to ₹75,000 for offline classroom courses and ₹18,000 to ₹35,000 for online courses.

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 days ago

CAT coaching institute in Goa that offers weekend batches is T.I.M.E. IMS is also said to run the batches on weekends.

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 days ago

To choose the best CAT Coaching institute in Goa, candidates must consider the following points:

  • Success Rate of the centre
  • Compare classroom vs. online/hybrid formats
  • Ask about batch size, number of full-length mocks, recorded sessions/notes
  • Final fee structure and refund/installment policy.

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10