CAT 2018: Prep Tips by 100 Percentiler Meet Agrawal

Meet Agrawal

CAT 2018 exam is one of the top MBA entrance exams in India. Every year, over 2 lakh candidates appear in CAT to be able to secure a seat in one of the IIMs or other premium B-schools.

CAT 2018 will be conducted by IIM Calcutta on November 25 and with just about a few days left, it is time for tying up all the loose ends. The only thing not to do is lose your sleep or appetite over it.

Whether you are from Engineering background or non-engineering background. Whether you’ve been a topper throughout or an average student in school, the key to cracking the CAT remains the same for all. And that is, a balanced mix of dedication, diligence and discipline. Ask any topper and he/she would tell you the same.

Shiksha caught up with Meet Agarwal, CAT 2017 topper, one of the only three non-Engineers who scored 100 percentile last year, to share his experience of preparing for CAT. Read on:

Q: What is the secret of scoring 100 percentile in CAT?
A: No secret as such. If the preparation is done in a structured manner, and weak areas are continuously worked upon, then the percentile keeps improving.

Q: How many hours should one study for CAT exam?
A: There’s no fixed number of hours. It depends on the difference between your mock test percentile and your desired percentile. If the difference is huge, a lot of efforts might be required. If you are consistently scoring close to your desired percentile, then a few hours a day or over the weekend should be sufficient to maintain the score.

Q: Most of the aspirants start their preparation from May. When did you start your prep for CAT exam?
A: I started CAT focused preparation from June. Before that I was preparing for GMAT. 

Q: What was your CAT prep plan like? Mostly people start with their weakest areas? What do you suggest?
A: For me, attempting and analyzing CAT mock tests was the best way to prepare. So, I took more than 80 mock tests. After each mock, I analyzed the mistakes and maintained an error log. If you simply avoid making the same mistakes again, the performance improves.

Q:You don’t have Engineering background, so was it difficult to prepare for QA? Did you prepare for CAT differently than your peers with Engineering background?
A: I had opted for commerce with math at school, so I was quite comfortable with the QA section. But even for non-Math students, the section shouldn’t be seen as something beyond reach. This is because the section does not test your mathematical prowess but your basic aptitude and comfort with numbers. The focus should be on understanding the logic behind each formula. 

Q:Would you like to share your some tips for CAT 2018 aspirants?
A: Yes, why not.             

QUANTITATIVE ABILITY: The accuracy in this section should be close to 100%, because if you spend time on solving a question, you must gain some marks out of it. Once you achieve accuracy, work on increasing the number of attempts. Also, selection of questions is important. Each question has the same marks, but the time required for solving each of them is different. So, one should always solve the easy questions first. If you are not comfortable with a particular topic such as Geometry, skip those questions initially and visit them later.

LOGICAL REASONING AND DATA INTERPRETATION: Here, selection of sets is paramount. No easy set should be missed. Once you have selected a set, proceed in a systematic manner. Try to present the data in a tabular form when helpful. Instead of keeping the various data points in your mind, keep penning them down on the rough paper. This is because at times, even if you miss a single point, the set cannot be solved.

VERBAL ABILITY: This section does not require fluent English or a superior vocabulary. It simply tests verbal logic. Focus on comprehension instead of speed reading. If you understand the passage well, answering the questions is quite easy. In this section, I would not recommend going for 100% accuracy. At times, students are stuck between 2 tricky options. In such cases, I would recommend taking a good guess. Don’t skip such questions, because you can gain 3 marks but will lose only 1 mark if wrong.

Click here for complete CAT 2018 exam pattern and CAT 2018 exam syllabus

Q: Which books would you recommend for CAT preparation?
A:I did not refer to any particular book. Focused only on the mock tests.

Q: Self-study or coaching?
A: As CAT is similar to an aptitude test, the preparation can be easily done via self study. However, there is no downside to joining a coaching institute. So, if you can spare the time, no harm in joining.

Q: How many CAT mock tests one should attempt and from which month?
A: There is no fixed number to it. It depends on whether mock tests are actually helping you improve your performance. If they are, then you may keep taking the mock tests. Once you reach your desired percentile, you may decrease the frequency.

Cracking the CAT exam is only the half battle won. The bigger test awaits you after CAT results which is the wait for interview calls and eventual AWT/WAT/PI round, which seals the deal for you.

Meet, a CA by profession, received interview calls from all the IIMs. He chose to appear for IIM Ahmedabad (IIM A) and IIM Bangalore (IIM B). While the interview at IIM A was a toughie, IIM B interview was the opposite. Since Meet was well prepared for all kinds of situations, he managed to sail through smoothly.

Q: Would you like to share you experience of GD/PI at the IIMs?
A: I appeared for the interview of IIM A and IIM B, and converted both calls. I will be joining IIM A.  My interview at both the institutes were quite different. At IIM A, it was similar to a stress interview. The panelists were contradicting all points I put forward. At IIM B, it was a regular interview that we normally expect. General questions were asked from all fronts, and could be easily tackled.

Q: What are the things an aspirant should keep in mind for WAT/PI?
A: I would recommend an early start for interview preparation. Stay in touch with major events even during your CAT preparation. Read magazines of your interest. If well prepared, even a rigorous interview will seem like a casual conversation.

Clearing the interview stage requires preparation at various fronts. Firstly, questions about the graduation degree of the aspirant are commonly asked. Inability to answer basic conceptual questions about your graduation course can severely affect your chances of converting the call. Secondly, you need decent clarity about why you wish to do an MBA, how it will help you achieve your future goals etc. The student must also be aware about any recent major news event and should be able to discuss about it with the panelists. For candidates with work experience, the interview may focus on their job.

Importantly, it’s not enough that the candidate is prepared about the above factors. She must also be able to put it forward in the interview in a lucid, concise, and confident manner.

CAT scores are used for admission to 20 Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and various other top B-Schools. Are you eligible for the IIMs? To know more, click on the image