Students’ Speak: Important tips for CAT aspirants

Common mistakes that are committed when students think all the three sections need to be cracked but CAT is all about accuracy and not time. We can score the highest marks in our strongest section and weakest section can be the worked upon at the end.

Sudeesh Nair shares some important tips for the aspirants appearing for Common Admission Test (CAT) to be held on November 24. The tips are:

• Mocks of CAT exams should be taken only after you are done with the basics of quants, logical and verbal ability. This way you will get an idea of how well you are thorough with the basics and exam pattern. Types of question and the time limit for each section is understood only after you give a mock. Then you should start preparing in deep for each section and then you need to give a mock at least every week so that you keep practising your concepts along with time.
• Common mistakes that are committed is when students think all the three sections need to be cracked but CAT is all about accuracy and not time. We can score the highest marks in our strongest section and weakest section can be worked upon at the end. Make the strong section strongest and the weaker section good by practising and making a book in which we can note down all the important formulae.
• After the exam, you need to focus on other MBA entrance exams as well as you are already done with the syllabus. All you need to do is keep practising and not depend only on CAT exam. Apart from giving the exam, you can also go for some certification courses related to MBA that will make your resume good. 
• To crack any competitive exam such as CAT the first thing you need is to believe in yourself and the mental strength and determination to keep working hard. I personally gave my MBA entrance exam by leaving my job but was mentally prepared to work hard no matter what. I could not give CAT exam because I did not plan my job resigning according to exam dates. I suggest you all that every MBA aspirant must start their preparation by giving CAT exams as Tier-I colleges such as IIMs are among the best in the country and if you miss on that still you have multiple options such as MAT, ATMA, CET, etc. ATMA exams are conducted five times in a year. I feel it is one of the best opportunities that you can convert.
• As I mentioned before you can go for certification courses from Coursera, Udemy, free courses by Google, etc. Coursera gives a wide range of free courses related to MBA and you will really benefit from it. Another thing I would suggest to learn MS Excel, MS Powerpoint and MS Word thoroughly as you need to play your entire career on this. You will surely benefit if you learn all this in advance.

For all those who are confused about career options, you can visit SHIKSHA website and get to know more about the opportunities and other basic knowledge about exams and courses. Wish everyone best wishes for their future endeavours.

About the Author:

Sudeesh Nair is a student at Sydenham Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai, pursuing his MBA. He has two years of work experience with Torrent Power Limited. He has studied Bachelor of Engineering (BE) in Electrical before he went on to studied MBA owing to his interest in marketing and operations field. He has also been a part of NGO Swapnapurti Career Guidance.