This CAT 99.91 percentiler prepared for the exam in just 4 months

Gokul P Ram

Like numerous CAT aspirants, Gokul P Ram too appeared for CAT 2016 with the hope of exceling in the exam. With an intense preparation plan, he managed to secure 99.91 percentile in just 4 months. 

Currently Gokul, a student of Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta is extremely passionate about football and is a movie buff as well. He spoke to Shiksha and revealed his CAT preparation strategy. Here is what he had to say:

I started preparing just 4 months before CAT, 2016 and I also joined TIME. I got hold of all necessary materials that were required for prep, and most importantly started writing AIMCATs which I feel is the most important factor in CAT prep.

Personally I feel that coaching isn’t that important, but, it is subjective. If one finds it difficult to concentrate and work on his/her own, then coaching classes becomes important. Ideally I would suggest studying together in a group of 3 to 4 (As I did).

There is no right time to start preparing for CAT. CAT can be unpredictable, particularly with number of questions, difficulty and the LR/DI and VA/RC sections. A 4 month intense preparation was enough for me, but if one has other commitments such as work, better start earlier. People have cracked CAT in 2 months and in 2 years – the nature of the exam is such that there is no ‘right time’.

I was able to devote complete time for preparation. Strategy mainly depends upon the amount of time one has. Prepare a study plan and try to complete everything 3 weeks prior to CAT. Develop a routine, take a lot of mocks, analyse, and learn from mistakes. Focus on all three sections and give extra focus to the weaker sections.

I only used TIME material, which was sufficient. Online tests with AIMCAT series was most useful.

Spend time on each section each day.

• VA/RC: Can make or break the overall percentile. One needs speed and good language skills. This requires a lot of reading and test taking. Spend minimum 2 hours every day on this.
• LR/DI: Most difficult section. Finding easy questions and attempting them is the key
• Quant: Practice a lot and clear the concepts

LR/DI was my weak area. I spent 2 hours solving LR/DI every day, in addition to AIMCAT. There was more than sufficient tests available online from TIME.

Always have the urgency from the beginning

VA/RC: Breeze through passages, start with 5 question passages, find the smallest one and read the first few lines –  if it is okay go on with it. Just read once with concentration, take 5 to 6 minutes, and don’t read fast without retention because you will end up reading again after each question. Try to finish three big passages in 30 minutes. Practice hard to improve speed In VA find easier sets to answer, always breeze through all the questions.

LI/DR: Start is vital, never fear whether you will complete the paper, because mostly no one will. I attempted 19/32 and ended up with 99.83%ile. Find the easier question sets and start with them. After that try to find easy questions in difficult sets. Mostly there will be one easy and one time consuming question in every set. Do not waste time on time consuming ones.

Choose the right questions, number of answers count, and not solving difficult questions.

Mock tests are the best solution. For me it was AIMCAT, a test series by T.I.M.E. Every institute has their own mock test series. These tests compare you with every other competitor and you can get to know your weak and strong areas.

CAT is unpredictable, so yes, it is always a good idea to appear for other exams. XAT, NMAT, IIFT and SNAP are a few recommended exams. XLRI, NMIMS, IIFT are all good institutes. It also gives you an experience of writing competitive exams.

• Definitely attempt all India mocks, this will compare you with your actual competition
• Do not be overconfident of your strong section. Focus on all 3 with extra focus on weaker ones
• There is separate cut off for each section, do not take VA/RC lightly
• Keep cool (easier said than done), so try to keep cool. If you have prepared well and you find it tough, then everyone else will find it tough
• Quant should be done in rounds, easiest ones first
• Pray and keep faith

Best of Luck!

P.S: All the above mentioned thoughts are solely my suggestions, and I am no expert – this is what my experience of taking CAT has taught me.

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