CAT 2016 – 150 Day Strategy (Part-1)

Are you ready to appear for CAT 2016?

Around 150 days are left for the CAT 2016; hence it’s high time to start serious and sincere preparation for it. CAT is an exam which evaluates students on multiple dimensions and hence it is irrational to suggest one common strategy for all the students. Thus, we have decided to come up with a series of articles on Belling the CAT in 150 days, with each article dealing with the strategies for a specific set of students. In the first article of the series, the focus is on the CAT repeater strategy – for those who have written CAT previously. 

The article is written by Siddharth and is in first person. His profile has been shared at the end of the article as well.

To have a meaningful analysis, I have divided the repeaters into two brackets:

I: The 85%ile plus bracket –The Ones who had scored above 85%ile in CAT 2015

II: The Other bracket – The Ones who scored less than 85%ile in CAT 2015

Let me now put forth my suggestions for the two brackets (CAT Repeater Strategy).

I. The 85%ile plus bracket:

The score suggests that the CAT aspirants who fall under this category have their fundamentals in place. These students could have missed the top percentile bracket (98+%ile) because of one of following reasons:

a)      Lack of Sound Test Taking Strategy

b)      Lack of Proficiency in One Section/Few Topics

c)       Lack of Luck on the exam day

Now, let us look at the remedial CAT repeater strategy for each of the reasons:

a)      Lack of a Sound Test-Taking Strategy:  A good preparation is of no use if it is not delivered on the D-Day.  Wrong selection of the questions, improper time management, drop in the intensity during the 3 hour examination, are some of the common reasons. These could be attributed to the lack of writing enough tests prior to the actual exam.  Then, there are few amongst you who write enough mock tests, but, do not analyse your performance.

The solution is very clear. You should take as many tests as you can. As a ground rule a minimum of one full length mock and 10-12 sectional/topic tests should be taken per week. You need to understand that the sectional/topic tests are as important as mock tests as they help to become proficient and efficient in the selected section or topic.  For me, when I was preparing, topic tests helped to increase my concentration and intensity level. I used to take 3-4 topic tests at a stretch, so it was like writing three 20 minutes tests at one go.

The next step to follow after any test is to analyze your performance.  In an exam like CAT – which requires a mix of speed and knowledge, you need to be categorically aware of your strengths and weaknesses.  Management exams are as much about leaving a particular question as they are about attempting the other, and so knowledge about where to invest time becomes critical.  In-depth analysis of the test will make you more enlightened about yourself.  As a thumb rule, “N Minutes test should be followed by at least 1.5 N Minutes analysis”

You must also seek the advice of the experts or teachers on how they would have attempted the mock.  Usually, understanding their perspective – and if advice can be taken from multiple sources, nothing like it – will sharpen your own strategy.

Another important aspect of formulating a strategy is knowledge of one’s strengths and weaknesses. It’s every student’s prerogative to maximize their strengths. Thus, know your strengths and ensure you attempt those questions in the first round itself. This will lead to increase in confidence while taking the exam as well. Once you know that ‘x’ marks are in your kitty you will relax and be able to concentrate on taking the paper. Also, formulate a strategy of which section should be attempted first. Do you want a clear mind while attempting LR or do you want to attempt LR at the end since you feel your mental faculties work better under pressure? These questions need to be answered by you while taking the Mocks and not during CAT.

To summarise, take tests – both full length and sectional.  Follow the N:1.5 N rule of analysis and seek advice.

b)      Lack of Proficiency in One Section/Few Topics

 As a strategy, one needs to score at least 90%ile in each section of CAT to score an overall percentile which would fetch some good calls. There are many students who do very well in one section but score very less in the other, resulting in a low percentile overall. The CAT repeater strategy for the students who fall in this category is to “Focus on the fundamentals of the section you are not good at”.

If you fall in this bracket your sole aim for the next few weeks should be to revisit the fundamentals of the weaker section and solve a good number of problems on each important concept/topic.  Let me guide you further:

i) If Maths is your weak area: Solve the fundabooks. Pick one topic at a time, revisit the concepts of that topic, solve at least 100 good quality questions on the topic, write a few -3 to 4 -topic tests, analyse your performance and move to the next topic.

ii) If English is your weak area: Firstly, focus on vocab and reading. Make it a point to read at least 4-5 editorials of English Dailies. Also, set a target to read at least one book on different genres (to cover all genres to best prepare for the RC section).  Besides, after a month of vocab building and reading, start attempting various types of questions. Make it a point to solve few questions of each variety – RCs, PJs, CR, and Grammar – each week. Take sectional tests. Analyse and Analyse!!

iii) If LR/DI is your weak area: Although LR and DI appear in two different sections of CAT, the same remedy can be followed for both. Be thorough with basic calculations.  These two topics can be tackled by solving a good number of questions. Practice few caselets daily.

To summarize, identify your weak area and focus on the fundamentals.

c)  Lack of Luck on the D-day

If you feel you had been unlucky on the day of your last CAT attempt, all you need to know is that the law of averages will prevail and you won’t be denied, something which you definitely deserve, for long. Be happy, keep on writing mock tests and keep on analyzing them.

Stay tuned for the sequel to the same. Wish you luck!

About Siddharth:
Siddharth is an avid reader and a fitness freak.  From running a marathon to writing blogs, Siddharth is someone keen to explore his new talents. His passion for teaching can be felt in his positively charged classes and his informal interactions with his students to whom he is a mentor and a motivator.

Siddharth Mehta

Career Launcher, Bhilai

Siddharth is an XLRI alumnus.

128 Comments

  1. sir,
    I am facing problem in VA section. I have been reading newspaper daily and learning few words daily. But even then my VA is not improving. Does only reading would help ? Or do I have to solve questions regularly ? Where should be my focus ? On Reading or solving questions ?

    • Rahul, reading is really helpful in improving VA. But it should be supplemented with regular test taking as well. It is advisable to keep a regular habit of reading the newspaper or learning new words. Take sectional tests as well to iron out all of the deficiencies.

  2. Sir,
    I am currently pursuing my B.tech in Production Engineering from NIT Calicut and will appear for my first attempt at CAT in 2016.

    My profile is as follows:
    10th – 95% (10 CGPA)
    12th – 94.4%
    Graduation (As of now) – 70% (7.5 CGPA)

    Its always been a dream to study in one of the top IIMs (A,B or C). Can you please tell me where I stand at the moment with respect to my profile and what minimum percentile i would require to get converted. Is there any chance that i can get into IIM B with my current graduation score?

  3. I have a two year work experience in one of the top most real estate companies. My boards and college results are all good! shud i give gmat n go abroad for an mba and try fr a very good college der or shud i try fr one of the top iims in the country! which wud be more beneficial fr me and y???

    Please reply as i’m looking fr opinions on ds matter fr months nw!

    • Rohit, top B-schools like IIM ABC, XLRI, ISB can give major boost to your profile. If you are inclined towards joining a B-college in abroad,it is worth giving try. Both options are equally good.

  4. Hello
    I am getting between 80-100 marks in mocks. I am nervous that I can’t do this. Can I do it if I start preparing now seriously? What should be my strategy?

    • Alpesh, you should focus on taking both sectional tests as well as CAT mocks to increase your score. Please ensure that you analyze your mock after giving it to map out your weaknesses and strengths.

  5. Sir,
    I got 96 percentile in CAT-15, because of 71 percentile in VA, I could not clear the cut offs.

    I heard about Night Classes by CL Top faculty, at the same time I have study material of last year.

    so my question is

    If I strengthen my VA/RC area through the given material will that be sufficient for CAT.( I am interested in the course but because of fees am bit doubtful)
    OR
    I need to join the Night classes.
    Your suggestion would be very valuable
    Thanks

    • Aditya, if 71%ile in VARC was due to lack of concepts then you should consider joining NC but if it was just a bad day then you should look at strengthening VARC area through self study. A good Verbal score in the other papers, esp XAT, would indicate that your concepts are fine and you need not go for classes.

  6. dear sir,
    i am facing problem in quant, when i am doing any topic at that particular time i am able to solve questions related to it from anywhere even mock questions but after a monthwhen i moves to next to next topic that topic is like new to me due to which i am not able to perform well please guide me the best way to revise n score well

    • Devanshu, you should keep taking sectional tests so that you remain in touch with topics. Attempt a sufficient number of tests from Test Gym and then proceed towards mocks. A proper analyzation of mocks is must know your shortcomings while attempting tests.

  7. Dear Sir,

    I am a Mechanical Engineer and a post graduate in Construction Management (IIT Delhi), also gained experience of 2 years and 5 months (L&T Construction). I appeared for CAT 2015 without any preparation and scored 85.13 overall (VA-65.68, LRDI-85.72, QA-91.29). I left my job in Dec 2015 and joined career launcher CP and repeating CAT in 2016.
    Also i am having a specific interest in Finance field, so i appeared for CFA L1 in June 2016 (Result Awaited) and now i am ready for the MBA examinations.

    My questions are:

    1) Does leaving the job affect too much? Will CFA experience help in interviews?
    2) Please suggest best colleges for Finance (10th-72%, 12th-75.75%, Grad.- 79.98%). IIM A, B,C, seems impossible.
    3) My weak area is verbal and scoring bad in CL Mocks also. Please suggest strategies.
    4) Should i go for GMAT also, if yes what would be the best time (after or before CAT)?
    5) What are the possible options if not clear the CAT, specifically in finance field?

    Thanks in Advance.

    Regards,
    Chandan Kumar

    • 1) This will not affect much as far as you can give logical reasoning for the gap.CFA experience will add to your profile and will help you with better finance jobs.
      2) Apart from top IIMs, you can also go for XLRI, FMS, IIM I, IIFT, MDI.
      3) if you are inclined towards joining ISB H, then you can also prepare for GMAT. If you can manage studies along with CAT prep, then prepare for before that.

      You can refer to our following articles. These will help you to iron out deficiencies in VA.
      the art of solving RCs , 7 rules to excel in VRC , things you should never do with RCs

  8. Sir,
    10th 72
    12th 70
    B.tech 76.67
    two year work experience in an IT MNC. Beong to NC OBC.
    I am going to write CAT this year.
    What should be the strategy to get into top colleges of the country ?

    • Sir,
      10th – 91.2%
      12th – 84.4%
      Grad- 66%( chemistry)
      Is this profile sufficient to get call from top iims with good Cat score?
      Or how much should I get at least to get into top iims? I am from obc background..
      Seen iim profilizer but please tell me…

      • Mohit, you are eligible for top IIMs. You have decent academic scores in class X and XII, however, graduation score is little less. But if you are able to score 99%tile or above, then you can expect calls from top IIMs.

        You can still keep high hopes for XLRI, IIFT, FMS, JBIMS as academic scores are less considered by these institutes.

  9. Sir,
    I plan to appear for CAT 2016 but had also given CAT 2015 without preparation to know where i initially stand and to get a feel of the exam for next year. My CAT 2015 Score :
    VA/RC : 80 %ile
    LR/DI : 79 %ile
    QA : 90 %ile
    OA : 88 %ile
    Please guide me as to what my approach for preparation should be. I feel I need more practice rather than starting from basic fundamentals. I have 6 months to prepare for CAT 2016. Will it be enough to possibly score a 99 %ile? How should i go about it? Education : B. Tech (7.2 CGPA) 12th (87%) 10th (94%).
    I know this is an old article but i replied here since it covers my situation exactly although for 1 year ago. Sorry.

    • Akash, 6 months is a good time to prepare for CAT and secure 99+%tile. All you need is right preparation strategy and dedication. Refer to our study plan to ace CAT.

  10. Sir expecting 98+ %ile in cat 15 ..
    10th : 83.7%
    12th : 74.4%
    B.E : 55% degree completed in 6 yrs .
    NC OBC
    Would also like to mention that i have very good communication akilla as said to me by my teachers ..
    Considering all of the above .. plz comment on my chances of converting iims and fms

    • Aspirant, you have good chances of converting the IIMs. Make sure you prepare hard for the stage -2. You could try CL’s PDP program.

  11. Hi sir,

    I’m scoring very less in quant.Please tell me how to improve my score. Are there any important topics that I should concentrate on?Kindly suggest the strategy to make best use of the next 3 months especially for Quant and DI as I’m doing decently in Verbal and LR.

    • Suhitha, you must immediately begin with taking QA Sectional Tests. We are coming up with 24 sectional tests based on the new pattern of CAT. Analyze all the mocks that you have appeared for. Notice the type of questions that are consistently getting wrong. Go back to the basics in each of these topics and practice the Test Gym questions. This will help you solve a certain number of questions in a given time limit.
      Mark all the questions that you find difficult and revise them at least once a week. Try to apply the SQC techniques wherever possible. This will considerably increase your QA score.

  12. Sir,
    I want to give CAT-2016.My profile is-
    10th – 89%(9.4)
    12th – 82.6
    Btech – 7.375(till 4th semester ECE)
    I am a general category student.
    I want to get into top business schools like IIMs,FMS,S.p.Jain etc.So how much percentile will I need to get a call from these institutions and how many attempts should I take to get that percentile??
    Also am I eligible for top institutes with my profile uptil now??

    • Ravi, considering your profile, calls from the top IIMs are possible. IIM Bangalore might not be possible. Please confirm this using the IIM Profilizer. The tool will also tell you the required percentiles.

      FMS Delhi University would give an interview call at 98.5%ile but to be sure of converting the call a CAT score of over 99.5%ile would be required.

  13. Dear Sir
    I am a student of CL Chandigarh , and im planning to give the cat exam in 2016 . How should i start preparing for the exam to be able to get into a top IIM . I am a 2nd year student of Bcom . My past academic performance is as follows:
    Class 10 – 93.1%
    Class 12 – 92.1%
    Graduation- 70% (upto 2nd semester)
    What are my chances of getting into a top IIm ?

    • Shubhreet, considering your profile, you are eligible for most of the IIMs. Please confirm it using the IIM Profilizer.

      My suggestion is that you should also sit for CAT 2015.

      Since you are enrolled in a classroom program, it is important to always stay ahead of the class. Take a couple of weeks to go through your classroom and coaching material. Go through the concepts to ensure that you are thorough with all the basic formulae & techniques of solving different question types by August end. Practice all the Level-1 and Level-2 MCQs. Avoid the very difficult questions as this year too CAT is expected to be easy-moderate level of difficulty.

      2 weeks into your preparation, start taking 1 Mock CAT per week. Each practice test and Mock CAT should be analyzed in detail to ascertain what worked or did not work for you. Spot the important questions that appeared in the mock. These important questions should be revised once a week.
      The analysis process is explained in my blogpost Things you must-do after every mock you take.
      Effective mid-September you should move to 2 Mock CATs per week and once you finish your practice material start attempting CAT 1990-2008 papers.
      In addition to the above you should be reading the editorial, business and international pages of an e-paper daily (Indian Express or The Hindu).

  14. hello sir, i am an engineering graduate & ex-cl student too and have written cat twice.
    In my first attempt score in quant was 99 percentile while in verbal it was just 20. for last year i practiced alot and score in verbal increased to 86 percentile but my score in quant decreased to 69.99
    i am targetting cat this year again but dnt know how to manage?
    if i think about quant last year experience haunts me and as of verbal last to last year experience.
    please guide me. what should i do to increase my percentile in all THREE sections.
    thank u sir

    • Anjani, your performance in the previous attempts does not have a direct bearing on your performance in the next attempt.

      You must immediately begin with taking Sectional Tests. This way you would be dealing with each section more closely. If you realize that there is a problem with your basics, solve more and more Test Gym questions from the topics that trouble you. start taking 1 Mock CAT per week. Each practice test and Mock CAT should be analyzed in detail to ascertain what worked or did not work for you. Spot the important questions that appeared in the mock. These important questions should be revised once a week.
      The analysis process is explained in my blogpost Things you must-do after every mock you take.
      Effective mid-September you should move to 2 Mock CATs per week and once you finish your practice material start attempting CAT 1990-2008 papers.
      In addition to the above you should be reading the editorial, business and international pages of an e-paper daily (Indian Express or The Hindu).

      You could go for the CAT Score Booster in which GP, Gejo and Neeraj demonstrate the test taking strategies during the CAT exam.

  15. Sir,
    I am Student of Career Launcher Kanpur. As i am preparing seriously for CAT 2015, but my past records are not so great. So, i am little bit afraid that will that destroy my dream of IIM or not?
    Below mentioned are my past records-
    10th- 61% (C.B.S.E)
    12th- 68% (C.B.S.E)
    Graduation- 73%
    As i am fresher and had no work experience.
    Sir please help me out with your some suggestions to me and provide me the helpful guidance.

    • Anshuman, some of the IIMs will not be possible for you due to your academic record, please check the IIM Profilizer for the list of IIMs from where you can get a call and the score required. Most of the top non-IIMs have a low/no weight for past acads and hence will be possible for you.

  16. Dear Sir,
    I was a cl student and appeared in cat-14 where I got 71.21 percentile as because i devoted more time to the english section.I solved only 22 quant question where i remember around 21 was definately correct.As because I had inculcated a habit of attempting english first because i use to solve english first during those days of mock as the cl quant paper for mocks used to be difficult than the actual quant paper we faced in cat 14.Sir I am very much in practice now and I have a 2 month experience in Cognizant should I go for cat 15 or wait for the next year.
    Sir what should be the way to increase my marks in the verbal section.

    • Abhishek, with 4 months available for preparation you should go for CAT 2015 and not wait for an year. With 3 sections of 60 minutes each this year you will not face time management issues.

  17. Hello Sir,

    I am IT professional, having 4 years of experience. I am planning to do MBA but have few doubts:

    1) Should i go for an executive MBA (1 year full time) or a full time 2 years MBA. I do not have any onsite experience and have pretty normal work profile.
    2) In case of going for Exec MBA which exam should i focus on GMAT or CAT. Also please guide how to go ahead with CAT preparation. I believe its not too late to start from scratch as i have been out of touch with academics for years now.
    3) Please suggest me how to prepare for GMAT as well, if that suits my case and profile.

    Thanks
    Rahul Shukla

    • Rahul, upto 4 years work experience is not a problem for a 2 year MBA program from IIMs or any other top MBA institutes. However taking GMAT is a good option as it will allow you to apply to the 1 year program of ISB Hyderabad. The preparation for the two is almost the same in terms of concepts and knowledge but since GMAT is an adaptive test, in test taking there is a significant difference. Also GMAT has a difficult Verbal section as compared to CAT.

      As far as the preparation is concerned, if possible, join a classroom program as you have been completely out of touch with studies. In case that is not possible, Smart CAT Cracker is a great substitute for classroom program. It allows you to learn in a classroom style pedagogy as per your convenience and time.

  18. Hello sir
    I am a classroom student at Indiranagr centre-Bangalore and aspiring CAT-2015
    Despite pushing to the maximum limit all i am able to devote is 3 hours max. to study(weekdays) because of a hectic schedule . I have10 months of experience now and i am planning to take an LOP(Loss of pay) for a month or so in order to make best in this final time.

    My question- 1. How detrimental can this decision prove in my chance to convert a good B-school as this question will definitely be popped up during interviews or By what extent can it reduce my odds to get admission into one?

    • Gaurav, there are people who quit jobs to prepare as well. It is never an issue as long as you answer this question truthfully and logically.
      Thus, your aim should be to crack the exam. Do not worry about this at present.

  19. dear sir,
    As we have very less of time now…so could you please suggest me now which topics in quants should I concertrate first so that I can score max in quants. Which topics are most important which is very less.
    Plz help ,it’s very imp question for me.

    • Siddharth, to start of with Algebra, Number Systems, Arithmetic and 2D Geometry (Plane Figures) should be given a lot of attention.
      This does not mean that you do not focus on other topics. This is just based on our experience, the topics on which you are questioned might change.

  20. Hi sir I have been working right now and due to lower percentile you suggested to go for job instead sitting at home but the problem is I am not able to study except Sundays due to around 100km travelling.So my question is that should I continue the job or leave it as I have around 6 months experience.Please response as early as possible.

  21. Hello Sir,
    I am facing lot of trouble in time management in the QA section, even though i give around 80-85 min to it still i am not able to solve more than 20 Questions. When i do mock analysis and try to solve i am able to do around 30-35 question very easily. I have a strong DI but bit weak in Numbers and Probability section. Kindly suggest some remedy.

    • Sameer, maximizing your marks by scoring high in your areas of strength is the essence of CAT.
      Always attempt questions from your strength areas in the first round. Not only will this increase your speed but also your accuracy. Attempt questions from areas of lesser strength only in Rounds 2 and 3.

  22. Hi Sir,

    If i get around 13 and 12 questions right by attempting verbal and LR questions respectively. Is there any need to attempt RC too for getting overall 98%ile? Even i prepared for RC last year and practised it, but i could never attempt it in mocks and CAT14 as i didn’t get time. ( attempting DI, LR, QA qstns is an obvious priority).

    I have been preparing from a long time gave CAT13& in CAT14 scored 76%ile just because i attempted only 40 qstns in total. I feel that i need to increase my speed. In CL mocks i am getting around 85-90 marks now. In these mocks too, i attempt 2 LR and verbal only and alloted time gets over by then.
    While analysing mocks, i felt there were still some easy questions which i left in QA, DI and LR. I could have easily made those 10-12 questions perfectly( without any extra knowledge) if i had time. I know that just by increasing my speed i can easily score 125+ marks in mocks.( 92-95%ile)

    Please advice how to overcome all this (increase my speed) and if i can leave RC or not as there is no meaning practising it.Instead i can give time in increasing my speed and accuracy now. Will this strategy fetch me 98%ile in CAT15?

    Xth and XIIth- 83% CBSE
    Grad- Engg- 74%
    Working in TCS now. completed 1 year.

    • Mayank, considering the new format of the CAT exam you can not afford ignore the RCs completely. The first and foremost thing that you should do to invariably increase your understanding and the speed of solving an RC is to start reading. Reading magazines, newspapers and novels would expose you to different styles of writing. You might feel that a certain RC is tough probably because you’re not able to understand it. You must mark the difficult words in an RC and find out its meaning.

      TGA is one of the best tools to solve your purpose because it gets you to solve a few questions in a short period of time. Also, whenever doing questions from the fundabook, do them in a stipulated time duration.

  23. Hello Sir,
    I need to know whether or not a year gap of 2 or 1.5 yrs matters at the time of calls into conversion or when there would be a placement time in a college? Because, I’m little unsure of going for a job and simultaneously prep for cat and iift. Despite scoring 99%in cmat Feb, I still need to work a lot on my basics and advanced math and RC as well.

    • Ashish, gap will be questioned in the interview but is usually not a reason for rejection. How you explain the gap is important. At the time of placments your performance in MBA will be important and not the gap.
      99%ile in CMAT is good but for 2016-18 admissions it is not relevant and you will have to prepare for CAT’15 and other entrances. Your CMAT score indicates that regular practice and testing will be sufficient for CAT’15. A couple of hours on weekdays and 6 hours on holidays should be sufficient.

  24. Hi Gp,

    Can you give tips on how to approximate fractions of very large numbers.
    For eg. in a question of Di the following was given A= 82211508 B=60911057 C=58892451 D=56942908 and we had to find the ratio of the sum of above terms to the term Z=6101963950

      • Shanky, approximation should be done when the choices are not close. With close choices you need to do the exact calculations.

    • Shanky, the level of approximation will be a function of the choices. If the choices are very close then you cannot approximate. In your question I will approximate the values of A,B,C,D,Z depending upon the proximity of choices.
      I can just ignore the last 6 digits of all numbers and take A=82, B=61, C=59, D=57, Z=6100, thus the desired value will be 259/6100 or approximately 26/610 or around 4.3% or 0.043. If you want a more exact answer then ignore only the last 5 digits .

  25. Dear sir,
    I am very nervous..sir, please could you please suggest me which topics should i study well on priority sothat i can score well in cat.. Everytopic will not be possible now.
    Sir, plz help me

    • Siddharth, you have sufficient time to cover all topics. For QA and VL focus on quickly going through the basics of all topics and then shift to MCQs from your fundabooks followed by Test Gym Adaptive. For RC, LR and DI you should attempt at least one test daily from Test Gym Adaptive. Start with Mocks too immediately and all tests (TGA and Mocks) should be analysed and important questions should be identified for weekly revision

  26. sir,
    I am working over quant section very hard, but still it takes too much time for me to solve advanced level questions from test gym. I could easily solve 6 ques within 20 min in intermediate level, but could hardly solve 2-3 ques in advanced and expert level. What should I do?

    • Jayam, in CAT’14 almost all the QA questions were of beginner or intermediate levels and only a few from advanced level and since CAT’15 is expected to be similar to CAT’15 it should be fine. However continue with your effort of improving in the advanced level of questions and also try to improve your QA speed to about 10 questions in 20 minutes in the intermediate level.

  27. Hi Sir!

    I am TIME student but i have also enrolled for the CL test series. From CL to TIME , i am just stuck at 95-96 percentile and a score of 120-130. This is very frustrating. English is my strength but i end up with more negatives than i would like.
    As for quant , being an engineering student i know i can tackle it , but right now its my Achilles Heel (specially DI).
    In the all India free mock by TIME , i did score 99.1, but then the paper was ultra easy.
    With just 3 months lest i am constantly getting the jitters and its really affecting my prep. i havent done any substantial study since 5 days and i know i cant afford it at this stage. I am stuck with how to go about things and revision and am in dire need for guidance.

    Please help.

    • Anima, practice practice practice!!
      I would suggest Test Gym Adaptive and Classic to ensure that you can identify your problem areas and pull up your socks.
      Practice would surely take you to the next level.

  28. Hi GP,

    I am doing CL Mocks and have Take home IMS mocks(past year Mock questions)…Should I be going for more mock series and giving more mocks ..Would that help??

  29. Hi Sir,

    I completed my B.tech in 2013 and currently working with Accenture.
    I scored 78% during my 10th and 74% in my 12th with 1 year gap after 12th.
    Last year I got 95 percentile (cat 14), and this year I am again planning on writing cat.
    Sir my question is two fold ,first what should be my target score if I am willing to join top IIMs given that I am Male, Engineer belonging to General Category.
    Second what should I do to improve my score in VALR section,even last year I got 86 percentile in this section because of which my overall score is poor.
    In VALR I am doing good as far as LR,Parajumble,Paracompletion etc are concerned but I am not able to score in Grammar, FIB and RC. Since Grammar, FIB portion are very less in cat and I am not at good in these section I have focused entirely on RC and scoring in RC is crucial for me to increase my VALR score to 95.
    Also I am regularly practising RC,on an avg 6-7 RC per week, but I’m still not able to perform well in mock.
    Please suggest.

    Regards,
    Sumit

  30. Dear Sir,

    I have written to you previously (CAT 65percentile, GMAT 690) and this to request for some more of your advice on how to prepare for CAT-15. In my previous attempt (CAT 14) my performance was poor in DI and I used up 80% of my time on the Quant section. I have taken up SCC Comprehensive and started preparation. I am currently trying to improve my level of proficiency in Test Gym Adaptive.

    How do I divide time between the different sections everyday to improve my CAT score? How do I ensure I focus on and take all sections together during my preparation, because currently I mostly devote all my time to Quant concepts and hardly get around to practicing DI or LR or RC! Should I upgrade to classroom on weekends to prepare more holistically? (Pl dont mind me asking you this again!)

    I aim to make this my most sincere attempt, to be able to experience new industries, different from IT services sector.

    Thanks!

    • Akansha, to ensure that QA does not take away all your time you should definitely do 1 test each of RC, DI, VL and LR daily from TGA. These can be done in breaks in between your QA sessions. The weak area(s) could also be two tests daily. If you find that you are unable to manage your time across all areas then moving to a classroom program is advisable.

  32. Hi GP sir,

    I wrote CAT13 and scored 91%ile. Currently , I m working and planning to write CAT15. I am enrolled with CL test series, But in all the three mocks I have written so far my %ile is consistently varying bw 81-83. Please help me with a prep strategy as nowdays, coz f the work pressure I am not able to take out time on weekdays.

    Regards,
    Sonal

    • Sonal, your score of CAT’13 indicates that you are possibly clear in the fundamentals because CAT’13 was a difficult paper. However CAT’14 was a easy paper with a focus on speed and accuracy rather than only knowledge. We expect a similar paper this year also and hence you will need to look at improving your attempts in the paper. Selection of questions, quick decision making, working with the choices and mental calculations are important attributes for doing well in this kind of paper. Your score of 81-83%ile in mocks indicates either low attempts of accuracy and these can be easily be overcome with regular revision.
      Given your work schedule on week days try and do 1 test each of QA, DI, LR, RC and VL from TGA this will require about 25-30 minutes for each test and can managed if you can pull out an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. On weekends you should take a Mock CAT.

  33. hi sir,
    i am unable to score higher marks in section 2 in mocks majorly due to lack of vocab and rc solving ability. could you please suggest me the ways by which i can improve my score in section 2 and have good vocab? also please let me know how should i start my vocab building?

  34. Mohit
    Hello sir
    I am a working professional, who can spare 2-3 hours of study time daily. I have given CAT two times, one in 2011 & 2012. But I appeared in the D-day without preparation both time as I left studying 3 months before giving exam. Each time I scored 90%. I have descent Quant knowledge but weak in verbal section. I have prepared for CAT for last two years also but didn’t able to give CAT due to my business trip. This year I am really serious and attempt for the last time. I really want to know what should be my strategy from july onwards. My main problem in Quants is that I don’t remember the question which i have already done, i.e I always appraoch the Question as if I am doing it first time. I really face difficulty in improving the difficult areas. Please help!!

    • Mohit, revision is the missing link in your preparation. Every time you take a test or practice MCQs, identify the important ones and revise them at least once every week. The same thing should be done for LR and DI sets as well as for Verbal Logic questions. This will ensure a higher attempt and accuracy.

  35. sir,how can we know it is 150 days to CAT from now .why i am asking this question bcos TCS and IIMA want to conduct early in october .is it true sir?

  36. Respected Sir,
    Can you provide me your email id or contact no. . My query is long so till the time i finish up typing and submit , it doesn’t get submitted .Pls sir I desperately need your advise. Thanks in advance.

  37. Sir,
    I have completed my B.tech in EE just a fortnight ago and am preparing for cat since mid – may. This will be my second attempt at CAT. I scored 76 percentile in CAT. I got selected in TCS and got joining on 31st august in trivandrum.Currently i’m in delhi. Initially there will be 2 months training program there and then final joining in either delhi or kolkata. And The problem is- I’m CONFUSEF WHETHER I SHOULD JOIN OR NOT. I wouldn’t be getting any work-ex also for CAT 2015. So my inner conscience feels I should not join and and devote these 4 months solely for cat.Because I know I faltered last year as I couldn’t give sufficient time for cat in the last 2 months owing to college curriculum activities and campus recruitments. I always used to get between 85 to 93 percentile in mocks last year. Hence I don’t want to mess up cat prep. with anything this time around. And I’m pretty confident of my success if I give these 4 months solely for Cat . But as I’m from a financially weak background, my parents are skeptical what if I leave the job but and how hard I prepare , i falter again, then what? CAN YOU PLS SUGGEST ME WHAT TO DO?

    • Rishikesh, this is a difficult choice to make – on one hand your CAT’14 performance indicates that you should create a back up in the form of TCS but on the other hand joining TCS will derail your CAT preparation and repeat your last years scenario. Hence if you are confident of scoring over 95%ile in CAT’15 then you can consider dropping TCS but if t=not then joining will be a better option.
      Call me at 9811155160 any day in the evening to discuss the issue.

  38. Sir
    i had purchased smart cat craker comprehensive. Nd i want to appear for cat this year. Actualy sir i had also appeared for it last year but my percentile is criticaly low ie 10 percentile.i really want to work harder sir and crack this cat with good percentile so this time gap will be sufficient for me to start with my preperation.
    If yes, sir plz do susugest me about how much video session should be watched.each day.my acadmics is not good enough.nd i have not started with my basics. And what should be my overall stratagy.
    kindly guide me sir.

  39. Dear Sir,
    I have subscribed to SCC comprehensive plus for cat 15 in February. I have been going through the quant section but lagging far behind in va, lr & di. But I see that mocks have already started. I appeared for one mock also but the percentile was not good. Can you please suggest by which month should I be through with my preps and start taking serious shots at the mocks, bcoz I feel that without adequate preparation in va, lr and di it is futile to appear for mocks. Also if you could give some tips regarding how can I speed up my preps for the va lr and di section.

    • Aruni, you should start taking Mocks immediately as only when you take a test would you know the areas that you need to improve in. One of the most important aspect of doing well in CAT is the ability to pick the right questions to attempt or not-attempt and this will develop only if you take the papers. In the worst case you should start with Mock in July. Please refer to the post From 85 to 99.88 percentile in 45 days
      As far as LR, DI, VA and RC are concerned you can look at attempting at least 1 RC passage, 1 test of VA and 1 set each of DI and LR from test gym adaptive every day. Obviously each of these have to be analysed and important questions marked for weekly revision.

  40. Hi GP sir,
    Myself Abhinav Gupta, a B.Tech with 3 years exp. And then MA. Education and now an education consultant to Rajasthan Government in association with an NGO. I am 30 years old. It’s always be my passion to get an MBA from IIM, right from school days. I know its too late but I am following my interest. Can you guide whether I am on right track?

    • Abhinav, it is never too late to do an MBA and you can consider going for MBA if you think that it will be helpful in your work and career.

  41. Sir, last year I gave CAT and scored 91percentile in Quant & 60 percentile in Verbal with an overall score of 85 percentile.
    I gave many fluke answers in english section as I was getting doubt in almost all the questions. Even now I am fearful of English questions, I have started reading books like Game of Thrones etc for improving english but I often get stuck and have to use dictionary. My speed is very slow and have to concentrate a lot while reading .Currently I haven’t joined any Coaching classes but I want to improve my English section , please suggest a way to strengthen this section.

    • Aa, In addition to reading to will need to get your concepts in place and also practice a lot. It is okay to prepare on you own but suggest that you still go for a correspondence or an online program to ensure that you do not waste time on irrelevant stuff. Given your performance in CAT’14 you need to focus on question solving techniques, practice and testing hence my suggestion is to enroll for Smart CAT Cracker Comprehensive which will take care of these aspects through the online sessions, test gym and test series.
      For tips on the English sections please refer to the articles on RC, Inferential questions and Para Completion by Gejo and me.

  42. Dear sir,
    I have been watching the way you take mocks and I am really impressed with that initiative. I think it will help me a lot. Thank you. However, I would need a little more help from you. I have been doing QA very slowly and want to implement your round1 round2 strategy. Could you please tell me how much time round 1 should take me ? And round 2? How many questions i round 1 should make me feel comfortable ? And lastly , please tell me how much of DI and from where I should practice to become good in that. Pretty poor at only DI .
    Looking forward to some help.
    Thank you sir.

    PS- I have been into CL coaching for a few months now and have done DI material from the study material provided offline by CL.

    • SS, increase of speed in QA is a function of practice, analysis and revision. Hope you have been practising from Test Gym regularly, analysing each of them and identifying important questions for revision. Use of choices is also important for working fast in QADI.
      For DI you will need to improve your calculation speed and if possible you should do them orally. A DI set everyday from Test Gym will give you sufficient practice but do go through all the DI sets done by you earlier and revise the difficult ones regularly. Every packet has practice material for DI and hence you will get more practice material.
      Please refer to the post Things you must do after every Mock you take and follow the process for all Mocks and practice tests.

  43. Hello Sir,
    I passed B.Tech in June,2011. I was placed in TCS from college but the gave a delayed joining. Joined TCS in Feb, 2012. So my current experience is 3 years 5 months and at the time of taking CAT’15, my experience will be 3 years 10 months. I am preparing well for CAT and doing classes in CL also. But my question is- is it wise to do MBA with almost 4 years experience? Do they face problem in getting placed? Should I look for 1 year program from Great Lakes? Please help Sir. I am in great dilemma.

    • Titas, Most of the top MBA institutes have a lateral placement process for students with over 30 month work experience and hence placement would not be a problem in top MBA institutes. GL Chennai should be your back up option. Along with CAT/XAT you should take GMAT and try for ISB Hyderabad also.

  44. Sir, what percentile should one score in each section in order to score above 99.5 percentile overall.
    Thanks in advance.

    • Esha, usually a 98%ile in each section or over 99.5%ile in one section with a 95%ile in the other would result in a total score of over 99.5%ile

  45. Sir,
    I am an final yr B.tech (CSE) student ,planning to appear for CAT 2015. I have already joined TIME ,Jaipur and have been giving the AIMCATS . I manage to score a 90+ percentile in the va + lr section ,bt my quant +di score has been pathetic all through.
    I have been doing numerous books to improve my quant bt could never cross the 50%ile mark in this section.
    pls suggest some methods.

  46. Dear Sir,

    I know I shoud have not discussed this here. but I am really really tensed.

    I have got married 6 months back on the condition that I will be let persue my MBA dream. Since it was not possible for me to study along with office and family, I had to quit the job( Note: my job was also not going great – no learning as I was in a support project).
    Now my husband and in laws are continuously troubling me for money, I am not able to study, also I am not getting any job call for my current location. Please help me . I am not able to concentrate on my studies with so many tensions.

    Please guide me what should I do? (My own family has refused to help me since as per Indian tradition now my husband will decide about my life)

    Thanks and Regards,

    D.R.

    • dr, while I may not be of much help in your matrimonial issue, I can guide you on the preparation aspect. Please call me at 9811155160 to discuss.

  47. Hi Sir,

    I am preparing for CAT 2015 and am currently facing an issue while trying to solve RC passages from Literature,Arts and Culture. Could you please suggest some books or some articles for reference? I am unable to comprehend the passage and the central idea for such passages.

    Regards,
    Jaspreet

    • Jaspreet, please go through the book list given in the Vocab section section of your SIS. They should surely help you.

  48. Dear Sir,
    I have been into CL classes for a few months now . This is going to be my first attempt. Whatever mocks I have given so far , my percentile has been fluctuating between 95 and 99. My strength , as it seems so far, is VA. I have problems with DI. As a result my scores in QA section are never up to the mark. I am kind of scared of DI sets. LRs are fine as long as they aren’t too tough . So , can you kindly suggest what I can do for DI, that will certainly help? If practice is the answer please do suggest how much and from where. Also I would like to ask if taking a full length test as often as 5 days a week with proper analysis is a good approach in your view. (Most basics have been covered in classes and I must have gone through most of CL material ). However the only problem is I don’t get time to practice specific topics much if I go with the 5 mocks a week approach . Your opinion will be my final decision.
    Thank you so much.

    • SSS, 95- 99 percentile in Mocks is a good performance and strong in VA is a distinct advantage because this is the section in which most flounder.
      The good thing about DI and LR is that the more you practice and the more you are exposed to different types of data sets the easier they look. Hence suggest that you attempt at 1-2 data sets each of DI and LR every day with analysis and revise the difficult ones on a weekly basis.
      I am not in agreement with your plan of 5 mocks per week. A Mock CAT tells you your current situation and also throws up areas that you need to work on to improve your performance. Hence a mock on its own is useless you analyse your performance, identify the areas of concern and rectify them before moving to the next mock. Hence suggest that you restrict yourself to 1 mock per week, move to 2 mocks per week in September and in the last 3 weeks to CAT you can consider taking 3 Mocks per week. Please refer to the post Things you must-do after every mock you take.
      Call me at 9811155160 in the evening if you need to discuss this further.

  49. Sir, This is my first attempt at CAT and other management exams.
    Grad 2012: Sri Venkateswara College;bsc Elec -58%
    12th 2009: 84%
    10th 2007: 77%
    Work ex – 19 Months(Sales and Marketing) NOV 2013-June 2015
    Looking at my profile , there are many gaps :Post college(2012) of 1 year(Due to some Discrepancies in marks),
    2nd Gap:June 2015,quitting my hectic job for CAT prep -till the time I join MBA(june/july 2016).
    I have few questions which keep on reverberating in my head and distract me a lot .Please help me out of this sir.
    a)Looking at the gaps, in my profile will it be a hindrance to get accepted to an MBA program?
    b)I have few freelancing offers from reputed organisations ,If I take up these roles w.e.f from june 2015 -till the time I join MBA, will it count as an experience or can this point in addition to preparing for CAT be justified at the time of PI’s?

    -Santosh

    • Santosh, gaps in education and career are not a problem and can be handled comfortably, do not let them worry you or distract you from your CAT preparation.
      It will be a good idea to set up a proprietorship firm and take up these freelancing offers as it will be counted as work experience.

  50. Sir,
    I am enrolled with CL Udaipur Center. I am an average student and I am not at all able to concentrate on my studies, I am facing many problems in maths as I am non maths student it is very difficult for me to cope up maths. Please, help me in how should I start studying and concentrate on my studies and my preparations. Thank you.

    • Pranshu, the Maths is of X standard level and hence should not be too much of a problem. You should study the topic at home before it is taken up in the class to ensure that you have a better understanding in the class and after the class you should go through the topic again to remove any of the remaining doubts.
      To begin with focus on Arithmetic as it will be helpful in DI also. go through the fundabooks and solve the MCQs at the end of each book, identify and highlight the important questions and revise them every week. Once you complete a topic and attempt the MCQ in the fundabooks then move to Test Gym adaptive for more practice. Start with the beginer level and as you keep improving the system will upgrade you to the next level. Follow the same process for Algebra also.

  51. Sir please give us some tips to solve RC question and also suggest some source from we can practice philosophy based RC.Sometimes even we no the value from fraction of 1 to 30 and also know the table till 20 we have problem doing fast calculation particularly DI in IIFT so what we shall do.

        • Sir please assist me one more time
          I did coaching from CL cp centre in 2013 weekend batch.I scored
          CAT 13 70 per….
          CAT 14 85 percentile
          XAT 15 83 percentile
          IIFT 13 and 14 around 33 and 39marks
          Tiss 14 and 15 70 and 68marks
          CMAT feb 2015 97.9 percentile

          I have solved funda book many times .I have also practiced test gym both Adaptive and older version .I have seen your mock video analysis. I do not have much difficulty in learning new concepts and question unattempted or wrong during test.Even in class i did not face much difficulty in learning new concepts or solving questions.Sir but I am unable to score good marks and also am very inconsistent in performance during test some times get very good and sometimes poor marks.

          I will write 2015 exams also..I have started preparing from june and currently solving only fundabook and planning to use Smart CAT cracker Adaptive test gym and mock exams.

          Sir please suggest me how i should make strategy to prepare and enhance my marks.

          One more problem….English has become enigma to me.
          In class and analysis i do not have much difficulty in learning even in school it was not an issue to me but in exam it has become achilles hill.I have lost confidence and not able to plan how to improve marks.

          Sir please help me how to prepare for upcoming exam and improve overall marks and overcome fear of english.

          sir please help i am unable to plan how to improve marks .

          Thank you

  52. Greetings Sir,

    I gave CAT last year and I scored 85%. The problem I am facing this time is “how to” and ” from where to” prepare for QUANT? I solved CL’s study material for quant last time, so do i need to solve it again?if yes?then how long should I take?Or … Test Gym Adaptive , Test Gym Classic and Mock Series, along with Smart Cat Cracker , are enough for preparation ,specially quant? Please Sir…Maarg-Darshan karein…

    Xth = 88.36%
    XIIth = 94.30%
    B.Com= 78.36%
    Work Ex =4 months

    • Aditya, For your retake Smart CAT Cracker Comprehensive (Sessions, Test Series & Test Gym) is sufficient. Your preparation for this year should start with last years material. Revise the fundamentals and also go through the MCQs from the fundabooks with a special focus on your area of weakness. Revision of last years Mocks and important questions is essential. All this should be over latest by end July. You should simultaneously attempt the Mock CATs as per the defined schedule. Effective mid July you should also attempt 1 test each of RC, DI, LR, QA and VL everyday along with an analysis of each test.

  53. Dear GP Sir,
    I am a student of CL,North campus, Delhi.
    I took coaching previously and appeared for CAT ’14. My scores weren’t well especially in the verbal section. I have started the preparation again but I am facing some difficulties in this phase of preparation.. I wish to speak to you. How do i get in touch?

  54. sir i am working so get very little time hence no time for coaching.About to start my prep for CAT 15 please suggest any good book for quants to build my fundamentals

  55. Sir,
    I know it is a bit off the topic but I wanted to ask you if ISB Hyderabad/Great Lakes Chennai are feasible options for me if I sit for GMAT. My profile is as follows:
    Xth: 82.1%
    XIIth: 74%
    Graduation (B.Tech ,CSE) : 79.6% (2011 pass out)
    Work Experience:
    1. CTS: (Sept 2011-Nov 2013)
    2. Kolkata Port Trust ( March 2014-Till Date)
    I have a 3 months transition gap from CTS to Kolkata Port Trust.
    Also by when should I sit for GMAT for 2016 intake? And is there much difference between the 1st and 2nd cycle of the application in these B schools?
    Regards,
    ab

    • AB, GL Chennai and ISB Hyderabad are both feasible options for you as are the top IIMs and other good B schools. Suggest that you consider preparing for CAT/XAT along with GMAT and keep your options open. The preparation for CAT and GMAT is similar and Verbal of GMAT will help you in CAT while the Maths of CAT will help you in GMAT. The difference is in test taking since GMAT is an adaptive test while CAT is a computer based test.
      You can start with OG for GMAT and Smart CAT Cracker Comprehensive for CAT to get your concepts in place. This should be over by mid July after which you should focus on testing and analysis.
      For 2016 intake the application deadline for ISB Hyderabad would be mid Oct hence you should plan to take GMAT by mid September. From early Aug till GMAT you should focus on testing for GMAT only and shift completely to CAT after the GMAT test date which will give you about 2 clear months for CAT.

  56. Sir,
    Should one consider resigning from job, if one is not able to find time to study. I am working with Tcs since 8 months. I am frustrated with my job. Job is acting as a deviation. I don’t find time to study.
    Also, if I resign, should I be honest in interview that I was not able to find time to study. Will that create a negative impression in interviews of top B schools.

    • Rippon, if you are unable to study along with your job then you do not have an option but to either give up on MBA or to quit. In the interview you should honestly share the reason for quitting, it will not create a negative impression.

      • Sir,
        But ,as future managers, is it expected of us to handle both the things. That’s why I am worried about negative impression that might be created.
        Is my fear of being rejected,correct?

  57. Dear Sir,

    It was an informative article on preparation. With IIM-A to conduct cat this year can you predict the difficulty level of both sections?.
    From past years observation does iims with the intention of encouraging non engineering backgrounds will keep same quant level ?.
    I can understand it would be difficult to predict exactly but with your vast experience i hope your ans can help with my preparation. Thanks in advance.

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