Ultimate guide to prepare for CAT

Are you willing to pursue an MBA program from a top management institution? If yes, then what can be the better option for you other than an IIM (Indian Institute of Management). Incorporating a group of 20 autonomous and public colleges, IIMs are regarded as the top-preferred management institutions for students in India, offering standard management courses at postgraduate, doctoral and executive education level through a computed based Common Admission Test (CAT).

CAT examination – knowing every bit of it

Organized by the Indian Institutes of Management, the CAT is a prerequisite examination held every year for admissions to business administration courses. Besides the IIM, there are several other renowned management institutions that provide admissions to students on the basis of CAT score. Announced in the month of August-September, the exam generally occurs in November end.

The entire process of admissions through CAT involves students to overcome two crucial steps – written ability test (WAT) and personal interview (PI). Besides this, the academic records of previous education, work experience in relevant field and other essential inputs are also given equal significance in the process of admission.

Also read: Top scholarships for pursuing MBA out of India

What is required to prepare?

The examination comprises three major sections of 1-hour duration that include –

Reading Comprehension and Verbal Reasoning (contains 34 questions)

Quantitative Aptitude (contains 34 questions)

Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation (contains 32 questions)

Since, these are the general topics, the students need to pay attention to the syllabus of Class 10 and 11 (NCERT level). Also, they can refer to other study material too for better understanding of the concepts and the tricks to solve the questions.

What should be the preparation strategy?

Once the students are well-aware of what needs to be prepared, they can head start their studies to score high in the examination. Here are few preparations strategies to help them accelerate their performance to top –

Pay keen attention to the basic concepts and get a strong over them.

Dedicate equal time to all sections while preparing, even if, one of them is your forte.

Adhere to the study plan.

Be an efficient time manager.

Practice a lot.

Attempt mock tests to keep a check on preparation.

Do not only rely on coaching; instead also take out time for self-studies.

Now when the students are sure of what they actually need to do to prepare for the CAT examination, they further need to plan their finances too as the fees of an MBA program is also going to empty their pockets.

Also Read: Ultimate guide to prepare for GMAT