Last minute tips to ace CAT- by Dr. KJS Anand
The Gold Standard for students aspiring to study management in India, the Common Admission Test or CAT is written by over 1.5 lakh aspirants every year. With the 2015 exam round the corner, anxiety is high among students as they enter the last...
cityairnews
Nov 28, 2015 12:30
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The Gold Standard for students aspiring to study management in India, the Common Admission Test or CAT is written by over 1.5 lakh aspirants every year. With the 2015 exam round the corner, anxiety is high among students as they enter the last lap of preparation.
CAT is an important prerequisite for admission into more than 100 leading management institutes across India, and a good score can put your career on track with a sound seat in a reputed management institute.
With the exam to be held on November 29, most students might have by now covered their syllabus by and large, and would be hoping to get a favourable question paper. While the appearing students have undoubtedly left no stone unturned to prepare themselves to crack one of the toughest entrance examinations in India, the last moment nervousness often leaves them with cold feet.
As the D Day draws closer, preparation is just one of the worries facing students. Many students are concerned whether they will be able to finish the entire question paper in due time, some also suffer from nightmares such as them going blank during the main examination. While it is too late to start studying afresh, the last days leading to your exam can be utilized to perfect your skills and calm your mind. The following tips will help you the last few days in the best possible way and turn anxiety into confidence.
1. Time to Revise: Since the time left is very less now, do not try on learning something new. Instead, perfect the knowledge you have already gathered. Utilise the last few days in revising the learnt techniques, practising the tricks and short cuts that will save your time. Try to achieve an equilibrium in all the three subject sections of the examination.
2. Take Mock tests: Some students who have prepared well feel intimidated entering the examination and take a few minutes to get accustomed to the exam setting. These few minutes can amount to precious time lost. Use the last few days to simulate the examination atmosphere, pressure and get yourself accustomed to what it would actually be like. Keep yourself in sync with the pressure and atmosphere of the real CAT examination by taking some mock tests through online websites. This would not only give you an opportunity to you to test your skills and knowledge, would also get into the groove of things. Additionally this would also train you to take the complete exam within the set time limit.
3. Self Analysis: While the mock tests would help you to take a review on your preparation, the analysis of the tests will help to understand your strengths and weaknesses. The Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (i.e. SWOT) analysis can help you channelize tour last minute preparations/revision. Besides, the analysis would also give you a better understanding of the pattern of CAT exam with giving an idea of the appearing questions. At this point of time, you should focus on your strengthen and further work upon them, rather than spending time to your weaknesses.
4. Relative scoring has its advantage vis-a-vis absolute scoring. A tough question may be tough for many others too, so rather than spend a disproportionate time on one question, one shall make sure that all the easy picks are covered in each section.
5. Practice for perfection: The more you practice the less it appears. When it comes to Mathematics and Reasoning, it is practice that delivers you through in time. You should essentially utilize the last days to hone your skills by practising harder and honing your skills at problem solving rather than learning anything new.
6. Get hold of the mouse & the computer screen: The entire time you have been preparing in by scribbling papers and darkening the correct options by yourself. Therefore, the sudden transformation of reading the questions and selecting the options on a computer screen can be a bit of tardy and time consuming. Therefore, make use of these last few days to make good hold of mouse and make yourself comfortable with reading, retaining and understanding the questions on the screen, rather than the book.
7. Strategize the actions: While taking mock tests will help you judge your preparations, you can also utilize the efforts to strategize your plan of action on the D-day. Device some tricks so that you can attempt as many questions as possible.
8. Target accuracy more than quantity: CAT exam is judged by the quantity and quality together. While it is important to attempt more number of questions, it is equally important to get them all correct, as the negative marking format of the exam can reverse the game for you. Therefore, try to attain accuracy along with quantity.
9. Scan the question paper properly: On the main day, do not panic if you find the question paper tougher than expected. Instead, give a good read to the question to scan the easily doable, doable, time taking questions. This skill would automatically come if you have practiced enough mock tests. And remember, a tough question paper will be tough for all aspirants. Panicking will only make you lose comprehension and time.
10. Time your timings: If you are not able to solve a question having tried for about 1 to 1.30 minutes, don’t make it a prestige issue. Leave that question and go to next question. You may decide to take up this question in second attempt.
11. Catch good sleep: Sleep for minimum 6 hours every night, and avoid sleeping during daytime. Eat healthy nourishing meals and drink water at regular intervals. Do not eat heavy meals and avoid eating outside in the few days in run up to the exam to prevent any health issue. Keep yourself relaxed as much as possible and gear up to appear for the exam with a positive outlook.
(Dr. KJS Anand is Fellow IIM Ahmedabad, Executive Director IMS Noida.)
Disclaimer: All views expressed are personal and are not views of any of the IIMs or IMS Noida.
Date:
Saturday, November 28, 2015
