How much time should I spend on CAT preparation?
This is the most common question asked by many cat takers esp. those who have just started their preparation and it is the most difficult question to give an answer. One can be give the guidance only if all the details of that person are known. To find a standard answer to this question one must consider few parameters. Go through the following few lines carefully if are unsure about how much time you should spend on your preparation, it might help you.
Before preparing for CAT you must know your competency level in all the three departments that IIMs assess through CAT. There are very few persons who have the same level of competency in Maths, DI/DS and English. Out of the three, there must be one or two section which you like most and you can easily score high in CAT. My advice to all who are about to start their CAT preparation -The first thing you need to do is to arrange last year paper and attempt it as if you are appearing the real CAT.
While taking the test, be sure you are true to your self. Take the test for 15 minutes less than the allocated time (2 hours or 2.30 hrs). As it’s your first test you should give equal time to all the sections, during the test if you feel you have done enough to get a good score in that section continue with that section till the allocated time.(you are giving this test to judge your competency level). After you have done with your test check the answers .Match your results with last year cutoffs section wise.
If you have cleared the cutoffs then its great if not then check by how much marks you missed it. If you missed it by 2-4 marks then with a little bit of preparation you can cross the cut off level. 2 months of preparation with weekly 25-35 hours for the basics, then another 2 months on FLTs and revisions of basics should be sufficient. You should always fix last 2 & 1/2 months for Mocks.
If your score is in between than 60% - 80% of the cutoff, then you need to do a lot of hard work. It’s not that easy to increase the score in a very sort time span. You need to make a long term plan. I would suggest 4 months to basics. First check out in which area you find yourself comfortable. (for ex in Number System, Geometry, arithmetic, algebra ,etc ) Select only one section and give a full month or so to it. Start it from the basic and do all the problems in that section. Give few sectional tests without any time constrain and try to achieve 100%. With number of questions reducing & level of difficulty increasing, the importance given to accuracy should increase. When you find most of the questions are familiar to you go to another section.
If you have scored less than 60%, I ‘ll suggest please forget about IIM and target 2nd tier institutes. Less than 60% means you were not serious in your school and no way one can go to that level to learn the basics. You follow the methods that I have described earlier for 60% - 80% category. But if you feel you have all the basics but you couldn’t score well because of not remembering the formulas or for few silly mistakes then you can hope for IIMs too. In summery If you cleared the cutoff or missed it by 10%-20% then - 2/3 months of preparations + times for mocks should be your total time If you score 60% -80 % of the cutoff marks then - 5/6 months of preparation (with weekly 25-35 hours) + times for mocks should be your total time If you score less than 60% , start preparing now. Give how much time you can spend for your preparation.
i think this there will be
i think this there will be 200 questions for cat 2006
OR
i am doing 1srt year
i am doing 1srt year btec..shud i strt preparing 4 the cat i am gonna write in 2011??
dude u r in first year, and
dude u r in first year, and u want to start ur preparation for CAT 2011... dont u know iim wants 50% and more in ur graduate.. dude do u need 4 years preparation for cracking CAT???? hahaha.... is ur logical portion of ur brain is damaged
target 2011!
hey man whts ur name! i m a dropout to avail d 2nd chance to b part of d IITs but shit it didn't happen now i hve applied for d B.Tech in IT now u , me, n others r in d same boat so let help each other achieve d target u r in d right direction i vl ,if u want me to, help u n others to sail smoother n i hope to b reciprocated d same
best wishes to u!
Reeshu
thanx
hey thanx 4 being frendly n supportive...n even m new to this..n m in BE 3rd yr..n quite serious abt CAT..
Guidelines for CAT
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Hi
This comment has been moved here.
Discouraging
I think the article is pretty misguiding. You should take the previous year's CAT question paper merely as a diagnostic test to see the sections in which you are weak, so that you can spend more time on them in your preparation and also to get an idea of the kind of questions asked in CAT. The cut offs from your performance here is irrelevant at this point when you have not even started preparing. Hence, it was unnecessary to have said that those scoring below 60% are not fit to write the CAT. I would request all CAT takers to keep persevering till the last minute and not lose hope. CAT is all about how composed you are on the day of the main test! Good luck!
Hii..Im from 3rd year ,NIT Warangal -Need some help
Hiii
I m from Chem Engg,Now coming in 3rd year from NIT Warangal. So,as I am planning to give CAT n GMAT in 2009 i.e next year..should i start my preparations from now.My CGPA is 7.84 and so no problems regarding 50% marks required n stuff...
And please guide me as in what should be the strategy like...I mean learning the formulas and how about going for english preps and then what institute you think is better CL ,Time or IMS for regular and correspondence course,,,
Sorry for the long question....but really need some guidance.
cat preparations
i m in 2nd year b-com now,nd i will appear cat in 2011,should i start prepare 4rm now.
Thanks for giving such a nice
Thanks for giving such a nice suggestions on time for preparation
yeah, any one can start preparing for cat
Anyone who has not started preparation can not be gauged on a parameter. and discouraging people by just saying that getting less than 60% is all about forgetting IIMs. Sorry but this is discouraging. Study is a lively phenomena and at what stage one's interest gets alive is difficult to precast. Good luck to all IIMs aspirants.
Good work
Good work! Your post/article is an excellent example of why I keep comming back to read your excellent quality content that is forever updated. Thank you!
backwass
hey!who are u why are u discouraging the student. have u cracked the cat. if u have tell me . u have no right to say below 60% should forget their dream to go for cat . u must know a man can move stones if he desires.
U R A INCOGNITO
'DUDE INCOGNITO' don't really know who made u the expert but i must say with the grammar such as ures,one could not hold u as an authority over such a subject matter.....i randomly was directed to dis page but when i saw this comment just couldn't stop myself to tell u that r an impolite jackass who doesn't squat about the preparation or the way to treat a person who has just started on his path towards the IIM's.....so go f*** yourself nd stop preaching on a public portal....
i am preparing for cat since
i am preparing for cat since jan 2010 , now also i am not confident enough and my scores n mock test are mostly in negative . i am thinking to drop but this is really difficult decision for me. i am really confused how shuld i work hard. plz help me and mail me ur suggestions - verakansha@gmial.com
Nice Post I already digged
Nice Post I already digged this
where do i get more
where do i get more information on this
Nice Post I already digged
Nice Post I already digged this
where do i get more
where do i get more information on this
Hello! I think this is my
Hello! I think this is my first visit so I wanted to say hi!
I would like to read more of
I would like to read more of your blogs and to share my thoughts with you
I would like to read more of
I would like to read more of your blogs and to share my thoughts with you
cool
well i am normal guy searching for advice....
and by going thru this article...
i must say thanks for all ur sharing thoughts...it helped me a lot in clearing many concepts.
thanx a lot
cool
well i am normal guy searching for advice....
and by going thru this article...
i must say thanks for all ur sharing thoughts...it helped me a lot in clearing many concepts.
thanx a lot
cool
well i am normal guy searching for advice....
and by going thru this article...
i must say thanks for all ur sharing thoughts...it helped me a lot in clearing many concepts.
thanx a lot
Visit on
Visit on www.gameplanindia.com/CAT-2010-workshop-mumbai-register.php or call on the no. 9022190628/ 720. For any query regarding CAT preparation.
For better CAT preparation
For better CAT preparation you can visit on www.gameplanindia.com/CAT-2010-workshop-mumbai-register.php or call on the no. 9022190628/ 720. It will conduct in the Mumbai and Delhi. As on October,2010.
For CAT preparation Game Plan
For CAT preparation Game Plan is best institute around. Game plan will completely analyze the Past CAT papers - solve most of the questions that have appeared in the past Papers and also link them to the basics. for more details visit on gameplanindia.com or call on the no. 9022190628/ 720.
preparation for cat
I am in the 2nd year b tech degree , from where should i prepare for the gk and aptitude test for the cat...
Discouraging
Yes I agree with you. The person is reallty discouraging students instead of encouraging them to work hard.
ITZ may 13,
M preparin from
ITZ may 13,
M preparin from T.I.M.E COACHING for CAT..
I have completed 3/4th of quant. ....
n hav learned word from lettrs S-Z(S,T,U,V,W,X,Y,Z) barrons GRE word list...
n have done little ammnt of practice in DI...
n have done nothing in resoning....
n have not readed any of d novels yet....
plz tell me that am i goin with right pace....
suggst me dat how shud i proceed frm here....
nw littl time is left for cat (MAY-NOV) includin 2 months for revision...
suggst me...
plz help me
to know about my carier
i am in b.com 3rd year.
should i start cat prepration.
hey
hey gaurav.......pick up any coaching's material......start reading nonfiction articles, books etc.....hav a dictionary in ur mobile & stay hungry for new words......join time, or pt..........be regular...nd focus on quant & all shortcuts & formulas........stay hungry.....stay happy..........solve arun sharma for DI ........peace out ..:)