CAT 2020 Preparation from August

What should be the plan for someone starting their preparation for CAT from August? Is it possible to crack CAT if you start from now? ABSOLUTELY.

Believe in yourself and your preparation!

The first thing that is absolutely vital is to keep in mind that the time remaining is sufficient. No matter what anyone says, believe in yourself and your preparation. 4 months of planned preparation will take you places. 

Believe in yourself. Why did you choose to take up this exam? What do you see yourself doing post your MBA? Chase those dreams; it really helps to build your resolve. 

The thing about believing in yourself is that it helps you face the adversities that accompany CAT Preparation. As cliche as it may sound, it consciously gives you an assurance that things are sailing smoothly and that there is enough grit and determination in you to tackle adversity. 

The Preparation Plan for CAT from August 

Here is a fabulous broad schedule by 2IIM that splits your hours for preparation. You can tweak them all you want but stick to your schedule. No matter how busy you are, prepare yourself, and set aside 25 hours a week. 

You might want to check out our video about Preparation from August, Mock Strategy and Answers to Common Questions.

a) Learn and build your fundamentals. 

There is no preparation for CAT from August that can help you crack this exam that does not involve fundamentals. All the fancy shortcuts and formulae can trace their origin to pure, simple theory. 

When you begin solving various problems within a topic, you start to understand the gaps in your knowledge of the topic. Too often a complex problem finds its solution embedded within basic fundamentals and you will find yourself breaking the problem down into small bits and plugging in core theory to arrive at the solution. 

So build your fundamentals. Quant is a section that gets a lot of flak for being “too tough” but it can be nailed under the force of a solid theoretical hammer. For DILR, cover the basic types of puzzles after familiarizing yourself with types of graphs and charts.

Don’t skip very many topics in Quant. Cover the basics at the very least and if you’re hard-pressed for time, focus more on Arithmetic and Geometry which will account for 24/34 questions. 

b) Read daily. 

From August, it helps to read 2 articles daily in order to breeze through 5 RC passages in CAT 2020. If novels are your preference, tear through the pages, and enjoy every bit of it. Find a healthy balance between content that will help you improve your reading abilities and stuff that you enjoy reading. 

Try not to read in an exam context all the time.  What really matters is getting an idea of what you’re reading and understanding the nuances and subtleties of the content. ENJOY reading and learning new things. Be curious about everything. 

The best paragraphs for VARC preparation come from previous CAT papers. These will give you a sense of the level of difficulty of the RC Passages that you will face in the exam and will serve as templates for your approach. 

The standout best material to read comes from Bharath’s Curated Reading List. Some of the articles Bharath posts are elaborate pieces containing abstruse ideas. Reading these articles hits three spots –

1. Reading and trying to make sense of tough, complex ideas:

We don’t know the topic enough, so getting to the author’s level of belief and intuitive grasp takes a while. This helps your reading abilities enormously and it will become your second nature to consume content effectively. 

2. Understanding “tough” language:

The words used, the grammatical composition and the “style” of writing is unique to every author. Reading the various articles posted helps you get familiar with various writing styles outside your own and formulate an almost intuitive approach to understanding passages. It also familiarizes you with the jargon used in a particular genre of content.

3. Building your reading stamina:

Most of the articles posted are elaborate pieces that are quite exhausting to read in the beginning. 

This is why Bharath’s Curated Reading List is absolute gold. The articles he posts are undoubtedly curious pieces brimming with information but they also burn you out. Reading them daily helps build your reading abilities and knowledge base like nothing else. Your mind starts to join the dots while reading a passage automatically. 

c) Practice away to glory. 

Put your fundamentals to the test and solve all kinds of problems. Your preparation for CAT from August is entirely feasible if you familiarize yourself with various types of problems within a topic. 

Quant is a section where many topics are closely interlinked. So you must learn and revise simultaneously, especially now, with around 4 months to go. Here are 6 common traps to avoid in the Quant Section.

Aim for variety in DILR. The name of the game for DILR is variety. This will help train your mind to pick up new things and patterns. Try your best to solve previous CAT DILR Sets to challenge your mind and raise it to the next level. 

2IIM’s Question Bank contains around 48 sets including previous CAT DILR Sets with Video Solutions within them. Hit that and identify your weak areas. They will also serve as a benchmark for the level of difficulty you are likely to encounter in CAT and will help your mind to that rise to that level. 

Practice will help increase your accuracy, which in turn helps you build your speed. It also helps you identify knowledge gaps within a particular topic. Fill those gaps, for they may make the difference between a 99 and 99.5+ percentile. 

d) Start taking Mocks. 

For CAT Freshers and Retakers, Mocks will be pretty much the same. Cover your basics within the week’s schedule, and take a mock and a subsequent mock analysis over the weekend. These will help you strategize your preparation accordingly. Mocks will help you identify your weaknesses and bridge the gaps. This is absolutely crucial. 

Aim for around 20-25 mocks from now. If you are able to amp up the intensity, try for 30-40 mocks. Beyond that is overkill, especially while preparing for CAT from August. 

The challenge of a mock in the beginning is sitting in a place for 3 hours. Mocks will help you combat fatigue and build your stamina. You will often find yourself getting restless and frustrated. Work past it and keep going. Eventually, your Mocks will transmute into a challenge that you are geared up to face and ace. 

Mocks have the best questions.

If you take the mock for 3 hours, then spend another 3-4 analyzing them and reviewing your mistakes. This is the core value one can draw from Mocks. Ask yourself why you took that question while it is still fresh. Ponder over your question selection and level of intensity. This helps you gain insight into your decision-making variables and the effectiveness of your strategies. 

Remember, mock scores are prone to hitting plateaus and then rising up in a cycle. They help you internalize your processes and will allow your mind to accept new tricks and strategies. If you’re aiming for a 145+ or any target really, set yourself benchmarks across sections and aim beyond your target. 

Be particular about your accuracy. Speed will come later.

Check out this wonderful article on tackling the Speed Vs Accuracy Battle.

2IIM’s Test Dojo is the best place to get started for Mocks and practice., with over 8 Mock CATs and 6 previous CAT papers.

A Final Note

If you’re wrestling with the decision of taking CAT 2020 or 2021, this article might help you gain some clarity. The pandemic has affected our collective psyche in ways we hadn’t anticipated. Head on over to this article which talks about the variables in the sphere of COVID-19 and CAT. 

Remember the reason you’re preparing, and focus on your Dreams. Don’t be disheartened if your MBA does not go well. It will not be the end of the world. Give it your best shot!

You might want to check out the LIVE session that is scheduled for tonight where Bharath will walk you through the process of registering for CAT 2020. If you already know how to register, head over here to register.

Stay Safe. Best Wishes for CAT 2020.

Rajesh Balasubramanian takes the CAT every year and is a 4-time CAT 100 percentiler. He likes few things more than teaching Math and insists to this day that he is a better teacher than exam-taker.

Written by Saahil R Bhatt.