Online CAT Coaching Vs Classroom CAT Coaching: Which is Best?10 min read

Online CAT Coaching Vs Classroom CAT Coaching: Which is Best?

In today’s digital age, everything from watching movies to shopping for groceries to looking for jobs has gone online. When it comes to learning online, we always hesitate. To crack a competitive exam like CAT, a lot of focus and dedication is required, and preparing online could be challenging for some of us. But on the flip side, Online CAT Coaching has gained immense popularity and many students are now opting for it instead of traditional Classroom CAT Coaching. A lot of you might be confused between these two. Let’s explore the pros and cons of both of them and find out which is the best option for you.

Before we do that, if you want to know more about the CAT exam, check out this page – What is CAT Exam? 

Online CAT Coaching

There are many myths around Online CAT Coaching. Worry not! I am here to demystify all of them and clearly state the  advantages and disadvantages of going for CAT Online Coaching.

Advantages of Online CAT Coaching

1. Convenience

We all are unique. Different people have different times when our brains are very active. For some it might be early mornings ,and for some it might be late nights. Online CAT Coaching gives you the flexibility of learning whenever we want. A mobile/laptop with a decent internet connection is the only prerequisite.

2. Cost Effective

When learning online, you don’t have to spend money on travel, accommodation, or course materials, which can save you significant amounts. Apart from that, you can get an Online CAT Coaching (Self-Paced course) for half the price of Classroom CAT Coaching and this is a deal breaker for lot of us. 

3. Learn from the Best Teachers

Don’t compromise on the quality when it comes to learning. The biggest advantage of an Online CAT Coaching course is that it gives you access to the best CAT teachers – that highly experienced CAT 100%iler whose fantabulous classes you have heard about can now be your teacher!

4. Customized Learning

Learning Online gives you the advantage of watching the video any number of times until you understand that topic and only then move to the next one. You can also create schedules that fit your needs and learn at your own pace. 

5. Analytics:

Knowing your strengths and weaknesses could help you tweak your preparation plan and prepare efficiently. An Online CAT preparation platform will be helpful for this reason. Whenever you take a test or a mock, the system will provide detailed analytics like your speed and accuracy in each question and an outline on which topics to improve.

6. Doubt Clarification

How many times have you lost the plot in a classroom, seen your classmates nodding their heads brightly and shied away from asking whatever doubt you had in mind? 

Yeah, majority of us would rather pretend to understand than risk looking dumb in front of a class, or only pluck up the courage to ask our doubts cornering the teacher after the class is over.

Contrary to popular belief, doubt clarification in an Online CAT preparation course is easy and effective. If you have a doubt, all you need to do is, post your question in a discussion forum, whatever time of the day. Most doubts posted on the 2IIM discussion forum will get cleared within 24 to 48 hours. Apart from this there are whatsapp groups to clear your doubts 24/7.

Disadvantages of Online CAT Coaching

1. Face-to-Face Interaction and Peer Learning

Probably the biggest reason why most of us hesitate to take up CAT Online Coaching. There is no option for in-person interaction with the faculty and peer group. Even though Live Online CAT Coaching Classes come close to mimicking this peer learning and interactive experience, it is not the same as sitting in a classroom.

2. Self-Motivation

Online CAT Coaching Course (be it Live Online or Self-Paced) demands a certain level of self-motivation and discipline from the students. It is easy to get distracted or procrastinate studying or skip Live Online Classes as you can watch the recordings later. If you are someone who needs constant motivation and external push, then going online could be challenging.

3. Distractions

We live in the reels/shorts era, where our attention spans have gone to abysmal levels. Focusing on something, even for 5 to 10 minutes, has become a challenge for lot of us. Therefore, preparing online could become all the more difficult. Even in a classroom setup, many of us daydream or use mobile phones, but online gives a lot of room to get distracted easily. 

Classroom CAT Coaching

This one needs no introduction. We are well acquainted with the Classroom setup for the better part of our school and college life. Let us take a step back and think about the advantages and disadvantages of going for Classroom CAT Coaching and see if it suits you.

Advantages of Classroom CAT Coaching

1. Interaction and Networking

The biggest advantage of Classroom CAT Coaching is that you can meet and network with other students who are preparing for the same exam. You can form study groups and exchange ideas, which can help you stay motivated and learn more effectively.

2. Doubt Clarification & Mentorship

Whenever you have any doubts, you can directly ask the faculty face-to-face and that can be quite reassuring for us. In-person mentorship is also very accessible in Classroom CAT Coaching.

3. Motivation to Study

“Doing things imperfectly yet consistently will give you far greater results than doing things perfectly but sporadically.”

In a classroom setup, you will have the pressure to attend classes regularly, and 90% of us will not miss classes even if we do not feel like turning up for the class that day. This is a blessing in disguise as it ensures that we study consistently. We also get motivated by our peers and the competitive environment in the classroom.

Disadvantages of Classroom CAT Coaching

1. Travelling

Travelling is always a pain and inconvenience due to traffic. If we attend a class for 2 hours, we might have to spend another 2 hours commuting. It also takes up a lot of energy, and we might not be able to do anything after attending a class.

2. Cost

Classroom CAT Coaching is quite expensive. On top of that, you will be spending on travel, books and so on. 

3. Quality Teachers

If you want to learn from the best teachers in a classroom setup, you might have to join a specific center and that comes with a lot of inconveniences. Also, if you are not from Tier 1 cities, then access to good teachers is almost non-existent. Another problem in Classroom CAT Coaching is that teachers are constantly changing and that can be quite frustrating.

4. One-Size Fits All Approach

Classroom coaching may not cater to individual learning needs. The teacher may teach at a pace that is too fast or too slow for you. The student has to keep up with the pace and that can be discouraging for slow learners. If you do not understand a particular topic and move on to the next one, you might struggle to keep up and eventually think you are not good enough.

5. Missing a Class

If you miss a class or don’t pay attention, there is no option to attend the same class again. You might have to learn the topic from your friends or self-study.

Summary

Now that we have seen pros and cons of both Online CAT Coaching and Classroom CAT Coaching, here is a table to sum it up. 

	Online CAT Coaching	Classroom CAT Coaching
Convenience	✅	𐄂
Cost Effectiveness	✅	𐄂
Quality Teachers	✅	✅ (Only in specific centers)
Customized Learning	✅	𐄂
Doubt Clarification	✅ (Over WhatsApp & forums)	✅
Peer Learning & Networking	𐄂	✅
Little/No Distractions	𐄂	✅
External Motivation	𐄂	✅
Analytics	✅	𐄂

What Should I Choose Now?

Coming to the question, which is the best option for you?, it depends on personal preference for learning style and the most important factor among the listed ones. Refer to the table below, where I have tried to give recommendations based on various factors.

Most Important Factor	Online CAT Coaching	Classroom CAT Coaching
Self Motivated and wants to study at your own pace	✅
Needs External Motivation and gets distracted easily		✅
Price Sensitive: Not willing to spend too much	✅
Need Flexibility in Class Timings	✅
Face-to Face Interaction with Teacher and Mentorship		✅
Working Professionals: Don’t have a lot of time to spare	✅
College Students: No CAT Coaching inside campus	✅

Be it Classroom or Online, choosing the right place for you is always the first step towards cracking CAT. It is especially true for Online CAT Coaching, considering the skepticism a lot of us have because of no prior experience and uncertainty. If you have decided to go for CAT Online Coaching, how do you choose the right product? What should you look for in an Online CAT Coaching? Stay tuned for our next blog, where we will try to answer that and help you evaluate different options in this crowded space.