Mock CAT Scores and CAT Prep: 3 (and a half) Perspectives

Mock CAT scores and percentiles (though the latter is at best an unnecessary indicator of anything at all) must have already started influencing each and every CAT aspirant overtly or covertly. One set of students might be scoring high while the other set might not be at the high performance zone yet. One category of CAT aspirants might be looking at their mock CAT scores and percentiles, and imagine they have already conquered the battle. Another category might feel dejected that CAT is an uphill battle that is not their cup of tea.

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It is this final category – the one that comprises people who are depressed because of low scores – that we are looking to address primarily now.

The suggestions fall broadly under three categories, or rather three R’s, keeping in mind the present era of Recycling and Reusing.

1. Realization of randomness
2. Reconciliation with reality
3. Reiteration with rigour

1) Realization of randomness

Randomness plays a huge role in mock CAT scores… AND the actual CAT score, for that matter.

This is probably the most infuriating among the three aspects we would be delving slightly deep into. Many aspirants who might consistently be scoring 95+ percentile and 175+ score in every other mock CAT, could end up not reaching their pinnacle on D-Day.

Some aspirants get their scores to the peak very easily. Among these, few maintain that level of consistency; others lose out, plateau and plummet.

On the other hand, lots of aspirants start at rock-bottom. They remain there for quite some time, move upward gradually, and get to the level of readiness and confidence essential on D-Day.

The level of difficulty, the time slot you decide to take the mock CAT at, the kind of environment you have while you are writing the test, the level of confidence and optimism you maintained throughout the course of the three-hour duration and many more factors determine your final mock CAT score.

Why are you saying all this?

Well, because you cannot simply pin point the result to one factor and comfort yourself or wallow continuously.

2) Reconciliation with reality

The mock CAT score – and even the actual CAT score – are not indicators of your level of brilliance or entrepreneurship abilities.

Mock CATs are precisely meant to make you endure tough bouts of uncertainties and unfortunate, unexpected outcomes.

CAT – and by extension, mock CATs – tests pretty much how well you can take CAT, and then we take this as a proxy for something else that ranges anywhere between “I am not good at Math” to “My life is a curse”. This is absolutely absurd. Stated otherwise, low mock CAT scores do not translate to your inability.

Furthermore, your low mock CAT score could be a one-off result as well. That need not necessarily determine your level of preparation or the assumed “futility” of the efforts.

3) Reiteration with rigour

Having read so far, this is the most important aspect. We can cry, whine and throw tantrums. There is no doubt that a bad mock can result in blues that cannot easily be overcome. But the true measure of real grit and courage is demonstrated when you can turn an adverse situation and come on top of it.

If your only worry is the low scores in mock CATs, this A-Z guide on mocks should help you get a clear picture. Take more mocks, review them vigorously and start filling gaps one step at a time, one day at a time. You should up your game and genuinely see visible outcomes of that after some time.

Be less vulnerable to luck, cover all bases. Read a lot; prepare from basics. Do an enormous amount of drill, take a lot of tests with clear strategies. Catch a brief break and launch yourself into the preparation.

3.5) What I would add

Be less vested in the result, and enjoy the preparation process more. I know this is easier said than done. But the people who crack this exam are the ones who take up the preparation process as a joyful exercise rather than a fearful one.

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Stay safe, take mocks, and 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.