Tips on How to prepare for CAT exam in 6 months

With the trending era of MBA, CAT has been one of the most sought after exams by students. The goal is to get in the Top MBA colleges in India. The struggle is high as the competition is getting fiercer year by year with more than 1 lakh students aspiring to become an MBA. Masters of Business Administration certainly offers its pursuers global exposure and endless opportunities to emerge as future leaders. However, the journey to the top is not that simple. It never is! 

CAT is often dreaded by students because it is undoubtedly one of the popular exams in terms of difficulty levels. But there's a way. The answer is Practice! With practice, one can surely crack it. So if you are planning to face the CAT examination in the coming year,  you need chalk out your plan. CAT is more about strategizing and decision-making under stress. So, just keep your calm, and read a few valuable tips on how to prepare for CAT exam in 6 months!

1. First and foremost, know all the topics to study from where questions will be asked in the exam. CAT has 3 sections: Quantitative, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, and Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension.

1. Quantitative Section mainly tests your "Math" Skills. It will feature questions on Speed, Time & Distance, AP, GP, Geometry, Number System, Mensuration, Ratio & Proportion, Algebra, etc.

2. Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning tests your "problem-solving" and "interpretation" skills. It tests how fast you can interpret a set of data and come to conclusion. The section covers topics like Coding-Decoding, Graphs, Arrangements, Puzzles, Syllogisms, Blood Relations, Series, etc.

3. Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension checks your grasp on the command of English language. Important topics to study for this Section includes Reading Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning, Antonyms & Synonyms, Facts-Inference-Judgement, Sentence Completion, Jumbled Passage, etc.  

2. Once you know the topics, decide whether you would go for coaching or self-study. By knowing the topics you should be able to understand your strong and weak areas. If you feel you need an expert guidance to hone your skills, you should probably go for a coaching. On the other hand, if you are confident of the concepts and aptitude skills, you may prefer giving online tests and self-study. The choice completely depends on you.

3. Analyze your strengths' and weaknesses'. With just 6 months left, it is important to take a diagnostic test to assess your position and chalk out a study plan accordingly. The mock test at the initial stage will help you understand your strong parts and the parts which needs substantial work. This will help you decide your further preparation strategy for the next 6 months.

4. Build up speed. Once you've strengthened your basics, it is important to work on your speediness to solve the problems. Only competency won't help in CAT. You don't want to miss out on any question because of lack of time. Time management is the key to this exam and it will only be achieved with adequate speed. 

5. Last but not the least, give a lot of Mock Tests! Mock Tests not only test your abilities but also help you learn more than just practicing on paper. Mock Tests will help you build confidence and analyze your position better compared to others. Your goal should be to give at least 30 mock tests before you sit to write CAT!

So, with 6 months left, there's no time to waste if you aim to get into the Top MBA colleges in India. A daily self-study plan is a must. Break down your study plan in modules of 30-40 minutes. Take adequate breaks in between. 

On the day of CAT exam, don't forget to take a goodnight sleep because you'll need it! Hopefully, these Tips on How to prepare for CAT exam in 6 months will help you find the right direction to crack CAT.

All the best and keep working hard! 

To know more about CAT exam and registration, visit: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/cat-exam