CAT Preparation 2019: Top 8 Hacks to Clear CAT Exam

CAT or Common Admission Test is conducted for management aspirants who plan to take admission in coveted B- School and make an astonishing career in management. It is a universal examination which is accepted by majority of PGDM institutes and B-schools.

Appearing for CAT exam and scoring a high percentile is not an easy game. It takes great dedication and preparation for improving quantitative ability, verbal skills, speed and accuracy. The questions are drafted from Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning & Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension. Solving them quickly and with accuracy creates a huge difference in scoring a good percentage.

Clearing CAT examination is like cracking a tough nut and requires thorough study. Applicants need to strategise their preparation according to the syllabus and pattern properly.

Let’s find out a few hacks that we believe can help you get through your CAT examination and enter into a renowned B-school.

Know the Syllabus and Pattern

Before getting started, the first important thing is to understand the syllabus and pattern of the exam. Understanding it thoroughly will help you in making a time efficient strategy for the preparation. Go through the previous years’ question papers and try to understand the relevance of each question and the pattern. Once you are through with knowing the syllabus, it will become easier for you to manage your time according to the difficulty areas.

• Right Study Material

Majority of students opt for coaching than self-studying. Both the ways work well in preparing for CAT 2019 exam. However, the foremost thing is to look for the right study material. There are many preparatory books and sample question papers available in the market for CAT preparation. But, finding the right study material can help you crack the exam in a single go.

• Define a Strategy

When it comes to formulating a strategy for CAT exam preparation, applicants should identify their weaker and stronger areas. Many students make a big mistake by allocating more time to topics they are strong in. They try to polish their mind to become perfect with topics they feel they can get through easily. But, in actual, the weaker topics need to be allotted more time. Applicants should not resist in spending more time to study what they are weaker at in order to maintain a good score.

• Time Management

Time management is the most crucial part for CAT exam preparation. Many previous toppers reveal that they work more on managing their time rather than studying all day long. As the duration of the exam is relatively lesser, practicing according to the time becomes critical. The best way to work it out is to keep a stop watch and solve the mock paper. This will help in improving your speed while focusing on accuracy and smart approach to manage time.

• Study Smart, Not Hard

The key to success in CAT exam preparation is to study smart and not hard. Dedication and concentration plays a vital role in preparing for the exam wisely. Nobody can study with full concentration at a stretch. It is always recommended to take a good and healthy break in between the topics to retain and memorise the topics studied. Thus, always ensure to keep your mind calm and refreshed before you jump on to covering several topics in a day.

• Conceptual Clarity and Mathematical Concepts

Conceptual clarity is tricky. Thus, mathematical concepts and formulae should be studied in the later stage of the preparation. It works amazingly when the formulae are practised and applied rather than memorising them. Try to solve previous years question papers and mock test papers to apply the formulae and get good hands on it. 

• Verbal Ability

Verbal ability is the most unpredictable section in CAT 2019 examination. To prepare for this section, applicants study thick vocabulary books to polish their grammatical and verbal skills. Since, it is based on language test, no formula or objective can work to give the right answer. The only thing that can be fruitful in making it through is developing and improving reading. The more you focus on reading skills, the easier it becomes to score in this section.

• DI & LR

No matter how hard you prepare questions for data interpretation and logical reasoning come as a surprise. If you have practiced wisely during the preparation, probability of scoring high in this section increases. The best way to prepare for this section is to practice and take mock tests. Always keep the assumptions away while attempting this section as they are based on factual concepts.  

Apart from these hacks, the biggest tried and tested hack to crack CAT examination is self-motivation and confidence. Whether you are studying in a coaching institute or self-studying, the utmost thing is to keep full confidence in yourself and your capabilities. A positive and problem solving attitude can change the game in CAT 2019 examination.