We all know that the CAT is a prestigious exam, But what makes it unique is that around 2 to 3 lakhs candidates prepare for months and even years to clear it. Well, the answer is simple, every applicant wants a coveted seat at the prestigious IIM. These colleges are some of the best B-schools globally and fall under the list of top-100 B-schools around the globe.

Common Admission Test, commonly known as CAT, is the only possible way to get admission into top-tier management colleges of India. Apart from an excellent academic background, you need a high percentile to excel in the examination because it's the high percentiles that help you get into your dream college.

Like any other competitive exam, CAT also has a provision for negative marking; hence it becomes crucial that you give attention to the quality of the answers rather than the quantity. A systematic practical approach is necessary to clear this exam in the first attempt and save the precious entire year. So what can you do to ensure your selection? Well, we are here with the solution. We are sharing a schedule plan for your CAT preparation so that you excel in the examination with flying colors.

Strategy to prepare for the CAT examination

Anyone with an intelligent approach and hard work can clear this examination, but what about those candidates who also prepared like yours but didn't get selected. Simple, the answer lies in their strategy and preparation.

Everyone has a different level of commitment and aptitude; hence a unique strategy according to your strengths and weaknesses is required. But at least six months are required to complete the syllabus and revise what you have read. And we are sharing a standard preparation plan with you to maximize your output.

There are three sections in the examination, and you can divide two months for each section.

May-June, VARC

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) is the test of your reading ability and speed. This section is further divided into subsections that need dedicated time slots to master. You can alter the time as per the difficulty and your expertise in the domain. If you feel para jumbles are time-consuming, then focus on that, and if your reading pace is low or you made mistakes in the grammar part, then focus on them to strengthen.

Make sure that you prepare for both Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension to maintain the balance during the preparation.

July-August, DILR

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), unlike VARC, is more calculative and requires your left brain strength. To tackle this section, you need to build the basics strong. Even though it is technical in nature, it still takes less time to cover. You can perform in this section exceptionally with practice. Solve as many question papers as you want. By practicing for a few days, you see the change in your performance.

Similarly, the reasoning section can be solved with the same strategy. Make a consistent habit of solving various questions associated with seating arrangements, puzzles, sequences, etc. This will build your familiarity with the concepts and helps you to solve them in the given time.

September-October, QA

Quantitative Aptitude (QA) is the most time-consuming and toughest section in the whole CAT exam. That is why you see even topper scores less in this section. You cannot mimic anyone's strategies to get marks in this section, but a thorough conceptualization is required. It is the test of your problem-solving ability that broadly covers the topics from Geometry, Algebra, Basic Mathematics, and Number systems.

To tackle the topic of mathematics, you need to clear the basics first, as conceptual questions require a strong base and formula application. If you are weak in any subsection of mathematics, additional time is needed to master the topics. When you complete the preparation, prepare the mental chart to solve the question quickly on the exam day.

If you are still confused about how to do CAT preparation, then remember that all three sections of the CAT exam require different strategies and approaches to follow. Remember that completing or practicing questions is not enough; you need to solve the previous year's question papers and mock tests to strengthen the base and concept. The more you solve, the less error you will make, which will eventually increase your percentile. It is now time to "Prepare, Practise and Solve".