Attempting the Common Admissions Test is a milestone for any B-school
aspirant. However, clearing the exam is not enough. Most students aim to score
above the 95 percentile. However, a few of them aim higher. The ones that reach
their goal join the coveted 100 percentiles club.
Candidates who aim to score 100 percentile need to approach the exam more
strategically, with smart methods and consistent effort. While it is not impossible,
it is certainly not an easy feat.
Here is a list of 9 things that 100 percentiles do differently. These skills and
strategies will equip you to take on the CAT with confidence.
1. Creating a personalized study plan
For any student planning to give the CAT, a study plan is a must. Without a study
plan, people try to catch up on the entire syllabus in one go and compromise on
revision. For an average student, a study plan created by a coaching institute or
found online may also work. However, for 100%iler aspirants, it is essential to
build a personalized strategy based on your familiarity with the concepts. Your
study plan should be detailed and should include buffer periods. Remember to
include breaks with activities that can help you relax. Time management skills
and self-discipline are essential for sticking to your schedule. It is important to
remember that self-study is more valuable than coaching or guided study for the CAT.
2. Referring to relevant material
There is a lot of study material available for the CAT. It can be difficult and
confusing to choose the right books and guides for you. Choosing the wrong
material can ruin your chances of a good percentile. Before you begin studying,
make a list of frequently asked topics from all three sections and do some
research about what guides are the most relevant. Always try to choose quality
over quantity. If you are attending a coaching class, consider their material as
well, as they will mostly stick to that. Ensure that your material is not outdated,
handles different varieties of questions, explains the answer for problems, and
discuss short-cuts and tricks as well. Other than guides and books, try to
collect previous year's papers at the start so that you save yourself the hassle in
the future.
3. Strengthening the basics
A common mistake made by aspirants is to start solving the difficult questions in
a topic first. In an attempt to save preparation time, they ignore the basics.
However, if the basics of a concept are weak, you will not be able to handle the
variations that will be there in the CAT exam. By thoroughly understanding the
basics, you will allow yourself more flexibility in question types. It will also help
you understand why the tricks work and thus make them easier to remember. For
R.D. Sharma, or R.S. Aggarwal.
4. Tackling each section separately
The CAT has an overall marking scheme, which means that you do not need to
clear a sectional minimum. However, even to score in the 99th percentile, a
candidate should obtain an overall score above 144. Multiple guidelines state
that the candidate should aim to answer 18 - 20 questions in each section. The
requirement is higher for the 100th percentile. However, after noticing these
facts, candidates tend to forget that these sections are very different. You should
have a unique approach for each. In QA, you should solve the basic questions
first and slowly increase the difficulty. The skills you gain from solving puzzles
and sudokus can be translated to assist in LRDI. For VARC, you should learn all
the grammar rules and read books and the newspaper to gain an instinctual
understanding.
5. Frequently practicing mocks
Aspirants tend to leave mock tests until the last month before the exam.
However, if you want to score in the 100th percentile, you should begin giving
mocks as soon as you gain a basic understanding of all the topics. Time each of
your mock tests to the time available for the actual exam. It will improve your
confidence and teach you to solve questions quickly and accurately, even under
pressure.
6. Performing frequent self-evaluations
After completing every topic and at the end of every mock, evaluate your
performance. At the end of every section of the syllabus, you should answer
practice questions with a stopwatch. Your goal is to answer the problems
efficiently and with high accuracy. You should also evaluate your understanding
of the concepts and tricks; you should accordingly plan how often you will revise
the topic. At the end of every mock, you should calculate your total score and the
score you would obtain if you hadn't attempted any of the wrong questions. You
should also note how many questions you were able to answer during the mock.
Finally, you should notice which sections and topics had the most unanswered or
incorrectly answered questions.
7. Focusing on both weaknesses and strengths
Cat aspirants who aim for the 95th percentile have the advantage of being able to
choose whether they want to focus on their strengths and build their confidence
in one section or to improve on their weaknesses and become more all-rounded.
100%ilers do not have this privilege. They need to become well-rounded and
build confidence in all sections. They need to work on elevating their strengths
and converting their weaknesses into strengths. They cannot afford to gain
negative marks or to leave many questions unanswered in any section. You
should dedicate separate study time to your strengths and weaknesses. For the
former, you should focus on more varied and complex questions. For the latter,
you should begin at the basics and improve your skill gradually.
8. Nurturing mental and physical health
The CAT preparation process can be stressful and taxing on both the body and
the mind. Aspirants often feel that they need to choose between sleep, physical
activity, and studying. They tend to forget that the best preparation happens
when you are well-rested, well-fed, and feeling calm. You can practice yoga,
meditation, or creative activities to calm your mind. It is also important to exercise
so that the brain receives enough oxygen and does not make your body and
mind lethargic.
With dedication, drive, and a strong sense of self-discipline, anyone can become
a 100%iler. An inspiring story is that of Patrick Dsouza, a mentor who has given
the CAT 17 times and scored the 100th percentile in 6 of his attempts. He claims
that he is proof that anyone can become a 100%iler with the right strategies and
a good plan.
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