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Verbal Ability is not a mere test of English

There are so many things I have to say about the experience of preparing for the CAT. However, I would stick to talking about things which really benefited me.

CAT has been changing over the years. And from what I see, it is essentially a test of logic. Last year they reduced the no. of questions to 90. Clearly the questions required more thought than ever before. So first of all you need to start thinking. There are many ways to solve a question. In CAT you have to arrive at the answer and this can be done without actually solving the question. There are many ways for this: one is to actually check for the answers option by option. You will realise this as you start taking tests. You will, and you should find such short-cuts. Even the Verbal Ability/Reading Comprehension questions are more logic-based than a mere test of English.

There are many ways to solve a question, especially in Quant. You should look for the method that is thought-based, rather than a mere application of formula. Many questions are so designed that a formula won't ever work. The most important tool that can help you get through is pattern recognition. Many questions in CAT can be solved by pattern recognition, without actually solving them, and some without even putting pen to paper. I am saying this from personal experience. CAT requires no great knowledge of English or Mathematics. All it requires is an uncluttered mind which can think fast and handle pressure. If you find a certain part really tough, concentrate on your strengths. You just need to clear the cut-offs in all the sections, and that isn't too high.

CAT is just an exam. All you need to do is prepare well and prepare consistently. I have seen many able candidates performing well below par because they didn't show enough enthusiasm. Be enthusiastic. Those 2.5 hours matter a lot. All you need to do is start thinking. Maybe solving a Sudoku could be a good exercise to start with.

– Kumar Diwesh, PGP First Year student , IIM Lucknow, CAT percentile: 99.82

Have YOU cracked CAT? Post your experiences. Mention your name, age, CAT percantile, B-School and where you currently work.

Posted in CAT 2006.

2 comments

By CAT Squad – October 13, 2006

CAT is no UPSC exam

At the outset, I praise the lucidity with which Ritesh exploded the myths
associated with CAT. I attempted CAT twice in my life and was lucky the second time. I, too was occupied in a full-time almost 24X7 job and to be honest it was not very easy to gather time and energy to settle for CAT preparations. My failure in the first attempt taught me certain things which I am sure could be a reminder of sorts to some of the readers.


1. No matter what, study regularly - It’s like a workout, you have to be consistent, even if that means cutting down on sleeping hours occasionally. Accepted you are the man friday in your workplace, you enjoy the pressure and adulation that come with workaholism, but still do grab those 2 hours from the whole day.


2. No, preparing for CAT is not a long-drawn process - It is no UPSC exam, nor it is defending your PhD thesis. A consistent 3 to 4 months is all what it takes with 2 to 3 hours of daily effort. It can be even lesser.


3. You are not a calculator - I guess enough has been said about it. Still, if you are indeed so fond of calculations, memorizing percentage-fraction (that too beetween 1 and 1/20) is all where you should check your hunger for numbers.


4. Take tests and literally brood over your scores - after taking a 2 hour test, at least spend as many hours just analyzing how you fared. Do not let your notions decide your strength and weakness areas to your notion. Usually we take our interest area as our area of strength. Watch out, that may quite well not be the case. I discovered this while attempting the RC section. Historically I have never been fond of reading, let alone books and I practically hated anything that was remotely associated with books, novels, articles, newspapers, etc. But surprisingly I was doing relatively better in the RC section most of the time. Similarly I was flopping miserably in the QA almost consistently despite an old “acquaintance” with numbers thanks to the B.Tech degree I had. Accept what your scores speak and prepare your action plan accordingly.


5. Develop your “own” plan for attacking various sections - for instance order of attempting the sections or for DI fixing no. of data points, types of questions or even in the RC making a trade-off between fact based and opinion seeking questions.


6. Maintain your calm in the exam hall - You have no idea as how others are faring, this could be the toughest exam in the history of CAT. Just try to do a little better than you were doing 2 minutes back. At least do not panic. This does not call for mastering any trick or technique. Just keep reminding yourself you have all that it takes to do well in this exam. Plan to enjoy your CAT. CAT is your friend, not a foe. It is more a test of mental toughness than intellectual prowess.

– Atulan Lahiri passed out of S P Jain Institute of Management & Research, Mumbai and currently works with ECS Limited, a management consultancy firm. He took the CAT in 2002 (Percentile not applicable as it started after he took the test).

Have YOU cracked CAT? Post your experiences.Mention your name, age, CAT percantile, B-School and where you currently work.

Posted in CAT.

2 comments

By CAT Squad – October 3, 2006

First, a bit of preparation

Multiple hours of sitting under the table lamp, eyes harrowing the intractable comprehension passages, mind simultaneously creating virtual images of the text written, hands skimming up and down the page, subconscious thinking of the plausible questions at the end of the passage and side by side conjecturing answers, anxiety to finish off in five minutes not letting the eyelids waiver, brain forming links between the lines and trying to run ahead of the span of the eyes, and kaboom! concentration lost The entire train of thoughts derailed. And the need to start afresh.

That is how the 'mice' prepare for the CAT. Clearing the Common Admission Test for the IIMs, the dreams of many, cherished by a few, gateway to the most coveted boardrooms, the source to an enviable network, and — last but not least — insurance of the best pay packages; is a big challenge but, if taken in the right spirit and with a little proper and timely guidance, can be an enjoyable journey.

I cleared this behemoth this year and at the end the 'Congratulations! You have been selected.' took away all the fatigue, monotony and listlessness. The first step required to be taken, according to me, is to have a rock solid determination to get into the institute of your choice. Because that gives the required impetus to work hard and not let one steer away from one's prime focus.

One has to learn to prioritise. Be it time, college studies office work. And gradually develop the confidence, 'Yes, I can get through.' Then things start falling in place, one starts enjoying the preparation, incorporates the maths techniques and interpretation skills in daily life. Having a rigid schedule and, more importantly, sticking to it, practicing newly learnt skills regularly, and analysing one's performances are the key factors that contribute towards success.

It is very important to keep the mind fresh and invigorated to maintain it active throughout the process. For that, I personally dreamt of all the Leicester Squares and Times Squares, that the course would entail and the endless opportunities it would bestow upon me. But, after passing through this titanic hurdle, if one assumes life is going to be a cakewalk henceforth, beware! You have not yet entered the big dark dungeons of an IIM!

Multiple hours in front of the laptop, eyes hurriedly going through abysmal assignments, mind trying to grapple with information overload, hands crisscrossing the keypad, subconscious sleeping for the want of it, anxiety to get at least half an hour of sleep, brain debiting the credit and crediting the debit, and kaboom! One realizes that life never gets easy now. The cat has finally taken over the mice

– Vaibhav Gupta, 1st year PGDM student at IIM Calcutta.

Posted in Work.

13 comments

By CAT Squad – September 21, 2006