CAT(Common Admission Test) is one of the most popular MBA entrance exams in India. As a working professional or a college student, one cannot spend enough time on CAT preparation. You should need a well-planned preparation strategy and excellent time management skills to ace the CAT exam. In this article, we will discuss some helpful tips to manage your time effectively while preparing for the CAT exam.
Contents
Tips To Manage Your Time Effectively For CAT Preparation
Make A Study Plan
The first step in effective time management is to make a study plan. Before that, it is advised to check out the CAT exam pattern and the syllabus thoroughly to understand the important topics that you need to focus on. Make a daily and weekly study plan and stick to it. Allot a specific time slot to each topic and keep a buffer time for revision and practice. And make sure to include breaks in your study schedule to avoid burnout and keep your mind fresh.
Identify Your Strengths And Weaknesses
It is imperative to identify your strengths and weaknesses to create an effective study plan. Point out the topics you are weak in and allocate more time to those topics in your study plan. Work on those topics and improve your weaknesses while maintaining your strengths.
Focus on Conceptual Clarity
The CAT exam tests your conceptual clarity and logical reasoning skills. Focus on understanding the concepts rather than rote learning. Try to spend more time on the topics that require conceptual clarity and practice by solving problems. This will help you to test your logical reasoning skills.
Take Mock Tests
Mock tests are considered an essential part of CAT preparation. They help you evaluate your performance and identify areas that need improvement. Allocate time for taking mock tests and analyze your performance after each test. Taking mock tests will help you to understand your strengths and weaknesses.
Reduce Time Wastage
Identify activities that are time-consuming and avoid them to make more time for preparation. Avoid social media, gaming and other activities which can waste your valuable time.
Get Enough Sleep
Having enough sleep is essential for good health and productivity. Make sure to get good sleep every day to keep your mind fresh and focused.
Take Breaks
Taking breaks is crucial to keep your mind fresh and avoid burnout. Take short breaks between study sessions, go for a walk or do some physical exercise to rejuvenate your mind and body.
Section-wise Study Plan For CAT 2023
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)
Here the only trick is to make a habit of reading for at least one hour every day. Start with reading what you like, and then read articles from different genres to make yourself comfortable with various writing styles. This will improve your reading ability. That is what the candidate needs to crack this section.
Also, complete the concept videos in the first 1-2 months of your preparation schedule. In the initial days of your preparation, solve at least one RC every day. Reading regularly and practising RCs every day is essential to crack the VARC section.
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
As mentioned in the study plan for VARC, the same trick will also work to crack this section. Here you need to practice the different problems from different concepts. Try to solve two sets every day, i.e. one set is from Data Interpretation (DI) and one from Logical Reasoning (LR). As we know, CAT has moved away from the traditional LRDI sets. It’s imperative to practice the non-traditional type of sets. The sets that are appearing are more logic-based (and relatively less data-intensive in nature).
Allocate 1-2 hours of your time to work on the DILR section.
Quantitative Aptitude (QA)
The Quant basics will play a crucial role in this Quantitative Aptitude section. The aspirant must spend at least 1-2 months learning the quant basics. Most of the Candidates will neglect to view the quant basics during the preparation. They will directly move on to solving the problems without having strong knowledge of Quant basics. The Candidates may forget the infrequently used concepts. So it is essential to allocate some time for refreshing the concepts.
Most of the aspirants make the common mistake is by spending too much time on one particular topic. We recommend that you practice a few examples on a topic and then move on to the next topic. Do not spend too much time on a single topic.
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