How many mocks to give before CAT?
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is scheduled to take place on 28th November 2021, across three slots. This leaves the aspirants roughly two months to ace this exam. Having said that, candidates who have registered for the exam but have not yet started with their preparation can also achieve a high percentile in these two months with a well-structured and systematic preparation. An important question that aspirants keep asking is how many mocks to give before CAT.
Well, considering that mocks form a major part of your preparation, we cannot put an upper limit to it. The more the number of mocks you give, the better it is for you. However, mocks without proper analysis will not take you anywhere. Hence, each mock should be followed by proper and thorough analysis, so that you can perform better in the subsequent mock. Keeping this in mind, in this article, we have tried to roughly jot down the optimum number of mocks you should give before CAT.
Take 3 Free Mock Tests for CAT
Number of mocks you should give in each month
The number of mocks you should give before CAT depends primarily on two factors:
- When did you start your preparation
- Where do you stand on your basics
Keeping these deciding factors in mind, we have tried to break down the number of mocks you should give each month to ace the CAT.
Number of mocks starting from June-July
If you are starting to prepare in the month of June or July, you should give one mock every second week for these 2 months. Starting from the month of August, you can give a mock every week. Starting from the month of September, you can give 2 mocks every week. You are expected to have already completed your basics and fundamentals by September, considering that you had started before July. In the last two months, you can primarily focus on mocks and their analysis. You are advised to give 2-3 mocks every week in the last two months, base on your convenience.
To encapsulate the number of mocks you should give before CAT, please refer to the table below:
| Month | Number of mocks |
| June | 1 mock/2 weeks |
| July | 1 mock/2 weeks |
| August | 1 mock/week |
| September | 2 mock/week |
| October | 2-3 mocks/week |
| November | 2-3 mocks/week |
Number of mocks starting from September-October
If you are starting your preparation in August, you can stick to the mentioned schedule. However, if you are starting anytime after September, keep in mind that you have 2 months left in which you need to strengthen your fundamentals and also develop the habit of giving mocks and analysing them.
Keeping all factors in mind, in the month of October, you should give at least 1-2 mocks per week, and at the same time, devote your maximum time to strengthen your fundamentals. You should be done with most topics by October end. In the month of November, try to give at least 3 mocks in a week. This will be enough to land you in a comfortable position before the CAT.
| Month | Number of mocks |
| October | 1-2 mocks/week |
| November | 3+ mocks/week |
If you are starting your preparation, you are advised to take a free mock and a free sectional.
You are also advised to go through Previous CAT Papers to get acquainted with the type of questions asked in the examination.
Also, keep in mind that taking the mocks in an environment similar to that of CAT goes a long way in ensuring success in the CAT examination. If you are giving your first mock, you might even find it difficult to sit through the entire mock. However, with time, you will get over this. Having said that, if you devise a strict mock schedule similar to that mentioned in this article and stick to it over time, you will definitely ace the examination.
