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If you have already covered a good amount of the CAT Exam Syllabus, these last two months need to be utilized in order to consolidate your knowledge, improve speed and accuracy, and fine-tune your exam strategy.
Here's a detailed CAT 2 month strategy for such candidates who are well-versed with the syllabus and now need to elevate their preparation for the final stage.
Emphasis on Revision and Mock Analysis
Now that the syllabus is largely covered, a strong CAT revision strategy becomes essential. Herein, what you can do is explained:
- Weekly Mocks: Begin with 2 CAT mock tests every week, which go up to one every alternate day in the last few weeks. Mock tests form the backbone of simulating the actual experience of taking an examination and will highlight both your relative strengths and weaknesses.
After each mock, spend at least the amount of time as you took on the mock analyzing it. Identify the kinds of mistakes: conceptual, committed due to speed, or misreading of questions. - Time Management: CAT exam is as much a test of time management as that of aptitude. Keep track of the time you spend on each section when attempting mocks, especially VARC and DILR, because these sections can get away from you if you don't plan your time wisely. In Quant ensure that you are not spending too much time on tough questions but maximizing your score by solving easier ones first.
Work on Weak Areas
Now, this is the stage when focusing on your weaker areas and fine-tuning the stronger ones will be of utmost importance. Here's how you do it:
- Quantitative Ability: If you feel that certain topics, such as geometry or algebra, make you nervous, you should give those specific topics dedicated revision sessions. However, this is not the time to learn any completely new topics. Just go through those core concepts which have high weightage and focus on building speed with simple problems like arithmetic
- VARC: For the weak student in VARC, reading different types of materials daily will help get a feel for various authors' writing styles. Read from sources like The Hindu, The Economic Times, and online magazines. Try to read different types of materials every day. This will help you get a feel of various authors' styles of writing. Para jumbles, summary-based questions, and critical reasoning are considered high-yield questions in this section.
- DILR: Practice different sets of DILR and concentrate on Puzzles-based Logical Reasoning, Venn Diagrams, Data-based Interpretation from past papers. The approach in this section should be that of accuracy rather than speed; hence, clarity in thinking is required, and jumping to conclusions without validating the underlying logic must be avoided. Time based practiced is necessary at this point.
Concentrate on Important Topics
Even after completing such a large chunk of your syllabus, it is important to focus on the most important topics, which keep coming year after year, so that you stick to the right content.
Here's a highlight of topics that are commonly asked for each section:
- Quantitative Ability: Arithmetic has been crucial and Algebra has gained weightage over the last few years. Focus on these blocks - TSD, Time and Work, Quadratic Equations are topics that should not be missed.
- VARC: The ratio of reading comprehension is very high, so concentrate on that. Besides that, practice para jumbles, and para summary.
- DILR: The expectations of the paper setters have changed over the last few years. The trend has shifted towards more general sets.
Practice Sectionals and Timed Exercises
While full-length mocks are important, sectional tests should also form a part of your CAT 2-month study plan. These especially come in helpful if you are continuously performing poorly in one section:
- Sectional Tests: Try to attempt sectional mocks in Quant, VARC, and DILR. Focus particularly on the area where you are weak. Sectionals allow you to tailor your approach.
- Timed Sets for DILR and Quant: Practice the time sets for DILR and Quant; try to solve each set of questions within 35 minutes continuously. This will thereby engage your brain to work within the actual time constraint in the examination hall.
- Analysis: As in the case of full mocks, analyze your performance after sectional tests too. Focus on why you went wrong in certain questions-misinterpretation, time pressure, or concept gap. The answer will show the way for revision strategy.
Final 2-3 Weeks: Intensive Mock Practice and Revision
Now, with less than a month left, your focus essentially should be on mock tests and revision. You should take at least 2 full-length mocks per week in this duration. Your primary aim here should be to build your mental stamina, to be able to sit in the exam for 2 hours and ideally, not let your cognitive function decline due to exhaustion.
Mocks at Exam Time: Take your mocks at the same time of day as your CAT slot to condition your body and mind to peak performance at that time.
Last-Minute Preparation Tips for CAT
In the last week, don't learn any new topics; just revise important formulae, practice mock questions, and fine-tune your exam strategy:
- Relax and Refocus: For the last 2-3 days preceding the test, spend less time studying to avoid burnout. You should be doing light revision and taking rest in between. This will bring freshness on the examination day, helping you think through problems more clearly.
- Exam-Day Strategy: Frame a certain strategy regarding how to attack each section on the day of the exam. Know how many questions you want to attempt in each section and what accuracy you need to maintain.
With this 2-month strategy for CAT, take your preparation ahead to fine-tune your aim at the best score in the final leg of your CAT journey. Keep the focus sharp, manage time well, and approach the test confidently.
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