Hello,

Here's how you can prepare for CAT :

1. Know the exam pattern and syllabus in detail

After you decide to take the MBA entrance exam, the first thing to do is to know the exam pattern and syllabus in detail. The next step is to go through the past years analysis so that you can prepare a comprehensive plan and also set priorities according to the importance of different topics across sections. The generic exam pattern of CAT is that it is a multiple choice objective type test from four areas, namely Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. Some exams also have a section on General Knowledge. On the basis of that, prepare a study schedule. Gautam Puri, Vice Chairman, Career Launcher suggests, " Focus on all the three sections and dont leave anything for the last moment. The next few months should be focused on your strengths and strengths alone."

2. Get the right study material

Those who opt for coaching get the tailor-made section-wise preparation material. But, even if you do not go for coaching classes and cannot access the expert notes, there is no dearth of right study material. There are ample books, question banks, CAT Sample papers and preparatory books by expert authors available in the market. Get the right materials and study in a systematic and diligent manner. Also, utilise the practice papers so that you are aware of your strengths and weaknesses. The books and materials are available online as well as offline markets. Some of the top books for CAT preparation include How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Arun Sharma, The Pearson Guide to Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Nishit Sinha, Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT by Sarvesh Verma to name a few. Other than that, read newspapers and magazines daily to get a grip on your language and comprehension skills along with brushing up General Knowledge.

3. Take online mock tests

After the basic preparation, you have to start taking CAT mock tests on a regular basis. With each mock test, you will be clear about your strengths and weaknesses. Remember, the analysis is very important for your progress in preparation. Based on the analysis, you have to change the course of action of your preparation. Initially, you need to take the mock tests once or twice a week and later on, you can increase the frequency of the mock tests to thrice or four times a week. Ensure that you analyse each test in terms of common errors. Know what the factors are behind those errors, lack of conceptual clarity or silly mistakes. Sharing his opinion and strategy, Shikhar Sachdeva, 99.98 percentiler in CAT 2017 says, "I took coaching. I was part of the classroom course at one of the most renowned institutes. And personally, Ive come to feel that classroom coaching is not necessary for CAT. There are amazing web courses available like iQuanta, at a fraction of the price of the classroom courses. The best strategy for an aspirant would be to take two mock series from renowned institutes, one booklet series, and then make use of any one web course. Ive myself found iQuanta to be the best in their domain." You may also enrol for test series of popular coaching institutes and get them analysed by the institute experts. As Madhur Gupta, another 100 percentiler mentions, "I mostly did self-study. But I took the test series from T.I.M.E. and Career Launcher at the end."

4. Create Study Group

A good company of people ensures that you are on the right track. You can discuss your problems, strategies, topics etc. with your study group members. Its not necessary that all the group members are doing self-preparation. If some of them are taking coaching, that can be an added advantage for you. They can clarify your queries and confusions and also give you the suggestion based on expert inputs. You can also take same mock test or practice test together and analyse your competition and get your performance analysed with your group members.

5. Utilise the Internet

The best part of using the internet is that you can get help and guidance on anything and everything. There are numerous education news websites which serve articles and news related to your exam along with study materials and sample papers on their website. You can also be part of social media groups for the CAT or XAT aspirants by liking the several Facebook pages or Forum threads created by aspirants or coaching institutes and being a part of online study groups. You can also follow the Twitter handles of the exam authorities and officials to be updated with the happenings. Soumyajit Ghosh, who has converted IIM Bangalore call says, "Since my workplace is at a remote location, I took an online course. I used to follow their recorded videos. I gave numerous topic tests and from August I started giving mock tests every week."

6. Be confident and stay motivated

This is the most important factor for those candidates who are preparing on their own. Dont think that you have any less potential to crack the test than your counterparts who are taking coaching. As Rohan Joshi, CAT 2017 99.63 percentiler shares, Believe in your abilities and do not consider CAT as an extremely tough examination. Be super disciplined, prepare well, work on developing the ability to grasp and apply concepts in different scenarios. Know your limitations and work on how to overcome them. Remember that it is the difficult path that leads you to a better place."



https://bschool.careers360.com/articles/how-prepare-for-cat-without-coaching





I hope this helps.

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