Tips for CAT 2012 Preparation

Compare & Discard

This is immensely useful for the Reading Comprehension section of the CAT Exam.

While there may be a 'Perfect' answer to a question, it may not appear as one of the options. What you need to do is compare the different answer choices and choose the best one available. In fact you can usually zero down on two choices and discard the ones that are distinctly different from these two.

Use Short-cuts only when necessary

It is extremely important to be aware of all the possible shortcuts that are available to you, however, these are to be used only if you are unable to apply the ‘regular’ methods.

Analyze your Strengths & Weaknesses and create a study plan unique to them.

The important thing here is NOT to ignore your strengths, and to stick to your study plan.

Managing Test Anxiety

More than anything else, the CAT is a test of your nerves. There are hundreds of brilliant students who score MUCH lower in the CAT than they do in their practice tests. It is important to manage your test anxiety.

  

Author: MBARENDEZVOUS.COM

How do I prepare for the various sections in the CAT 2012 paper?

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension: The basic requirement for both these sections is a good vocabulary and a strong sense of grammar.

Ability to read fast would be an added advantage. In the first three months of preparation, you should spend a lot of time on improving your vocabulary and reading speed.

As the questions can be from any general topic -- economics, psychology, philosophy, sociology, politics, medicine, science, culture, arts, etc -- it is important to inculcate good reading habits.

Quantitative ability: You have to be very good at numbers and geometry. The best way to prepare for this section is to pick up a guide on Quantitative Ability and start working on the basics.

Make it a goal that in the next three months, you have to complete the basics of all topics CAT covers.

The typical CAT Quantitative Ability questions are based on simple equations, ratio proportion and variation, percentage, profit and loss, numbers, indices, logs and surds, averages, mixtures and allegations, quadratic equations, progressions, time and work, time and distance, geometry and mensuration, permutations and combinations, probability, special equations, inequalities, number systems, functions and graphs, coordinate geometry and miscellaneous math logic.

Data Interpretation: In the last three years, DI is becoming more and more reasoning and logic oriented rather than pure mathematical calculation oriented as many think it to be. However, to start your DI preparations, it is important to improve your speed-calculation techniques. You should be thorough with tables up to 20, fractions, squares and cubes of numbers. In addition, learn the techniques of speed-multiplication and division. 

Once you are thorough with these areas, then taking up the different types of DI sets and working on them would be a simple and effective way of starting your preparations.

Author: MBARENDEZVOUS.COM

CAT 2012 preparation tips: Importance of Solving Previous Years Papers in CAT

The aspirants apply various techniques to prepare for this exam. The best technique out of all is by solving the previous year’s questions papers. By doing so, you can get an idea of the questions that might appear in the paper. This will simply make your CAT 2012 preparation better and effective. 

You can also go for various online mock tests that will not only provide you idea and feel of the actual CAT paper, but will build confidence in you that you can also do it.

One more thing to remember is that CAT IIM papers do not stay the same each year; hence the students must be careful while solving the previous papers. Computer – based CAT has made a few changes in the paper pattern which will not be found in the previous year’s question papers. Aspirants should go through such minor details in order to be on a safer side. Online CAT exams are different from the CAT exams which were earlier given on paper. It is difficult to find the online papers over the internet.

Many coaching institutes for CAT also provide their students with similar papers as CAT. Even though the paper pattern has been changed, CAT results will still come in the same fashion for all students. All students aiming for IIM should always solve the previous year’s papers as it will make their doubts clear regarding the questions during the exam. 

Go ahead prepare well and achieve mission CAT 2012.

Author: MBARENDEZVOUS.COM

CAT 2012: Tips for DI

This time, just like last year, Quant and DI will be compounded together with a time limit of about 70 minutes so make sure you take mock CATs setting a time limit of 70 minutes. Consistently, a DI set may have two- three questions per set, but it is possible to have sets with just one question.

Here are some skillful and adaptable tips to crack the CAT DATA INTERPRETATION:

• Working at developing the ability to understand voluminous data.
•  Familiarizing with different kinds of charts.
• Enhancing the mental math skills.
• Bucking up with the speed would thus help in saving time.
• Calculating the increase or decrease of percentage or comparing ratio is an essential skill of saving time.
• Regularly solving DI sets that require reasoning skills and logic and increasing your familiarity with such sets would help you sail through.
• Getting a clear idea of the DI sets well in advance by solving as many questions as possible.
• Getting accustomed with DS questions, as they would help you score more.
• Rejection of DI sets based on the volume of data is a complete NO-NO. More data does not necessarily mean a more difficult set and vice versa.
• Try not to solve all the questions at once. Try solving a bulk of some easy questions and some difficult ones at a time.
• Attempting questions that you can confidently answer in 2 to 2.5 minutes would prove to be a better idea.
• Ration your time between the Quant and DI section would help you neither neglect nor spend excessive time on any of these areas.

And again….. Practice regularly for achieving mission CAT 2012.

 

Author: MBARENDEZVOUS.COM

CAT 2012 Tips for RC

Four-step method that should be of use to students and aspirants preparing for Reading Comprehension section of CAT 2012

This four-step process should help you grasp the gist of any article or passage as the weeks go by.

Step 1:

Read the editorial of any newspaper once, preferably a well known English paper and one business daily.

Step 2:

Write down a two to three line summary of what you have understood from the first reading.

Step 3:

Reread the editorial again. This time, check the key points you may have missed and make a note of them.

Step 4:

Underline all words in the article/editorial that are not familiar and jot down the meanings of these words with the help of a dictionary.

The above mentioned simple four-step method looks easy to implement, but requires continuous effort for two to three months before you see an improvement in your reading comprehension.

Practice and perseverance are mantras for the above steps to score in RC.

Go ahead and achieve mission CAT 2012. 

Author: MBARENDEZVOUS.COM