Timeliness is one of the most important takeaways from your MOCK CAT Tests.

CAT has to be one of the most defining exams of your life and how you fare in those three hours determine your future admission prospects. Needless to say, enough hard work is put into preparation by way of lectures, study hours and mentor sessions. However, if these steps are not sealed with exam practice, the candidate will have left out a crucial part of preparing for CAT in itself. With a complex and highly competitive exam like CAT, the more exam practice one puts him/herself through, the better are the results. Familiarizing yourself with the actual test is a vital step in your preparation and the mock tests give you just what you need.

Reasons for Taking the Mock Test:

• Helps you identify your strong and weak points in quick succession. This is one of the primary steps in exam practice.

• Gives you exam practice as maintaining speed and accuracy is one of the key components of cracking the test. Striking this balance will take you to the next level in your preparation.
• Develops a skill in you to pick the right questions to be solved first. The ones that consume time will be put off for later.

There are a few websites that will allow you the opportunity to take two to three (sometimes, up to five) free Mock CAT tests. You can sign up for a package of tests with one of these websites to regularly practice before the big day. These tests will help you evaluate your strengths and weak points better. Taking as many Mock Tests as possible is recommended as practicing this will give you real time exam experience which becomes an unparalleled preparatory step for cracking your CAT. Choose the dates from the available slots for a Mock test and you are all set with your candidature.

You can either, answer, skip or mark a question for review while taking the test and when it comes to non-MCQs, you will be required to put in numbers as answers. Reviewing the entire paper is an option for candidates once they finish their test.

Let’s look at how one should go about taking Mock CAT Test:

• Like CAT, the mock tests also do not allow any intervals or pauses during the three hour exam period. Gear up for your Mock test!

• Have a basic idea of your strengths and weaknesses with respect to the 3 sections and have a strategy in place accordingly. The allotted time limit for each section is 60 minutes. Hence, it is advisable for candidates to finish one section before time

• Attempt the easier questions first so as to utilize time. As you gain confidence in this phase, start moving over to the questions that take relatively more time.

• CAT toppers have suggested two to three mock tests a week in the last month or two to prepare better.

• The most important part of the mock test is to conduct a thorough analysis of your performance after the exam. This will help you re-strategize your exam plan or make crucial amends in the nick of time to get you ahead.

Often, due to our conditioning in exams, we tend to neglect mock tests as part of the preparation. It is prudent to spend your time preparing with Mock tests rather than studying concepts and other such theoretical parts in the final weeks leading to the exam.

MCQs and non-MCQs form a 70-30 ratio in CAT.

CAT is right around the corner and with around two months to go for the big day, preparation time is in full swing! The CAT 2019 has a revised pattern consisting of 100 questions. The pattern will include the 3 sections- Verbal Ability (VA), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) and Quantitative aptitude skills (Quant) to be solved in 3 hours, one hour allotted to each. 70 to 75 of these 100 questions are Multiple choice questions where a correct answer earns you 3 marks and an incorrect answer earns you negative marking (-1). 25-30 questions are Non-MCQs where there are no negative marking.

Here are a Few Handy Tips for Cracking the CAT:

• Coaching:-

Though self-study might be the preferred path for many, coaching classes can train you in systematic ways. CAT exam pattern has many dimensions and experts can give you a clear picture for evaluating your strengths and weaknesses. Your preparation thereon will become more focussed and streamlined with a study plan. It also helps you with ready study materials giving you a section-wise approach to your preparation.

• Mock Tests:-

As the exam date approaches closer, it makes better sense to focus on solving sample question papers and mock tests over spending time learning concepts. Mock tests familiarize you with exam dynamics and take your preparation to the next level. Previous toppers of the CAT exam attribute a large part of their success in the exam to taking mock tests.

• Section-wise Preparation:-

If Verbal Ability Reading Comprehension (VARC) happens to be your problem area, you can counter that by reading English novels, newspapers, conversing in English whenever possible. Also watching English movies and listening to podcasts can improve your preparation. Say, Data interpretation section is your weak part, then, you could start by practicing DI questions with approximation techniques as they help with quick calculations.

• Time Management:-
  

CAT is not only about analytics and how well you fare in the sectional preparation. There is a lot of weightage on how you manage writing the question paper. Time is precious and it is best to solve the easy questions first and then move on to the more time-consuming ones as you proceed. Managing this efficiently will optimize your exam performance.

• Revision & Practice:-

Like in any other exam, revision is key for CAT as well. In the last few days leading up to the exam, you need to ensure that all your concepts are brushed up once again. To gain an added edge, practising questions from different sections also holds its share of importance. With consistent practice, candidates can remain in top gear before the exam. Revision and practice will keep you updated with the questions that are likely to be asked. Devoting more than two minutes on a question is strictly avoidable to maintain your performance.

CAT 2019 can be your launching point to the career of your dreams. Try to ensure that you follow these easy guidelines to make the most of your preparation.