IIM entry - the battleground beckons

FIRST YEAR STUDENT,POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMME,IIM-LUCKNOW,ELABORATES ON HOW THE CAT EXAM IS UNIQUE AND HOW IT CALLS FOR A DIFFERENT APPROACH FROM CANDIDATES

 

THIS year yet again, on the third sunday of November, the nation would indulge in a fierce battle of wits. The fighters, battleground and even the intensity of the battle would change but the prize would remain the same as before — a coveted seat in one of the best management institutes in the country. I was fortunate enough to bell the CAT in 2007, in my second attempt at it. Having failed at the first attempt and succeeding at the second, I feel I have some useful insights that will help you in understanding what works and what does not in terms of CAT preparations.
   CAT is an exam that requires you to optimise and not maximise returns. Unless you start thinking of it as a fundamentally different exam, it would be hard to crack CAT. These are few small things, which can make a big difference and go a long way in ensuring success.

KNOW YOURSELF AND SUIT YOURSELF

Throughout your preparation keep it in mind that you are different. You’ll hear a lot of advice from teachers, seniors and friends about test taking strategies. Listen to all of that, but choose what works best for you. The only advice I can think of is — join a test series with some preparation institute. That not only brings a structure and discipline to the whole preparation but also keeps you abreast of what your competitors are learning.

SPEND TIME IN ANALYSIS AND REFLECTION

The CAT preparations entail a lot of analysis and reflection as compared to most other exams. After every test you take (and take at least one in a week starting today) you should analyse the mistakes you made, the section that didn’t go well and most importantly the concepts you muddled up in. In the subsequent week, just do a concentrated preparation on these subject areas through textbook and practice exercises. The trick is to unravel the root cause of the problem and not the symptoms.

BE ADAPTABLE AND FLEXIBLE

There is no official course material for CAT, no fixed format and no syllabus. So, an important point is to stay adaptable and let the format of the test decide how you perform at it. The most difficult question of optimisation in CAT is to decide which section to attempt first and how much time to give to it. Another problem is when to leave the question you think you know. I’d say practice all possible strategies during preparation. Change the order of sections, time per section and choice of questions. And throughout the exam, remember, you have to maximise your score in minimum time.

BRACE YOURSELF FOR THE D-DAY

The day of the exam will be a lot different from other tests you’d take during preparation. I, for example, was never a consistent performer in the test series I joined. In fact, of the 12-odd test series exams I undertook during preparation, I crossed 99 percentile only once. So did I get lucky on the day of the exam? Obviously, I would like to think otherwise. On that day everything comes down to a test of nerves. Many serious aspirants tend to under-perform on the D-day on account of nervousness. Hence, a positive frame of mind is imperative. Do anything that works for you but feel confident about yourself that day and think of it like another test you are about to take. Past performance, incomplete syllabus, the fear of a section — all this should be replaced by one encompassing belief — today is my day. And that would make all the difference.