How Practicing with CAT Sample Papers Can Help You Achieve Your Dream B-School
Are you preparing for the Common Admission Test (CAT) and feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of study material available? With tough competition and limited seats, it is essential to have a strong and solid strategy to prepare to ace the exam. One of the essential ways to prepare for the CAT is by practicing with CAT sample papers. Read this article to explore the importance of CAT sample papers in your preparation and how they can help you improve your performance on exam day.
CAT Overview:
The prestigious IIMs’ most well-known management entrance exam is called CAT. IIMs and other top B-schools shortlist applicants each year using CAT scores. The exam is a requirement for choosing candidates who want to work as managers or entrepreneurs in the future. A seat in the two-year Post Graduate Management programmes offered by IIMs and other prestigious institutions like the Indian Institute of Technology, FMS, S P Jain, MDI, etc., can be obtained by candidates with a strong resume (academics, work experience), strong performance in the test, and good results in the GD-PI round.
This year’s CAT 2023 will take place in November. It probably has 66 questions that must be answered in two hours.
CAT Exam Format:
The CAT is a three-part computer-based test that includes verbal, numerical, analytical reasoning, and data interpretation questions. Both MCQ and non-MCQ question types are included. The order of the sections cannot be altered, and each lasts for 40 minutes. The three marks given for each correct response to an MCQ are reduced by one mark for each incorrect response. The CAT exam is divided into the following sections:
- (VARC) Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension: 24
- (DILR) Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning: 20
- (QA) Quantitative Aptitude: 22
Essential Topics To Study:
The CAT syllabus sections that place the most emphasis on each of the following are known as the CAT sections:
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QA (Quantitative Ability):
Arithmetic, Number System, Algebra, Geometry, & Modern Math
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DILR (Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning):
Team Formation, Tables, Bar Graphs, Seating Arrangement, Clocks and Calendars, Venn Diagrams
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VARC (Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension):
Para-jumbles, Para-Summary, Long & Short RC Passages
CAT Sample Paper: Preparation Tips
You should focus on completing the CAT paper on its due date and time. Pay attention to the time restrictions for each section as well. The best B-schools consider sectional cut-offs, so you must maintain balance while studying for important topics.
- Use mental math shortcuts, elimination strategies, formulas, approximations, and similar strategies for the relevant questions.
- Ideally, you should start the practise exam with the questions that come naturally to you and that you are most confident in answering. Remember that CAT demands the ideal combination of accuracy and speed abilities.
- Don’t forget to analyse your test performance! Because feedback is the key to improvements, be sure to separate the areas where you performed best from those where you still need to improve.
CAT Sample Paper: Advantages
- Improve how well you perform on each exam section. Your performance on these exams is an accurate reflection of your current level of readiness.
- Obtain a clear understanding of your position in relation to others and offer suggestions for your future development.
- Recognise your advantages and disadvantages in exam-like situations. Mock tests serve as a mirror, providing a comparative analysis that helps develop a thorough exam strategy.
- Look over your performance and pinpoint any shortcomings or weak points. Test analysis is a crucial component of your preparation as well. Simply taking practise exams and recording your results is not sufficient.
- Make a thorough examination plan. Once you are aware of your strengths and weaknesses, you will be able to analyse the questions to attempt first and later. Such minuscule adjustments have a big impact on your test results.
As a result, the more you practise, the more adept you become at knowing when to ask a particular question. Additionally, you become more accurate when answering various questions.
FaQs Regarding CAT Sample Paper
1. When should I start practising with CAT sample papers?
Aspirants for the CAT start taking practise exams typically 1-2 months before the exam.
2. Are there set sections in CAT Sample Papers?
The format of the CAT practise exams is identical to that of the actual test.
3. Can I simply study practise questions to get ready for the CAT?
No, prior to taking practise exams and mock exams, it is imperative to study the concepts.
4. On the CAT sample papers, can I use a calculator?
You cannot take the calculator to the CAT exam. The test does, however, have a customizable onscreen calculator.
6. How many CAT practise exams should I complete before the exam?
There is no predetermined minimum or maximum of sample tests that you must pass. Your performance on each test will determine how well you do. However, it is advisable to take a few practise tests each week as you get ready for the CAT.
7. Are the criteria for scoring MCQs and non-MCQs equivalent?
In the CAT, each correct response earns three marks, while an incorrect response to MCQ results in a one-mark deduction. There is no negative marking for non-MCQs.
8. How many questions are there on the practise CAT exam?
There are exactly the same number of questions as in the most recent CAT sample paper. The 66 questions on the sample paper will be identical to the 66 questions on the CAT 2021.
9. Are CAT sample papers applicable to other entrance exams?
Yes, using these sample papers will aid in your preparation for additional aptitude tests. This is so because the majority of entrance exams concentrate on topics that the CAT exam does.
