With around 100 days left for CAT 2012, the serious MBA
aspirants have started their preparation in full force. When you start
the journey, only then you can know the difficulties which are laden in
the path. To help you know these difficulties better and to offer you
the solution to uproot them and make your journey smooth,
MBAUniverse.com is hosting a series of Live Expert Chat on the topic,
‘How to prepare for CAT 2012’.
The first chat of the series was
held on Wednesday, July 4, 2012 with Arks Srinivas, CEO, VistaMind
Education and former Director, T.I.M.E.
Excerpts from the chat:
Q: Aravind Nair: How many questions shall I attempt from each section to clear cut offs? I took CAT last year too but found it difficult to attempt questions within 70 minutes in one section.
A: The CAT is normally designed to see that the student does not answer all questions. In fact, by trying to attempt all questions, you will make more errors and thereby getting lesser Equated Score. The idea in CAT is to attempt only those questions which are your forte. Having said that, you may have to still prepare well, so that you are in a position to attempt at least 20 out of 30 questions in each section of CAT 2012.
Q: Kaylynn: How to prepare for the Data Interpretation part? Are there any particular books which we should follow? Are these questions calculation intensive?
A: Data Interpretation has basically the following types of questions/areas. Number Oriented (Tables, Bar Charts, PIE Charts, Line Graphs, Averages etc); Percentage Oriented (Again from the above areas ); Games and Tournaments; Venn Diagrams (sometimes this is given in QA too). To prepare, one has to be absolutely familiar with the GRAPH types and the TYPES of questions that come in related to those GRAPHS. Solving around 10 sets each of each type of GRAPHs can really help a lot. Some questions are clearly calculation intensive and quite a few are not. While there are no specific books, if you follow the booklets given by any coaching institute as well as do the MOCK CATs, it should be sufficient.
Q: Sri: My vocabulary is not very strong. But I have heard that CAT does not give much weight on the vocabulary questions. Is it true? Or shall I focus on preparing for vocabulary?
A: Yes, while Vocabulary questions are not directly given in the CAT exam, the same words are given under English Usage name. Remember that the IIMs want you to be conversant with English that is in Vogue. So even if they do give words or vocabulary, they will be normally the ones that you come across in news papers and magazines. Hence concentrating on building vocabulary is not very essential as it is in GRE.
Q: Pankaj Goyal: My weaknesses include RC and Vocabulary. What should I do in these four months time?
A: The fact that you have identified your weaknesses means you are half way through. Start spending time on your vocabulary and reading every day for one hour. More than Vocabulary, you have to prepare on Grammar which will ensure that your RC becomes strong.
Q: Aravind Nair: Please give me some suggestions on time management.
A: I guess you are asking about the exam time? Frankly, this would be a long answer to give. It depends on your strengths and the state of preparedness. However, the basic objective of the exam (and hence your strategy should follow that) should be to ensure that you attempt as many questions that you know as possible. Avoid guessing and see that there are no questions left out unread before your time is up.
Q: Gaurav Singh: I have started my preparation one month back and aiming for a good CAT score for IIMs. My background is engineering so I am familiar with the QA and my English is also not so poor. Will these three months be enough for CAT 2012 preparation?
A: Absolutely! You have more than 100 days to prepare and I am sure, given sufficient effort, it is easy to CRACK CAT 2012.
Q: Richa Gupta: I am very weak in geometry. How much questions are asked from the geometry section in CAT? I'm also poor in DI. What is the best way to proceed for CAT 2012?
A: As per Geometry - please prepare. Since there are 40 different (possibly) sets of questions possible there is no guarantee whether you will get more or less questions in Geometry. However, all said and done, Geometry is a very important area. I repeat what I said to two others in this chat. 100 days is too long a time and you can easily prepare.
Q: Arvind: Are Higher Math questions relevant for CAT? How many questions can come from this area? How to prepare for the same in these few months?
A: In CAT, Higher Math is restricted to Permutations and Combinations. In XAT, Probability also appears. Other than that there is no other higher math area such as Calculus or Trigonometry. Algebra appears in the form of Indices. Logs, Quadratic Equations and Progressions. Take a topic at a time and solve more 100 questions in each topic and you would be good.
Q: Sandeep: I have got 88 per cent in Xth, 65 per cent in XIIth and 57 per cent in B.Tech (ECE). Do I stand a chance to making it to IIMs or a top B-School? How good should be my CAT scores?
A: While technically, there are chances to make it to the IIMs also, realistically your real chance depends on getting a 99.5 percentile in CAT 2012. Also, there are enough top B-schools including MDI and XLRI (for XAT) which would consider your case provided you do a good job of your Written Exam and Personal Interview.
Q: Ravi: I am a final year B.Tech student. I have just started preparing for CAT 2012. I am a slow learner and now I am really scared. Shall I drop the idea of taking CAT 2012 and prepare for next year?
A: The fact that you are a B.Tech student itself should give you confidence to attempt CAT. If the CAT 2012 is similar to that of CAT 2011, then you would have questions pertaining to your comfort zone (provided you are comfortable though!), viz., QA and Analytical Ability respectively. You have more than 100 days for preparation. And I am sure that if you give in the right effort, 100 days are more than enough.
Q: Bhushan: Since last 10 months I am preparing for CAT and other B-School exams. Last year I cracked few exams in most of the exams and my percentile is above 96. I need to know what should be my approach towards CAT 2012?
A: You are getting a very good percentile at this stage. Getting a good percentile also depends on the number of people taking the exam. But, the time is enough for you to spend time on improving on your weak areas. Take one mock CAT per week. Analyze thoroughly. Find out your weak areas, spend time on one weak area per week and then write the next Mock CAT. This should be your strategy of preparation.
Q: Eshant Deval: I have not joined any coaching till now. Is it possible to CAT without coaching? Please guide me sir.
A: Coaching institutes give your preparation a direction and give you the material required in a comprehensive fashion. Also, going to a coaching class will make you consistent in your preparation. Apart from this, there is no guarantee that by joining a coaching institute you would get into the IIMs or not joining one will not stop you from getting into these top institutes.
Q: Bhushan: I am from medical background facing some problem in mathematics. Though I have completed whole syllabus Also, I am from vernacular medium. I am still not so confident about it. I need your advice.
A: There are enough MBBS graduates who get into the IIMs. Vernacular medium will not mar your chances. Practice is a simple but the most important word for your preparation. Please do.
Q: Rishabh: What should my approach towards Quant? How much time should I utilize for my daily Quant prep?
A: Since Quant has about 15 odd topics, take the next one month to familiarize yourself with these topics. By August 15th you should get independence from Basics. Then, the next one month take tests in each topic. The last one and half month (September 15 to October end) use the time to revise thoroughly all areas.
The next Live Expert Chat on the topic ‘How to prepare for CAT 2012’ will be held on Friday, July 6, 2012, 5 pm onwards with Byju Raveendran, CAT expert and founder of Byju’s CAT Classes.
Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more on CAT 2012 Live Expert Chats.
The first chat of the series was
held on Wednesday, July 4, 2012 with Arks Srinivas, CEO, VistaMind
Education and former Director, T.I.M.E. Excerpts from the chat:
Q: Aravind Nair: How many questions shall I attempt from each section to clear cut offs? I took CAT last year too but found it difficult to attempt questions within 70 minutes in one section.
A: The CAT is normally designed to see that the student does not answer all questions. In fact, by trying to attempt all questions, you will make more errors and thereby getting lesser Equated Score. The idea in CAT is to attempt only those questions which are your forte. Having said that, you may have to still prepare well, so that you are in a position to attempt at least 20 out of 30 questions in each section of CAT 2012.
Q: Kaylynn: How to prepare for the Data Interpretation part? Are there any particular books which we should follow? Are these questions calculation intensive?
A: Data Interpretation has basically the following types of questions/areas. Number Oriented (Tables, Bar Charts, PIE Charts, Line Graphs, Averages etc); Percentage Oriented (Again from the above areas ); Games and Tournaments; Venn Diagrams (sometimes this is given in QA too). To prepare, one has to be absolutely familiar with the GRAPH types and the TYPES of questions that come in related to those GRAPHS. Solving around 10 sets each of each type of GRAPHs can really help a lot. Some questions are clearly calculation intensive and quite a few are not. While there are no specific books, if you follow the booklets given by any coaching institute as well as do the MOCK CATs, it should be sufficient.
Q: Sri: My vocabulary is not very strong. But I have heard that CAT does not give much weight on the vocabulary questions. Is it true? Or shall I focus on preparing for vocabulary?
A: Yes, while Vocabulary questions are not directly given in the CAT exam, the same words are given under English Usage name. Remember that the IIMs want you to be conversant with English that is in Vogue. So even if they do give words or vocabulary, they will be normally the ones that you come across in news papers and magazines. Hence concentrating on building vocabulary is not very essential as it is in GRE.
Q: Pankaj Goyal: My weaknesses include RC and Vocabulary. What should I do in these four months time?
A: The fact that you have identified your weaknesses means you are half way through. Start spending time on your vocabulary and reading every day for one hour. More than Vocabulary, you have to prepare on Grammar which will ensure that your RC becomes strong.
Q: Aravind Nair: Please give me some suggestions on time management.
A: I guess you are asking about the exam time? Frankly, this would be a long answer to give. It depends on your strengths and the state of preparedness. However, the basic objective of the exam (and hence your strategy should follow that) should be to ensure that you attempt as many questions that you know as possible. Avoid guessing and see that there are no questions left out unread before your time is up.
Q: Gaurav Singh: I have started my preparation one month back and aiming for a good CAT score for IIMs. My background is engineering so I am familiar with the QA and my English is also not so poor. Will these three months be enough for CAT 2012 preparation?
A: Absolutely! You have more than 100 days to prepare and I am sure, given sufficient effort, it is easy to CRACK CAT 2012.
Q: Richa Gupta: I am very weak in geometry. How much questions are asked from the geometry section in CAT? I'm also poor in DI. What is the best way to proceed for CAT 2012?
A: As per Geometry - please prepare. Since there are 40 different (possibly) sets of questions possible there is no guarantee whether you will get more or less questions in Geometry. However, all said and done, Geometry is a very important area. I repeat what I said to two others in this chat. 100 days is too long a time and you can easily prepare.
Q: Arvind: Are Higher Math questions relevant for CAT? How many questions can come from this area? How to prepare for the same in these few months?
A: In CAT, Higher Math is restricted to Permutations and Combinations. In XAT, Probability also appears. Other than that there is no other higher math area such as Calculus or Trigonometry. Algebra appears in the form of Indices. Logs, Quadratic Equations and Progressions. Take a topic at a time and solve more 100 questions in each topic and you would be good.
Q: Sandeep: I have got 88 per cent in Xth, 65 per cent in XIIth and 57 per cent in B.Tech (ECE). Do I stand a chance to making it to IIMs or a top B-School? How good should be my CAT scores?
A: While technically, there are chances to make it to the IIMs also, realistically your real chance depends on getting a 99.5 percentile in CAT 2012. Also, there are enough top B-schools including MDI and XLRI (for XAT) which would consider your case provided you do a good job of your Written Exam and Personal Interview.
Q: Ravi: I am a final year B.Tech student. I have just started preparing for CAT 2012. I am a slow learner and now I am really scared. Shall I drop the idea of taking CAT 2012 and prepare for next year?
A: The fact that you are a B.Tech student itself should give you confidence to attempt CAT. If the CAT 2012 is similar to that of CAT 2011, then you would have questions pertaining to your comfort zone (provided you are comfortable though!), viz., QA and Analytical Ability respectively. You have more than 100 days for preparation. And I am sure that if you give in the right effort, 100 days are more than enough.
Q: Bhushan: Since last 10 months I am preparing for CAT and other B-School exams. Last year I cracked few exams in most of the exams and my percentile is above 96. I need to know what should be my approach towards CAT 2012?
A: You are getting a very good percentile at this stage. Getting a good percentile also depends on the number of people taking the exam. But, the time is enough for you to spend time on improving on your weak areas. Take one mock CAT per week. Analyze thoroughly. Find out your weak areas, spend time on one weak area per week and then write the next Mock CAT. This should be your strategy of preparation.
Q: Eshant Deval: I have not joined any coaching till now. Is it possible to CAT without coaching? Please guide me sir.
A: Coaching institutes give your preparation a direction and give you the material required in a comprehensive fashion. Also, going to a coaching class will make you consistent in your preparation. Apart from this, there is no guarantee that by joining a coaching institute you would get into the IIMs or not joining one will not stop you from getting into these top institutes.
Q: Bhushan: I am from medical background facing some problem in mathematics. Though I have completed whole syllabus Also, I am from vernacular medium. I am still not so confident about it. I need your advice.
A: There are enough MBBS graduates who get into the IIMs. Vernacular medium will not mar your chances. Practice is a simple but the most important word for your preparation. Please do.
Q: Rishabh: What should my approach towards Quant? How much time should I utilize for my daily Quant prep?
A: Since Quant has about 15 odd topics, take the next one month to familiarize yourself with these topics. By August 15th you should get independence from Basics. Then, the next one month take tests in each topic. The last one and half month (September 15 to October end) use the time to revise thoroughly all areas.
The next Live Expert Chat on the topic ‘How to prepare for CAT 2012’ will be held on Friday, July 6, 2012, 5 pm onwards with Byju Raveendran, CAT expert and founder of Byju’s CAT Classes.
Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more on CAT 2012 Live Expert Chats.
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