CAT 2012@ Five methods for self preparation module to crack CAT 2012

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Not every CAT aspirant is the same. Though the goal is same, but the path or the means may vary from each other. While every CAT 2012 taker would want to crack CAT and take admission in IIMs, but the method of preparation is not always the same.

While the most common preparation method is to join a coaching institute and get direct guidance from mentor/s, taking mock tests and analysis and methods to improve your preparation, there are some such CAT 2012 aspirants, who takes the effort to achieve their dreams all by themselvaes, with little or limited help from outside sources.

Aakriti from Kochi told MBAUniverse.com, “I am preparing for CAT 2012. Due to various reasons, I cannot join a coaching institute and would be preparing by myself. Please guide me how to go about it and give me the names of the relevant books which I should refer in order to crack CAT 2012.” Aakriti is not the only one who approached us with this problem. There are several other queries on similar lines which we receive every day. In order to address the issue, today’s article of MBAUniverse.com will talk about methods of self preparation for CAT 2012.

if you have determined to go through the self study method to crack CAT 2012, first you must  get yourself totally enthused for it as it is not a very easy task to accomplish, but at the same time, if you are truly motivated to achieve it, it would not be a difficult task to attain. Otherwise if you are not focused enough, it would be difficult for you to move in the right track and pace which you had planned for.

Here are some tips for you which will help you to go ahead smoothly with yourself preparation module for CAT 2012.

Plan your preparation schedule

Since discipline and focus is the keyword for self study for CAT 2012 or any other exam you would be opting for, you need to prepare a proper time table which you feel can be maintained by you. Otherwise it often happens that you create a time table but not able to follow it properly. First identify your daily activities. If you are a student, then most of the day must be spent by you in college or graduation studies and other activities. So you have to take out a time which you feel is comfortable for your CAT exam studies.  Then find out the right time to study when you can prepare with full concentration. Preferably, early morning is the best time to start studying as you will have a fresh mind and body which makes it easier to concentrate.

Get the right books and preparation material

Since you are studying on your own, you need to get the right books and materials which can help you to prepare for the tough MBA exam like CAT 2012. The CAT preparation books which are invariably mentioned by the experts are as follows:

‘High School English Grammar and Composition’ by Wren and Martin, ’Verbal Ability’ by Arun Sharma, ‘How To Prepare For Quantitative Aptitude For The CAT’ by Arun Sharma, ‘Quantitative Aptitude for MBA Entrance Examinations’ by Abhijit Guha, How to prepare for the Data Interpretation for CAT’ by TATA-McGraw Hill publications, ‘How to prepare for the Data Interpretation for CAT’ by Arihant Prakashan, Reasoning and DI for MBA Exam’ by Arun Sharma,  ‘Business English and Communication’ by Clark Grade C to name a few.

Opt for online CAT coaching

Over the past few years, the trend of online CAT coaching has gone up remarkably. The change in the pattern from paper pencil based test to the computer based test has in a way contributed in this development. If it is not possible for you to join a CAT coaching institute due to constraints of time, money or location, opting for online CAT coaching is one of the best options you can go for. You can access the classes or the resources according to your convenience and at a much lower cost than the usual brick and mortar CAT coaching institutes.

MBAUniverse.com has launched a special initiative on offering you online classes for CAT 2012 preparation where you can avail video classes, e-books by CAT gurus. For more information, click on the following link:
http://www.mbauniverse.com/mba-exam-preparation/CAT_Preparation/taketestmainfile.php

There are several other websites where you online CAT coaching is provided such as TestFunda.com, TCYonline.com, 100 Percentilers.com to name a few.

Enroll into a test series

Now that there are around four months left for CAT 2012, you will soon need to start taking mock tests in order to judge your preparation level and plan or alter your preparation strategy. While you are doing self preparation for CAT 2012, it is your responsibility to check your preparation status. For that, the best idea is to join a test series of a good MBA coaching institute.

MBAUniverse.com and other websites like TestFunda.com, TCYonline.com also provides practice tests for CAT Preparation through which you can not only judge your preparation, but can also learn the correct method to solve as they provide explanatory answers as well.

Group study with fellow CAT 2012 takers

Studying in a group always helps. There is information sharing and you can always know where you stand in comparison of your peers with regard to CAT 2012 preparation. If you stand a better position than them, you can help them and hence check how good you have understood the concepts. Or if you see your peers ahead of you, don’t hesitate to take their help as well.

To know about the section wise trends, preparation strategy and important books, click on the following links:

CAT 2012 Quantitative Ability preparation: Trend of the past 5 years & know how to get started

Verbal Ability for CAT 2012: Past years trends & preparation techniques

Data Interpretation for CAT 2012: Past 5 years' trend & preparation basics

CAT 2012 Logical Reasoning: Past years' pattern & basic preparation strategy

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more on CAT 2012. 

CAT 2012: Planning to take CAT 2012? Get news, analysis, preparation strategy & expert guidance @MBAUniverse.com

The time has arrived to brace yourself for the eventful journey of CAT 2012. With the MBA dream fuelling among the aspirants over various age groups, educational and professional backgrounds, the interest to take the major MBA entrance exams are abuzz in their minds. Common Admission Test or CAT, conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management is the most popular exam, taken by around two lakh candidates every year.

Tapomay Sanyal from Kolkata asks MBAUniverse.com, “I want to take CAT 2012. Please tell me the procedure to apply. How much time is necessary to prepare for the exam?” If you are planning to go for CAT 2012, this is just the right time to get started.

MBAUniverse.com starts the exclusive series of CAT 2012 preparation for you to guide you throughout the journey, right from providing you all the necessary information to preparation strategies. In this article of MBAUniverse.com, we will share the basic information that you must have, if you have decided to take CAT 2012, and how MBAUniverse.com will guide you in every step of this journey to cracking CAT 2012.

CAT Trivia

CAT was initiated by IIMs. Among all the management exams, CAT is considered to be one of the toughest nuts to crack. Good performance in CAT ensures chances to get admission offers in the 13 IIMs and over 100 other top B schools in India. CAT, which was held every year on the third Sunday of November in a paper pencil format has been changed to computer based test since the year 2009.

After facing heavy technical snags in the year 2009, which was conducted by IIM Ahmedabad, CAT was conducted in a much stable and successful manner in 2010 and 2011 under IIM Lucknow and IIM Calcutta respectively. Prometric is the partner organization which conducts the computer based CAT.

CAT tests you broadly on four areas - Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. Till 2009, CAT had three sections, Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning. But CAT 2011 saw a major change in the pattern where instead of three sections the test had two sections, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation and Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning. 

Unlike the past two years, the CAT takers were no more allowed to spend the entire duration of 2 hours and 15 minutes on all the three sections. The two sections were made time bound, with 70 minutes each, resulting the total duration to 140 minutes.

The computer based CAT is conducted in a 10 day window. Barring CAT 2009, CAT 2010 and CAT 2011 were conducted in 10 consecutive days, in two slots. CAT 2011 was conducted from Saturday, October 22, 2011 to Wednesday, November 18, 2011.

CAT 2011 was taken by 1.85 lakh candidates, though the total number of registration was around 2.05 lakh. The number saw a dip compared to the past three years. While CAT 2010 registration was 2.06 lakh, CAT 2009 had seen 2.42 lakh candidates register for the test. The total number of registration for CAT 2008 was 2.45 lakh.

The announcement of CAT 2012 is likely to be made by the IIMs by the third week of July. The official announcement of CAT 2012 is likely to be made on the third Sunday of August 2012.  The exam is likely to be conducted in a window of 10 days between last week of October and mid November, 2012.

MBAUniverse.com - Your companion in the CAT 2012 journey 

Now that there are just four months left for the CAT 2012, this is the high time you start preparing for the exam. But you are not alone in this journey; MBAUniverse.com will guide you in every step of your journey to make it easier.
MBAUniverse.com will provide you regular updates on the development of CAT 2012, analysis and trends of the past years CAT, preparation tips from top CAT experts and toppers of past years through articles, interviews and Live Expert Chats.

MBAUniverse.com has also launched a special initiative on offering you online classes for CAT 2012 preparation where you can avail video classes, e-books by CAT gurus. For more information, click on the following link:

http://www.mbauniverse.com/mba-exam-preparation/CAT_Preparation/taketestmainfile.php

You can also seek advice from our counselors by posing your query at MBAUniverse.com:

http://www.mbauniverse.com/mba-exam-preparation/ask-mba-queries.php