CAT 2020 Preparation Tips, 3 Month Study plan and Online Resources

3 Month Study Plan for CAT 2020

CAT 2020 Preparation Strategy for Beginners

Focus on Graduation Marks

• Candidates who start their preparation during graduation days , often compromise on their graduation marks.
• Graduation scores are important parameters to get a call for WAT/GD/PI from IIMs and top B-Schools.
• Try to improve graduation marks, it will help you in the long run.

Track the Important Dates

• Keep a track of CAT 2020 registration and application process.

• Schedule your preparation based on CAT timeline and your graduation exams.

•  CAT Quantitative Aptitude Important Topics, Syllabus and Tips
• CAT Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning Important Topics, Syllabus and Tips
• CAT Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning Important Topics, Syllabus and Tips

CAT 2020 Exclusive Study Plan

Time Required for Each Subject

The given time table can be modified and accommodated as per a candidate’s day to day schedule. One needs to invest a minimum of 3-4 hours daily for CAT 2020 preparation.

CAT 2020 Section Wise Preparation Strategy

• The first step is to collect all the relevant study material. Join a coaching center, as they can help immensely. Also, enroll in some test series.
• Start by learning the concepts of each topic. CAT syllabus includes Class X and XII level mathematics, logical reasoning, and English.
• Practice with a timer and do not use a calculator, especially while practicing Data Interpretation. 
• Practice each topic properly. This will help in assessing your strengths and weakness.
• Instead of solving 20 questions of one type, solve 4 questions of 5 types from each topic.
• Make a list of your strong and weak areas. In the initial stage, emphasize strengthening your weak areas.
• Start taking mocks as early as possible. Don’t be disheartened if you are scoreless. Mocks are for you to recognize the areas you need to put more efforts in.
• Analyze each mock you take. The more mocks you take, the better the strategy you will be able to form. It is recommended to take a minimum of 1 and maximum of 3 mocks in a week.
• Once you finish the entire syllabus, focus primarily on mocks and sectional tests.
• In the final 2 months, do not prepare for any new topics. Work on strengthening the ones you are good at.
• Attempt previous years’ CAT question papers. Question papers from 1990-2008 are readily available for the purpose.
• Take adequate breaks, and get enough sleep while preparing for CAT.

CAT 2020 Preparation Tips for Quantitative Ability

Quantitative Ability covers the following areas of mathematics:

• Algebra
• Arithmetic
• Geometry
• Trigonometry
• Mensuration
• Modern Mathematics

While preparing for QA, you can follow the tips mentioned below:

• Lay the foundation and brush up the concepts. If you don’t know the basics of any topic, you cannot solve for complex questions.
• Learn time-saving techniques like tables till 40, squares up to 30, cubes up to 20 and percentage equivalent of fractions till 25. 
• Maintain a formula book. Note down all the essential and direct formulas and go through them regularly.
• Practice solving questions within 2 minutes. This is the average time you get to spend on each question in Quant.
• When you attempt QA in mocks, break the entire section into three parts as per the difficulty level of the question- easy, moderate, and difficult.
• You need to solve more questions in less time. It is better to solve 3 easy questions than 1 difficult question.
• Lastly, practice a lot. Only practice can help you master this section. 

Check How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude

CAT 2020 Preparation Tips for Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning

For the past two years, DI/LR has proved to be the most difficult of three sections. Absence of a set syllabus makes preparing for this section difficult. Practice is the only way to ace this section.

You can follow the tips mentioned below:

• Get familiar with all kinds of graphs and charts in DI and puzzles in LR.
• Practice quick calculation. Learn the percentage equivalent of fractions. They are a big time saver
• Learn to compare fractions in DI. This will help in your massive calculations
• Solve puzzles like Sudoku and crossword to sharpen your grey cells.
• Attempt 20 questions or 4 sets each of DI and LR daily. Each set usually takes 10-15 minutes to solve. Try to solve them within 8-12 minutes.

Read How to prepare for Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning

CAT 2020 Preparation Tips for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension is the section that scares a lot of aspirants. The section is designed to test your English skills in depth. It consists of the following types of questions-

Tips for VA/RC Section

• You need to read to get better at this section. Read fiction and non-fiction novels, newspapers, business magazines, etc.
• Learn the basics of grammar like articles, adjectives, tenses, modifiers, etc. and practice them as well.
• Prepare cue cards. Put down all the new words, you come across, along with its meaning. Revise these cards regularly.
• Get in the habit of reading questions first instead of passages. Just give a glance to these questions and get an idea of the difficulty level.
• Then sweep through the passage quickly and assess how easily you understand it.
• Make a combination of both. Attempt the ones with more straightforward questions first. 

CAT 2020 Section Wise Important Topics and Answering Tips

Quantitative Ability 

• Candidates should begin revision with the Number System section and then follow it up with Algebra, Permutation and Combination and other topics 
• Important topics in ‘Number System’: Elementary concepts of remainders, Divisibility rules, Concepts of Digits, Elementary Properties of Numbers, Factorization, HCF and LCM
• Important topics in ‘Algebra’: Linear and Quadratic Equations, Logarithms, Progressions, Functions 
• Important topics in ‘Geometry’: Similar triangles, Pythagoras Theorem, Fundamentals of Circles, Mensuration, Polygons
• Important topics in ‘Arithmetic’: Percentage, TSD, Ratio, Profit and Loss 
• Important topics in ‘Modern Maths’: Set Theory, Sequence and Series, Principles of Counting  

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning 

• Candidates need to be careful about terms that denote quantities such as “none”, “all”, or “some” when they’re answering questions.
• Terms like “unless” and “only” also need to be paid special heed 
• Positive and negative prefixes can also act as a signficant “indicator” in a question. For e.g. “non”, “dis”, or “un”
• Syllogims is a very scoring section and thus candidates should pay ample attention and use venn diagrams to solve important questions 
• To solve questions that are formed on the basis of inequality, candidates should use the King, Soldier and Public Technique For questions that involve arrangements, candidates should start by solving questions that have a small amount of variables, and then gradually move up to questions that have more. For e.g. starting by solving questions that have only 5 variables and then moving to questions that have 7-8. 
• Important topics in DI/LR include: Seating Arrangement, Blood Relations, Propostions, Syllogism, Data Arrangement, Puzzles , Statements and Assumptions
• Candidates should re-read the questions multiple times in this section because it is easy to misinterpret questions that involve complex logic

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension 

• For unseen passages in the ‘Reading Comprehension’ section, candidates should select the questions and passages that they are comfortable with. Thus, if someone is comfortable with factual passages, they should try to avoid inferential questions that involve critical thinking

• Candidate’s should not just apply guesswork or answer blindly in grammar related questions or in sentence correction sections that involve applied knowledge. Candidates need to make sure that at least an educated guestimate is made on the basis of inference. If a question is too complex, the candidate should move on to the next question

• Use a two step strategy. Divide the VARC section into one section that includes Reading Comprehension and include the rest in the second section. 

• Due to the fact that  para jumbles and deductive logic require logic, candidates can move to and fro between the questions in order to make the most accurate choice.For eg. in para jumbles, test takers can pinpoint the beginning and ending of a logical pair and remove the choice that does not seem to fit

• Reading the choices alongside the question may make it easier for an individual to locate the correct answer after eliminating the options that do not make sense

• Prospective candidates that are attaining below 85%ile in their practice tests should focus on the Reading Comprehension sections and Odd Sentence Para Jumbles 

• Candidates that are currently attaining above 85%ile should focus on the following: Vocabulary and Sentence Completion, Grammar , Deductive Logic , Para Jumbles,Critical Reasoning , Para-Completion, Summary Questions

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CAT Preparation Through Online Mode

With the growth of technology in education sector, online coaching classes have grown in popularity and candidates are opting for them for various competitive exams. Though Online Coaching Centre provide smart tips and preparation strategy, no less than an offline coaching institute, the difficulty lies in choosing a good online coaching learning centre.

Best Online Exam Coaching Institute for CAT are- IMS Learning, Oliveboard, Byju’s and Unacademy Plus.

Benefits of online coaching classes:

They are cost affective- offline coaching centres demand a handsome amount of money for the classes and material they provide. Online coachings provide the same amount of money in a reasonable package. The online classes price range is between 10,000 to 25,000 depending on the course. Whereas a candidate has to invest around 50,000 in offline traditional coaching institutes.

Ease of classes- since no commutation is required for online classes, candidates can take classes as per their schedule and routine. The cost and energy invested in commutation is also saved.

No physical presence required- as classes are held in online mode, candidates are not required to visit any centre for classes.

Suitable for working professionals- online classes are popular among management aspirants who are working professional. As online classses are held in several shifts throughout the day. They can match their timings acoordingly.

Matches the candidates learning pace- candidates in online classes like in self study go through topics and classes at their own pace, depending upon their methodology and learning speed.

Check CAT Online Coaching

Join Online CAT Study Groups

There are numerous groups on Facebooks and other community portal for CAT aspirants. It is benefficial to join these groups for doubt clearing sessions and practice. Discuss important topics, tricks and strategies by interacting with fellow aspirants. 

Personal watsapp group with friends can also be created. There arecertain moderated forums on Facebook like Hundakafunda Facebook Group for like minded aspirants. Inaddition 2IIM also has a FB forum. Discussion on a particular topic is quite an affair on these forums. 

To top on, there are a couple of quora threads like IIM preparation which is an interactive space for IIM alumni, CAT trainers students.

Books and Study Material for CAT 2020

• For QA, it is recommended that candidates prepare from Class X and XII NCERT books.
• The best source to prepare for VA/RC is your daily reading material like novels, newspapers, magazines, etc. 
• Go through the pages of the dictionary at random. This helps in learning new words.

Given below are additional reference material for each section of CAT:

Reference for CAT Quantitative Ability

• How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Arun Sharma, Publisher- Tata Mcgraw Hill.
• Pearson Guide to Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation for CAT by Nishit Sinha, Publisher- Pearson.
• Quantum CAT: Quantitative Aptitude Common Admission Test for Admission into IIMs by Sarvesh K Verma, Publisher- Arihant
• Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examination Tips, Techniques, and Short-cut Methods by Abhijit Guha.
• NCERT Mathematics books for class 8^th, 9^th, 10^th and 10+2.

Reference Books for CAT Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation

• Pearson Guide to Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning for CAT by Nishit Sinha, Publisher- Pearson.
• How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for the CAT by Arun Sharma, Publisher- Tata Mcgraw Hill.
• How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for the CAT by Arun Sharma, Publisher- Tata Mcgraw Hill

Reference Books for CAT Verbal and Reading Comprehension

• Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension by Ajay Singh, Publisher – Arihant.
• 3o Days to More Powerful Vocabulary by Wilfred Funk & Norman Lewis, Publisher- Simon & Schuster.
• Wren and Martin English Grammar
• Business English and Communication by Clark Zimmer, Publisher- Mcgraw Hill Ryerson.

Read  Best Books for CAT Preparation 

Recommended Magzines for CAT 2020 Preparation

Here are the 5 magazines recommended for CAT and all other aspiring business students.

The Economist

• It is a fabulous publication sworn by many IIM students. The Economist prepares candidates for CAT, business schools and for the rest of their professional life.
• It generally focuses on world economy. It brings a sophisticated perspective to issues related to micro and macro economics.
• The magazine also has articles on all kinds of international affairs like politics, culture, sports, art and books.
• The magazine falls on the pricey side. However, students can read 3 articles per week free of cost.
• The writing style is excellent and crisp articles with near perfect grammar are published in the magazine.
• It is an essential instrument for a wholesome understanding of the various issues affecting the world.
• The Economist’s articles on short words, Lexington and Bagehot columns are very insightful and something to watch out for.

Bloomberg Businessweek

• This is a lighter and more entertaining version of The Economist. It is a perfect choice for CAT aspirants looking to get a regular dose of business news. 
• It is a weekly magazine that provides articles on the latest events and trends in finance, technology, finance, management and entertainment.
• It is a good magazine for introducing student to the business world whereas the Economist is for individuals who already know a lot about business.
• Apart from in- depth coverage of business world and events, it also provides financial news and stock advice.
• Bloomberg Businessweek proves to be substantially worth the cost and effort to read. One of the added advantages is that it is also entertaining.

Outlook Business

• This business magazine has articles which analyze information from all business sectors.
• It covers a variety of ventures and enterprises– information through which individuals appearing for CAT 2020 can gain a sound understanding of business dynamics, decisions, and movements.
• The key concepts covered in this magazine are enterprise, markets and strategy.
• Outlook Business offers a detailed analysis of market trends, stock prices, and sales strategies of several business undertakings to its readers. It is one of the most popular business magazines in India. It covers the stories and perspectives of all the leading organizations and businessmen.
• It is the fastest growing business magazine in India with a readership of more than 8 lakh and a fortnightly circulation of 1.41 lakh.

Frontline

• It is a fortnightly English magazine published by The Hindu group.
• Like its parent newspaper, this is one of the most preferred magazines due to its rich content.
• This magazine offers comprehensive articles that feature stories from all over the world. It provides thorough knowledge about issues prevalent in India as also various about various policies undertaken by the government.
• Frontline magazine can help a CAT applicant to build opinions regarding the events unfolding around him.
• It is highly recommended for cracking the interview round.
• One downside is that the magazine does entail heavy reading. It will surely build an individual’s vocabulary because of the usage of different words.

Business Today

• It is a fortnightly magazine that was established as a solution to increased variations in business trends.
• Business Today was one of the first magazines to cover management theories and their applications in current and relevant business scenarios.
• It provides comprehensive reports on the effects of the Indian economy on business strategies and covers a plethora of industries so students preparing for CAT can take away many lessons from on- going stories.

CAT Last Minute Preparation Tips

• Overlook the entire CAT Syllabus and Exam Pattern to make sure you have not kept any topic completely unsupervised
• Instead of strengthening the topics that you are already good at, focus on improving the areas in which you struggle
• Make sure you have set aside a daily set period of 3-4 hours for regular preparation 
• Set aside a major portion of your preparation time to work on improvement
• Sit for timed sectional and full length mock tests that have different ranges of difficulty
• Complete your full CAT preparation atleast 10 days in advance so that you have time for revision
• Treat your mock tests like the final CAT exam

Previous Year CAT Topper Tips 

• Make sure you keep a record of how much time you spend completing each mock test as well as its distinct sections
• Revise the formulas for Quantitative Ability before solving the questions
• If you only have a couple of days left for the exam, do not start anything brand new
• Keep practicing mock tests regularly and try to improve your timing and efficiency
• Do not get stuck onto a question you cannot answer, come back to it later if required
• Do not judge your entire capability and worth on the basis of the mock test results
• Manage your time well during the examination, do not spend an exessive amount of time on one section
• Make sure you have slept and eaten adequately before the exam so that you can give it with a cool mind

CAT Preparation Through Mock Test

The conducting IIM releases the official mock test is an outline of the pattern of the exam. Do not rely solely on it and take mock tests from the beginning of your preparation.

• It is essential to join a good test series for mocks. They are available with coaching centers like T.I.M.E, Career Launcher, etc. as well as online on site like HundakaFunda, Pagalguy, etc.
• Mocks tests help in eliminating most of the surprise elements.
• The more mocks are attempted, the better speed and accuracy get.
• CAT Mock Test help in identifying areas of strength and weakness.
• They also help in accustoming your body to sit for a 3-hour extended test.

CAT is challenging to crack due to its level of competition. If you practice well and prepare smart, you can easily score high percentile in the test. Good luck!

Know  Management Colleges other than IIMs