How to Prepare for CAT 2018? CAT 2018 Preparation Tips

CATPreparation Tips 2018- CAT is one of the most competitive exams in our country. More than 2.4 lakh candidates compete for 4000 seats in 20 IIMs. The number of applicants increase each year and the IIMs have also started diversifying their intake pool. Adding to the above factors, a candidate needs to score really high inCATto get a call from any IIM. Thus, an extensive CAT preparation is of primary importance.

CAT is not a test of intellect but of management. It tests the following skills in a candidate-

• Time management
• Balance between speed and accuracy
• Presence of mind
• Focus and concentration
• Ability to deliver high performance under stress

These skills can only be acquired by regular practice for an appropriate amount of time. Hence, we have curated some expert CAT Preparation Tips to help you crack the exam like a pro. Read moreCAT Preparation Tips for Working Professionals.

When to Start Preparing for CAT?

CAT requires between 8-18 months for an effective preparation. Time framed required for CAT is as follows-

• Learning concepts and laying the foundation- 2- 4 months
• Practice without seriously attempting mocks tests- 3-8 months
• Giving mocks and revising the entire course-3- 6 months.

To assess oneself in each field thoroughly and master the basics of every topic takes time. Identifying ones strong and weak areas needs studying each topic as well. Therefore, you need ample time to prepare for CAT well.

Exclusive CAT 2018 Timetable

Collegedunia provides an exclusive timetable for all CAT 2018 aspirants. It talks about the section-wise time allotment, as per the important topics.

Number of Days required prepare CAT 2018 topics

Here is a comprehensive table enlisting the number of days you need to study each topic in the first phase of CAT 2018 preparation. You must invest 2-3 months in going through each topic and learning it at its very basic.

Time required for each subject

The given time table can be modified and accommodated as per a candidate’s day to day scehdule. One needs to invest minimum 3-4 hours daily for CAT 2018 preparation.  

CAT 2018 Preparation Strategy

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

ReadCAT Preparation Tips 2018

CAT 2018 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:

1. Lay the foundation and brush up the concepts. If you don’t know the basics of any topic, you cannot solve for complex questions.
2. Learn time-saving techniques like tables till 40, squares upto 30, cubes upto 20 and percentage equivalent of fractions till 25.
3. Maintain a formula book. Note down all the important and direct formulas and go through them regularly.
4. Practice solving questions within 2 minutes. This is the average time you get to spend on each question in Quant.
5. 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.
6. You need to solve more questions in less time. It is better to solve 3 easy questions than 1 difficult question.
7. Lastly, practice a lot. Only practice can help you master this section.

CAT 2018 Preparation Tips for Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning

For 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:

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

Download CAT Sample Papers 2018

CAT 2018 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-

• Critical Reasoning      
• Grammar & Usage
• Sentence Correction   
• Word usage
• Fill in the blanks         
• Para Jumble
• Para completion         
• Para Summary
• Idioms

Tips for VA/RC Section

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

Resources to Prepare for CAT 2018

• The best material to prepare for CAT 2018 is the one provided by coaching centers.
• These can be acquired online on sites like OLX and Quikr. They contain all the relevant and topic focused questions for practice.
• For QA, it is recommended to prepare from Class X and XII NCERT books.
• Best source to prepare for VA/RC is your daily reading material like novels, newspapers, magazines etc. 
• Go through the pages of dictionary at random. This helps in learning new words.

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

Reference Books and preparation Material for Quantitative Ability

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

Read Top 5 Online Forums for CAT 2018 Preparation

Reference Books and Preparation Material for Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation

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

Reference Books and Preparation Material for Verbal and Reading Comprehension

1. Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension by Ajay Singh, Publisher – Arihant.
2. 3o Days to More Powerful Vocabulary by Wilfred Funk & Norman Lewis, Publisher- Simon & Schuster.
3. Wren and Martin English Grammar
4. Business English and Communication by Clark Zimmer, Publisher- Mcgraw Hill Ryerson.

ReadBest Books for CAT Preparation 2017

CAT Mock Test 2018

The official mock test is released by the conducting IIM 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 important 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 long test.

CAT is difficult 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!

CAT Preparation Tips FAQS 2018

Ques. What is the basic key to crack CAT?

Ques. What are the factors that affect the preparation of a student?

Ques. How does Time Management help in making studies more easy and effective?

Ques. Is there a limit on the number of attempts for CAT exam?

Ques. Is it required to have 5 to 7 books to study from when you sit to prepare for CAT?

Ques. Is joining a Coaching Center a great investment in studies for CAT?

Ques. Is the Study Material provided by the coaching center reliable?

Ques. How can reading prove to be helpful in studying for CAT exam?

Ques. How does a series of tests help ace CAT?

Ques. How does having a great deal of General Knowledge helps in CAT exam?

Ques. Does having a full-time job affects preparing for CAT exam?

Ques. Can preparing 2 sections of the exam thoroughly give an edge over the paper?

Ques. How many hours of study is enough for a candidate to prepare for CAT?

Ques. How do problem solving methods help to prepare for the exam?

Ques. What preparation pattern should a candidate follow to score well in the exam?

Ques. Is preparing for CAT for candidates who are in their final year of graduation a difficult task?

Ques. How long should a candidate study in a day so as to get good grades in the entrance exam?

Ques. What should a candidate do in case he/she has left mathematics as a subject in their 12th standard and is pursuing graduation in some other course?

Ques. Is CAT a very difficult exam to crack?

Ques. What is the syllabus for LR/DI? How do I prepare for it?

Ques. I am scared of Maths. How do I prepare for Quant?

Ques. My English is not very good. Can I still take CAT?

*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College