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Countdown to CAT 2010: Make every minute count

As the test window begins for CAT 2010, here's how you should be making the most of your time.

With the CAT 2010 underway, this is when you should be looking at your study material for the last time. It doesn't matter how much you're going to study on the last day -- none of it is going to go into your head, and you are going to
retain none of it.

In fact, the more you study, the more you tend to forget. This is because before big tests such as the CAT, there's absolutely no substitute to being calm and relaxed. If you utilise every last minute cramming, you lose out on something very important -- your peace of mind!

Things you can do one day before the CAT are to get everything you need for the test in order, such as your admit card
and to try and go to your exam centre to familiarise yourself with the route. People DO go to the wrong centres on CAT day. It happened to me in 2007, but because I was lucky enough to get there early, I got to the other (correct) centre on time.

Apart from that, although it sounds cliched, try watching a movie, especially a comedy. It helps tremendously. Try and get at least 7 hours of sleep.

Time: 3 hours before the CAT

Eat a light breakfast, check all of your stuff, and plan to reach the centre at least an hour before the test starts. You never know what may go wrong during the journey to the centre, and this is one day when you don't want to take any chances.

Carry a chocolate bar with you -- it helps to pass time in case you get there early, and also makes you a little more alert before the test. Don't forget to carry a water bottle too, it can be disposed of when you get in the testing room.

These are edited excerpts of an article written by Gourav Bhattacharya exclusively for TestFunda. Gourav scored a perfect 100 percentile in CAT 2007 and has graduated from IIM-A this year. For more articles by CAT toppers and 100 percentilers, free downloadable Past CAT tests and a whole host of learning resources log on to www.TestFunda.com

Did you crack the CAT recently? What was the experience like? How did you begin your preparation and how did you plan your CAT strategy? Which are the most important study topics? What are the common problem areas that test-takers face and how did you approach them?

Simply e-mail us your CAT tips and advice at getahead@rediff.co.in with the subject 'My CAT tips' and we will publish the best right here!

Time: 15 minutes before the CAT

This is when you'll be seated at your allotted computer station. Familiarise yourself again and ensure that your computer is working fine. Do ensure that you have a rough sheet and a pencil at your disposal to do your quants and DI questions.

Although you will have plenty of time to ask for them later, there's no sense in slacking now and wasting valuable time later on.

Time: Start of the test

The difference between doing well in your test and doing badly lies in the first 2-3 minutes. Please don't start off with the first question blindly. READ the instructions on the screen very carefully. Familiarise yourself with the pattern of the test -- sectional and overall questions.

Set yourself a target number of questions (depending on your speed) that you want to attempt. Then look through the sections and mark the questions that you think you can attempt. I cannot overemphasise the importance of this step.

The KEY to giving a good CAT lies in proper selection of questions. It is essential that you spend at least 2 minutes selecting questions you wish to attempt (and by that selecting those you wish to avoid initially).

At this point of time you should also allocate how much time you want to spend on each section.

Time: 3 minutes into the test

This is when you should take a deep breath and start attempting your test. Now, there are several strategies that I used during the mock tests and in the actual CAT for attempting questions. Do note that these strategies may not work for everyone. You don't know which section is going to be intimidating during your CAT. Some of the strategies I would recommend are:

• Always have a default section which you think you are best at. This is the section with which you will start taking your CAT, all things being equal. Only if in your assessment your default section is significantly tougher than the other sections, you should switch to another section.
• Always have a backup section, which you need to shift to in case your default section is very tough. This happened to me during my CAT. My default section was Quantitative Ability, but on my initial reading I found it to be a little tricky. I immediately started off with Data Interpretation, and came back to Quantitative Ability later on. By then, because I had finished the rest of the test and was not under much pressure, QA did not seem as tough as it initially did.
• Have a filler section for when you need to take a break from the other sections. Your filler section could be any of the three, as QA and DI are caselet based anyway, and VA has grammar and RC. The idea behind a filler section is to release pressure. We often panic during CAT thinking of the sections in which we have not attempted any questions at all. However, a filler section is a section in which, after every 25-30 minute spell attempting another section, you pick up an RC or a caselet and solve. It is a tremendous confidence-booster when, after finishing with two sections and flipping to the third, you find that you have already solved 7-8 questions in that section. You should utilise the mocks that you give in identifying which of the three sections is your default section, and also your backup and filler sections.
• Try and get an idea of how tough a section is, relative to the other sections. VA sections have been relatively tough for the last couple of years, so there is no sense in wasting time solving every question in order to clear the cut-off -- solve only enough questions for you to be confident that you would clear it. On the other hand, since DI sections tend to be comparatively easier, they are worth spending a little extra time on, so that you clear your cut-off and score well overall.

Time: During the test

• In Verbal Ability, avoid attempting more than two Reading Comprehensions one after another. The reason is that your concentration starts flagging after the first couple of passages, and you invariably make careless errors in the third and fourth passages you attempt, if you are attempting them in succession. Instead, mix it up by doing a little grammar or even another section in between passages, to keep your mind fresh.
• In most Data Interpretation caselets and most Reading Comprehension passages, there will be 1-2 questions easier than the others. Make sure you attempt them at the very least, even if you don't attempt the rest of the questions. Conversely, there is no rule that states that every caselet or passage has to be attempted completely (ie all questions answered), so don't waste time doing difficult questions.
• Avoid doing Quantitative Ability for long stretches of time, as your concentration starts flagging. Mix up Quantitative Ability with some grammar or some DI caselets.
• Never ever make solving a question a matter of personal pride. Time is your most valuable commodity during the test. If you can't see how to solve a question, leave it immediately. Think of it as a question you could have solved if you had the time, but chose not to. Spending copious amounts of time on a question breaks your rhythm and comes with absolutely no benefit.
• Finally, don't panic. It sounds simple enough, but it takes practice. This is where your mocks come into the picture. Give enough mocks to get used to exam-like situations. A calm, relaxed mind is paramount. A good way to take a breather and calm yourself down during the paper is to take a minute off and re-gather your thoughts.

Time: 10 minutes before the end of the CAT

Check your answer sheet for any questions that you have marked for review and attempt those that you are reasonably confident about.

Prepare to submit and end the test two minutes before the end time. This way you will have additional time to mark an answer if you are nearing the completion of a difficult question.

Good luck!