CAT 2013 Tips: 'Please focus on algebra and geometry more'

In an online chat with readers on October 17, IIM-K alumnus and CAT expert Nishant Priyadarshi answered questions on CAT 2013, MBA programmes and b-school admissions.

Approximately 4,000 students appeared for the nation's most competitive management entrance exam, the Common Admission Test, that commenced October 16, 2013.

The exam will be held over a 20-day window and will be taken by 1.94 lakh students from across the country. The last day of the exam is November 11, 2013.

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Appa: How to prepare for English reading passages? My speed is very bad.

Nishant Priyadarshi: Very difficult now to do much in the last 15-20 days. Will advice you to read the questions first and then try searching for the answer in the passage. You can solve direct questions this way. Also try to maximise score from VA and LA questions. It's part of the same section.

Guddy: Sir in CAT mocks my marks are fluctuating between 75 percentile to 95 percentile. How can I work on consistency?

Nishant Priyadarshi: Are you still trying different strategies in the mocks? The next 3-4 mocks should be taken exactly the same way, same strategy. Still a variation of 5-10 per cent will be there, but 20 per cent is a bit too much. You gotta narrow it down

Guddy: In case I don't make it to CAT, what are the other options I can try now?

Nishant Priyadarshi: There are lot of options. But CAT is not a pass or fail exam. You will have colleges at every score. The next big exam is XAT on 1st Sun Jan. Then you will have Feb CMAT.

Shirish: Sir I still refer to CAT solutions while solving Quant. How to improve confidence. I am scared of negative marking

Nishant Priyadarshi: Jo dar gaya samjho mar gaya. On CAT day, there will be no solutions. So just try solving questions from area where you are relatively comfortable. Also, try cracking DI that is 9 questions, in the same section

Jeswal: What about data sufficiency? What was this year's paper pattern like? How to prepare?

Nishant Priyadarshi: No questions on DS yet. But you should remain prepared. See, DS questions are based on QA and LA. So just prepare these areas and be clear with the steps of solving DS questions.

Jeswal: Is there a break between the two sections?

Nishant Priyadarshi: No. But you have to here!