As we count down the last few days to CAT, we're publishing previous student experiences to help you deal with some of the stress. Remember, you're not alone!
Abhay Agrawal who scored in the 99.27 percentile in CAT and is a student of IIM Lucknow, shares his CAT advice:
With just 3 more days to go for D-day, you all must be busy with the mock CATs. I am sure most of you have decided on the right strategy i.e. the order of the sections to attempt, which component of the section to complete first and the time to be given to each section. With a few more Mock-CATs to go, just focus on implementing this strategy and try to improve on the accuracy.
It is said that clearing the cut-offs in all the sections is the qualifying criterion and it takes just one section to take you ahead of the pack. Focus on your strong section, maximise your score in that section and just keep clearing the cut-offs for others.
Keep an eye on your performance in the mock-CATs; it gives you an indication of where you stand. But, don't get carried away by one-off good or bad performance. It's the consistency that counts. I used to be above 98 percentile consistently during the mock-CATs but fell down to 80 percentile or so in one or two tests; including the one just before CAT. It didn't matter to me because I knew that those 2 hours are what will determine success or failure and if I've been performing consistently well, it shouldn't be difficult to replicate it.
Having said all this, remember that CAT on the D-day is a totally different ball game which can't be simulated elsewhere. It's a battle of nerves and one who keeps his/her cool, wins:
~ Just go through the formulae and some tricks to solve a question faster; that's enough for the last week's preparation.
~ Please do not take any study material to the exam centre. Go with a quiet mind. Chat around with your friends and others at the venue. CAT's all about practice which can't be done at the last minute outside the exam center.
~ Get enough sleep for 2-3 days before CAT and especially on the night before the D-day. It helps a lot in concentrating during the test.
~ Don't worry about the format or the toughness level, after all it's all relative, if it's tough for you, it's tough for everyone else too.
Just keep your cool and everything else will be taken care of.
All the best!
