CAT Exam 2022: Tips for self-preparation, how to prepare for CAT without coaching

NEW DELHI: IIM, Bangalore will conduct the CAT 2022 on November 27 for which registration is ongoing. Candidates who are interested and eligible can submit their CAT exam application at iimcat.ac.in by September 14. CAT is the gateway to pursue MBA at IIMs or one of the top B-schools in India. The first step to preparing for the Common Admission Test, begins with finding out about the exam.

CAT does not have any defined syllabus; it is simply the test of candidates’ Verbal Ability, Quantitative Aptitude, Logical Reasoning, and Data Interpretation skills. A perfect CAT exam preparation plan is drawn on the basis of previous exam analysis, CAT exam pattern and question trends.

How to prepare for CAT 2022

It is important to figure out how many hours you can devote to CAT preparation every day. Now multiply these with 100 days, thus you can calculate the total hours you have to prepare for CAT. Split the total hours you have for each section of CAT. Thus, you can have proper time for all sections.

CAT 2022: Basic tips for self preparation

• Go through the CAT exam pattern and do previous exam analysis

• Don’t try to be an expert. Just focus on basis/fundamentals of each topics

• Set a time for five modules of quantitative ability, with more focus on arithmetic, algebra, and geometry

• Do Vedic math for quick calculations

• For Verbal, try to learn figuring out deeper contextual meaning

• Ask what and why questions when doing VA questions

• Develop context based vocabulary. Improve your ability to know the contextual meaning of a word

• Test your speed, checking how much time it takes you to solve a question. Focus on speed tricks, short methods to reduce the time to 2 minutes for a question

• For quantitative ability, prioritize the modules in order of importance. First complete arithmetic, then start working on algebra and in the last geometry. This should be the order of your quant preparation

Study schedule for CAT preparation

• Do Verbal Ability (VA) two days every week

• Study logical reasoning for 2 hours daily

• Increase the time to 3 hours after one month

• Do 30 minutes of reading daily

• For QA, study one module in a week

• Follow the daily ritual of doing 2 questions from each of DI, LR, and RC

How to prepare without coaching

Though CAT coaching is very helpful in preparing for the CAT exam, candidates can crack this MBA entrance exam without taking any coaching help. Many toppers in the past did that. Here are some of previous toppers and experts’ advice and tips on preparing for CAT without coaching.

• At least 2 full length mock tests

• Give sectional test for VARC

• Watch YouTube channels such as IQuanta, Verbal mentor for VARC, Elites grid for LRDI

• Do different types of DI-LR sets every day

• Practice at least one RC daily

• Read newspaper editorials such the Hindu, Indian Express, Smithsonian, etc.

• Most importantly, draw your own strategy, considering your weak and strong points

The CAT exam pattern changed in 2021. The number of questions and exam duration were reduced in last year's CAT exam. Also, for the CAT 2022 eligibility criteria, the option of pass/promotion has been revoked. Candidates registering for CAT 2022 should check the eligibility criteria first and make sure they meet them.