Mistakes To Avoid For Cat Exam Preparation

By Author: Education Advisor
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The CAT 2022 exam will be held on November 27, 2022. With less than a month until the exam, it's time for all aspirants to ramp up their preparation with the help of best teachers for CAT preparation. Aside from preparation, there are many factors that can affect aspirants' CAT scores, one of which is mistakes made during exam preparation. Every year, nearly 200,000 aspirants apply for the CAT, but only a small percentage pass with high marks.

All aspirants must read and solve the same syllabus, have the same amount of time, and compete in the same exam. But why do only 5,000 students out of a total of 20,000 get the opportunity to study at IIMs? So, aside from all of their hard work and dedication, the reason for their success is that they recognize their mistakes during the preparation process. They learn from their mistakes and improve their performance, giving them an advantage over other candidates in the CAT Exam. So, let's take a look at some of the most common mistakes made by CAT aspirants and how they can avoid them.

Common Mistakes Done by CAT Aspirants
Not Understanding the CAT Syllabus and Exam ...
... Pattern
Many candidates begin preparing for the exam without fully understanding the syllabus and exam pattern. It is nearly impossible to direct the preparation strategy in the right direction without a thorough understanding of the syllabus. Candidates must be familiar with the syllabus topics in order to identify the topics that require extra effort. They must also be aware of the time limit, marking scheme, and weightage of each subject.

Not Having A Proper Study Plan
To accomplish anything, the first and most basic requirement was a proper plan. A good study schedule includes study time, topics to cover, key checkpoints, evaluation criteria, and flexibility. Many students begin their preparation without a plan and fail miserably after a short period of time. A well-structured plan serves as a guide throughout the preparation process and provides valuable insight.

Avoid Solving the Previous Year Papers or Mock Test Series
Aspirants frequently rely on books and topics mentioned by teachers. They also completely disregard the significance of previous year's papers and mock test series. In an exam like the CAT, it is critical to measure your performance on a regular basis in order to gain useful insight into your performance. Solving more papers gives you confidence and knowledge of the types of questions asked, improves your skills, and familiarizes you with the exam pattern.

Failed In Managing the Time
Time management is critical for CAT exam success. As previously stated, the CAT syllabus is extensive, and it is critical to complete the syllabus on time. However, sometimes aspirants disregard the cost of a minute wasted in answering a single question. They remained engrossed in a topic in order to solve it. And we are all aware that candidates will only have a limited amount of time in exams. And wasting time on a single question can cost you a high ranking position.

Wrong Implementation of Exam Strategy
Creating a suitable plan is only half the job done; the other half is to implement it as best as possible and make necessary changes to it. It is incumbent on candidates to make no compromises while putting their plan into action. Candidates must assess their performance with the help of teachers for MBA Exam and compare it to the desired outcome. If they discovered a mismatch in the results, they must identify the areas for improvement and make changes to the strategy.

Not Giving Importance to Other Stages of CAT – GD, and PI
One of the most common CAT mistakes is failing to prepare for the group discussion and PI round. Candidates place more emphasis on the online exam stage than on the GD and PI. However, these two rounds are an important part of the entire CAT selection process. Sometimes the top scorers in online exams are denied admission due to poor performance in the GD or PI rounds. All aspirants must understand that they must outperform other aspirants in order to secure seats in IIMs at all stages.

Taking Excessive Stress of Result
It's human nature to begin thinking about the outcome before beginning work. It can be beneficial at times, but it can also be detrimental to your chances of success by destroying your willingness. Before taking the exam, candidates begin to make assumptions about their results, which can harm their preparation. Short-term stress is beneficial, but prolonged overthinking is detrimental to both the CAT exam and one's health.

Giving Importance of One Specific Topic
Aspirants may begin to devote more effort and time to a single subject. They must understand that all of the exam questions are important and carry equal weight. If they do not cover the entire syllabus, their chances of selection decrease. It is strongly advised that candidates divide their efforts and time equally among all topics.

Using the erroneous Resource
If a candidate searches the term "CAT Preparation Resources" on the internet, she or he will find thousands of results. Because information is available everywhere, it is critical to identify the appropriate resources. Sometimes candidates choose resources that are less useful than others, such as the wrong coaching classes. So one avoids the trap and chooses everything wisely.

Ways to Avoid the Mistakes during CAT Preparation
* Before studying for the exam, learn about the syllabus, pattern, edibility, and level of difficulty.
* Conduct a self-assessment to identify your strong points, weak points, and where you stand, and mark them as they will help you evaluate your progress.
* Avoid studying for long periods of time; instead, study for one hour, then take a 5-10 minute break before returning to reading. It will cause you to study for longer than usual and will relax your mind, which will improve your memory.
* There is no better way to evaluate your performance than by completing the mock test and previous year's papers. So try to solve as many of them as you can.
* Distribute your time based on your command of each topic so that you can cover more and more of the syllabus.
* Inquire with experts about useful resources. Conduct your own research and avoid relying on everything. Because one strategy will not work for everyone.
* It is recommended that you avoid stress during the CAT preparation period because it will negatively impact your mental health and waste your time.
* So we've shared all of the CAT mistakes to avoid and how to overcome them. Candidates can improve their rankings by following these simple guidelines.