CAT: Fact File

CAT: Fact File

CAT IS MORE ABOUT ATTITUDE THAN INTELLIGENCE.WITH THE RIGHT MINDSET,ONE CAN ACHIEVE THE DESIRED RESULTS,SIMPLY BY DOING AWAY WITH THE UNNECESSARY STRESS AND PRESSURE OF PERFORMANCE.PARAG CHITALE BUSTS MYTHS ABOUT CAT

The basic difference between those who crack the CAT and those who don’t is the mindset. Most aspirants start out by telling themselves that CAT is ‘too difficult an exam to crack.’ This self-defeating thought is often supported by some false notions about the exam. Let’s destroy a few myths that students love to hold on to.

Myth 1: “Only engineers can crack the CAT”

Terming the CAT a ‘difficult exam’ and giving up on it thinking that only engineering students can crack it, is pure escapism as one does not want to put in the efforts that the preparation demands. Results just as well in CAT as students from engineering background.

Myth 2: “I need to be brilliant at both verbal and quantitative aptitude.”

It’s possible to do well in CAT with any one area as your core strength. A lot of people who were not comfortable with mathematics, have managed to crack CAT by following a simple strategy — manage the weak area, maximise in strength areas, and manage time to maximise the overall score. The CAT contains several simple and elementary questions as well. Having a fear in one area makes one ignore those questions or approach them as if they were tough to solve.

Myth 3: “I need workexperience to get a call from an institute.”

Though the proportion of people with work-experience is usually higher and varies across institutes, there is no rule about freshers not being admitted at all. Most institutes want diversity in their batch, and hence freshers are given a chance because of the fresh perspective they bring in.

Myth 4: “CAT is only about the IIMs.”

IIMs are only a few of the many institutes that accept the CAT score. There are many other good institutes that one can consider taking admission to, through CAT. An IIM call may be cherished, but do not get disheartened if you don’t get a call. CAT offers many other excellent options besides the IIMs.

Myth 5: “I can manage preparation for CAT the same way as other (college) exams.”

CAT cannot be approached the same way as regular college exams. Unlike college exams, one cannot do justice to CAT preparation through a ‘last-minute study’ or during ‘preparatory leave.’ CAT needs regular, consistent practice over a period of at least six months. It’s a classic case of ‘slow and steady wins the race’, in which consistent effort is far more important than short bursts of intense study.

Another important point to keep in mind is to look for ways to solve a question until one discovers the most favourable method. It’s a case of constant and never ending improvement. Mitesh Gursahani, IIM-Indore, batch of 2009-11, says, “Much of the perceived difficulty of CAT arises from the hype that is created around it, making it seem as if cracking the CAT is nothing short of a miracle.” Having seen through the above falsehoods, one also needs to bear in mind a few more seemingly minor but significant things. The first amongst them is persistence. There will be days of disappointment and tests with terrible scores. Accept these disappointments and take them in your stride.