What to do couple of days before CAT?


What to do couple of days before CAT?

The answer is 'Nothing'. 
It might not be easy for most of you all to do nothing in this tensed situation. In that case, just  get a bit organized to have your moves planned or revised. Fine tune the approach needed for various sets of questions. If you've maintained the Delta-x notebook, build your confidence around the learnings  written in the book. If you have not maintained the book, does not matter. Spend some time finalizing your approaches.

Approaches:
The approaches I am writing below are just samples. If  you have realized in the mocks that they don't work with you, go ahead with the approach you've been following in the last few Mocks. Don't change your approach now!

Verbal Ability: 


Bulls Eye Approach:
If your VA percentile is 80+ in the last three mocks, think of more than 2 RC attempts. Such student needs to travel through all the sets, stay for a minute or two on the set you've taken and happily switch over if it looks clueless. The timing of detachment is critical factor for such student. This type of student needs 15+ attempts.
  If your accuracy is below 80 percentile in the practice tests,  plan for a strategy where you need to spend the first few minutes in deciding which 2 passages look the best for you.Detach yourself if the passage is painful. Two R.C.s, and some combination of Misfits,  Summaries should take your attempts around 15. Work for accuracy not speed. 
Remember that the TITA questions consume time, though there is no negative marking. If you have not measured your speed and/or accuracy in the PJ attempts, abstain from it. At least do not prioritize it.

For God sake do not look at the options immediately after reading the question.  Think for 5-10 seconds. Have your answer  to the R.C. question. If you do not have the answer you should take it as a hint that the attempt has high chances of getting incorrect answer, unless it is a stated option. After thinking of your answer look at the options and if you have a match to your answer then you have all reasons to smile. Boxing match approach is the key to accuracy.

DILR :

Bulls Eye Approach:
Spend 2-5 mins in deciding the order in which you would like to solve the sets. Remember getting two sets correctly solved in 40 mins will take you above 85 percentile. On the other hand a wrong set chosen will spoil your entire mood. It would be an arranged marriage against your wish!!
Like R.C, even DILR sets need a good selection. Two sets having same marks can vary a lot in their toughness.  The idea of spending some more time on a stubborn set, just to justify the already spent time is not always wise.
Here optimum is better than maximum.


 Math: 

Don't have favorite chapters. Have favorite methods. CAT will give many questions that belong to combination of chapters. So methods will prevail even in a surprise question. Start hunting for those favorite questions in the exam. In case you get less questions from your favorite chapters, don't panic. Have the reaction like... 'Tum nahi to Koi aur sahi, Koi aur nahi to koi aur sahi" or may be the old Amazon punch line, " Aur Dikhao".

One good way to hut is to run two rounds.  In round 1 solve only the best question from the first four , then the best for you from 5 to 8 and then the easiest from 11 to 12 and so on.  There can be a case where you find all the four  very tough. In that case skip all. So the 5 to 6 questions that you will end up solving will be the best for you. In the next round try the ones that you remember were manageable but not prioritized  in the first round.  

Remember you will find at least 8 to 10 questions that need no theory. All that is needed is your focus to understand the question clearly and then the concentration to use the 'H.T.' method.  The H.T method will be useful in most of the 'Jhatka'  CAT questions. 

In Nut shell:
1. Ensure that you read all the questions even if you can't solve most of them.
2. Timely detachment is the key factor.
3. In most of the English questions  look at the options only after you have yours.

....Ciao
All the Best ..
Vinay Wagh, Bulls Eye
(Have taken CAT multiple times) 
Calls from IIM A/B



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