How to Get 99 Percentile in CAT in 3 Months Preparation?

“It may be tough to bell a CAT.” Quite literally so, if the exam is just 3 months away!

CAT, otherwise known as the Common Aptitude Test is one of the most esteemed examinations, a gateway to gaining admission to the most prestigious management colleges in the country. CAT tests a candidate’s verbal and mathematical aptitude and requires rigorous preparation. Every CAT applicant, however good they may be in their preparations, as they approach the exam date, is often scarred by quant questions like, “How to get 99% in CAT in 3 months?” or “How to score good in the CAT exam?”

So, here is the blog to empower CAT applicants to channel their energies effectively for the preparation process and get a stellar performance.

Cracking the CAT: Points to Boost the Scopes for a 99% Score

It is not at all impossible to get 99 percentile in the CAT exam. All one needs is to follow the right strategy. Want to know more? Read below.

1.   Understand the Exam and its Syllabus

CAT is one of the most prestigious and tough exams for management aspirants. Hence, the first step to scoring high in it is to have a clear understanding of the pattern and syllabus of the exam. The best way to do it is to follow previous years’ exam patterns and syllabi. One can also find essential information on the internet. That said, the CAT exam is divided into three parts:

• VARC or Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
• DILR or Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning
• QA or Quantitative Ability

Scoring well in each of these sections is essential to score high overall.

2.   Keep the Concepts Clear

Next, keep your concepts clear. There’s little point in continuing with the preparation if your concepts aren’t clear. It will be a complete waste of time. So, you must have your concepts crystal clear while preparing for each section. Don’t rely on rote theory. You won’t be able to use formulas to solve problems unless you understand the concepts. Begin your preparation by learning the fundamentals of each section: VARC, DILR, and QA.

3.   Create a Study Plan

Whether it is a CAT exam or another, developing a solid study plan or schedule is essential. Devote an extensive amount of time to CAT preparation each day, at least 5-6 hours. Focused study is important. So, segmenting the time and allocating a particular time for every part may be beneficial.

4.   Study Wisely

Although the CAT is a difficult exam to pass, it is always better to study sensibly rather than the tougher route. Understand the syllabus, divide it into smaller sections, and set aside time for each section. It is also critical to understand how many questions each section will have and how to attempt the majority of them as quickly as possible. Hence, time management should be prioritized. Follow the below pointers to help yourself better.

• Set a time restriction for each section.
• Sort questions in ascending order of difficulty.
• Avoid any uncertainty.
• Increase your speed gradually.

5.   Appear for Mock Tests

Begin taking CAT practice examinations early in your preparation. You will get a sense of the real exam. Every week, take at least one practice test. After each exam, evaluate your performance to determine your SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats). Mock tests are especially important in the final month of preparation. Examine past years’ CAT exams and sample papers, as well as take practice tests.

6.   Time Management

To achieve a 99 percentile in the CAT in three months, effective time management is the key. It is critical to realize that 3 months may not be enough if one does not prioritize study and exercise time management. It doesn’t matter how well you answer the questions; what matters is how quickly you attempt most of them (correctly). That said, taking sample CAT tests is the best way to practice time management and enhance one’s answering speed.

7.   Focus on the CAT Marking Scheme

Are you wondering “How many marks are required to get 99 percentile in the CAT?” If yes, then, remember that to score this percentile, one must aim at scoring 75-80% of questions correctly. Keep in mind that the sectional percentile is quite important. So, scoring well in each section of the exam is crucial to get overall high marks.

8.   Study Materials

Without following the right kind of study material, all efforts to score 99% in CAT could go in vain. Invest in high-quality CAT prep books and study resources from reputable publishers. Sign up for CAT preparation websites to have access to high-quality study resources and thorough mock tests.

9.   Practice

How to score good in the CAT exam? The answer is ‘practice, practice, and practice.’ “Practice makes perfect”– this adage couldn’t be truer than when it comes to the CAT exam preparation. Be dedicated, and true to yourself while practicing for CAT.

10.  Stay Healthy

Although this one is not directly related to studying for the CAT, keeping up good health is at the heart of everything. Often the stress of the exam takes a toll on the applicant’s body and mind, which can have an overall negative impact on the preparation. Hence, along with focusing on preparing for the exam, pay attention to your health status by eating healthy and consuming lots of fluid. For mental health, you can practice meditation and mindfulness for a few minutes every day.

Study Plan to crack CAT

Cracking CAT could open the gateway to premier B-schools. The same thing could be stated for the top Business Schools in the country. Some of them like Indian Institute Of Management–Calcutta (IIMC), Indian School of Business (ISB), and Globsyn Business School (GBS), amongst others, accept a valid CAT score. That said, to get admission to B-Schools like GBS, aspirants typically need to meet certain eligibility criteria, like scoring at least 50% in graduation along with a minimum of 50 percentile in entrance exams like CAT/MAT/XAT/CMAT/ATMA, etc., followed by GD & PI.

Key Takeaway

So, this was our take on potential ways to get the 99 percentile in CAT in 3 months. To wrap up we can say that consistency is the key. Study wisely, monitor your progress regularly, and focus on staying committed to the goal. Remember a high score in the CAT exam can pave the way to some of the best MBA colleges in India.

Good Luck!