🚫📚 CAT exam is not just about its preparation and how to strategize it or which things to follow. It is also equally about what things not to do during CAT preparation. ❌✋ To help you stay focused better, here are the 5 Must-NOT-Dos during CAT Preparation. These are: 💡🐱
1️⃣ Don’t Procrastinate: Avoid delaying or postponing your study sessions. Time management is crucial for CAT preparation, so stay disciplined and consistent in your study routine. ⏰📚
2️⃣ Don’t Overload Yourself: Trying to cover too many topics or attempting excessive practice tests in a short span of time can lead to burnout. Pace yourself and prioritize quality over quantity in your study approach. ⚖️💪
3️⃣ Don’t Ignore Mock Tests: Mock tests are essential for assessing your progress and familiarizing yourself with the exam format. Neglecting mock tests can deprive you of valuable insights and exam experience. 📝📊
4️⃣ Don’t Neglect Verbal Ability: Verbal Ability is often underestimated, but it carries significant weightage in the CAT exam. Avoid neglecting this section and allocate sufficient time for vocabulary building and reading comprehension practice. 📖🧠
5️⃣ Don’t Compare Yourself to Others: Every candidate has their own strengths and weaknesses. Comparing yourself to others can lead to unnecessary pressure and anxiety. Focus on your own progress and improvement rather than constantly comparing yourself to others. 📈🤝
1- Do not treat CAT as ‘everything’ | What NOT To do during CAT preparation?
There are many aspirants who think that CAT is the only way to glory and fame and so they invest too much in this idea. They take 2- 3 Mock Tests and get more than 98% and think they are invincible. But then, suddenly their scores fall to 89% or 91% in two subsequent mocks respectively. They get a feeling that their world has collapsed, they have nothing left to aim for. All because they did not get the desired results in mocks at par with their preparation.
How did this happen? | Things Things NOT to do during CAT preparation!
Nobody can avoid the fluctuation in the scores as it is random. Randomness is something which cannot be quantified. So if you have scored less in a number of mocks, it can be because of the following factors:
- You might have done relatively poorer.
- The others who took that particular test could have performed better.
- There could have been an error in the software calculating the scores.
- It could have been a case of high-performers taking that mock.
These are only some of the factors that create randomness. So do not live, breathe and eat for the CAT Exam. You might start trying to interpret the causes and effects of several things which are not under your control when in reality you simply cannot do much about these factors at all.
2- Should I leave my job for CAT? | Do not quit your job for CAT exam preparation.|
No working candidate should do this. This is simply the manifestation of what has been told to avoid in the previous point. Quitting the job would be an instance of living, eating, and breathing CAT. So unless there is a highly reasonable explanation for quitting your job, do not.
Benefits of having a job:
- A job makes you makes you financially independent.
- Job gives you an individual identity to stand out.
- Something good can be done as part of the job.
- It helps you shift your focus from CAT a little so as not over pressurize yourself. It is good to have a routine other than CAT preparation.
3- Selection Criteria has nothing to do with your CAT exam preparation:
This is also a variable which is out of your control. Over – thinking on this or any other aspect is not worthwhile.
You can just stand at the top of a building and scream for 12 hours a day for 6 months. It does not aid in your CAT preparation in any way. Spending even a little of that time to prepare for any section of the CAT exam is more worthwhile than getting worried about the selection criteria. There are some aspects about the selection criteria that you should be aware of:
a) The criteria works:
Irrespective of our prejudice for or against the selection criteria, we need to realize that it does exist in reality. There is no doubt in it.
b) The bargaining power is with the B – schools:
It is not upon the candidates to fix or choose the selection criteria. This authority lies with the B – schools. This is because of the supply – demand situation in the B – schools. They get more than enough applicants and so they have the privilege to choose or afford whatever criteria, practical or arbitrary, they deem fit and select candidates based on that.
They fix the bar so high because they can afford to do that. Everyone realizes that they are good at what they do and so everyone wants to be a part of it. The odds are in their favor and the B – schools take advantage of this factor.
c) There are random nonsensical things going on around the internet:
The B – schools and their faculty are considered pioneers in their field. They fix the selection criteria after a lot of research and analysis and testing of past data and modifying the parameters accordingly. So it is certainly not true that “IIMs do not know what they are doing “. It should also be taken into consideration that the professors have their hands tied because of the Government’s policies and framework. So it is not something that they can control. So you not get swayed away by such rumors that there is any discrimination or biases shown in the selection process.
4- Past academic records and chances of getting in IIMs:
This is also a form of worry over the selection process. It does not matter how much percentage you scored in your 10th or 12th standard. Nobody can actually tell for sure how good your chances are to get selected. It is the same as other candidates.
The distinction between CAT preparation and CAT exam results:
Do not treat the CAT preparation as a heavy responsibility. Prepare with full focus and dedication. Have lots of fun too while preparing. The CAT results can be complicated and embarrassing but the preparation is always intense and fun at the same time.
Lots of candidates do not get the desired results according to their preparation. But they do not get bogged down and maintain a positive mindset. They understand that this is not like they have nothing left to do in their life. These results do not decide who they are. They take this in their stride and strive to achieve more in their life. They do not give up and try again to ace this examination.
5- Do not try building your profile:
If you quit your job to build your profile that is the most paradoxical thing. You are being unfair to yourself. If you quit your job, it is because you hated your job and not because you wanted to build your profile. If you have quit your job, find another one. If it is an arduous task for you even after so many attempts then start building your profile by all means. Do something productive.
Hope you’ve understood the 5 Must-NOT-Dos during CAT 2021 Preparation.
Happy Learning!!
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