Why, When & How to Take Mock Tests for CAT 2021
CAT (Common Admission Test) is a very popular and prestigious management entrance exam in India conducted by the 20 IIMs. Hence, there is a rise in the number of CAT aspirants every year to get admission in the IIMs and other popular management colleges in the country. Candidates are fighting tooth and nail to give their best and crack the exam. Read this article to understand Why, When & How to take Mock Tests for CAT 2021 and its importance in scoring 99+%ile in CAT.
Only Top 5% of candidates are able to get into their dream B-School. To be in that league, candidates join The Best CAT coaching institutes available around to help them understand the syllabus & concepts efficiently. They practice day in and day out. But, does it guarantee you the best percentile in CAT?
It all depends upon the motivation level & the practice of an individual. By Practice, we mean taking time bound tests to improve the solving skills. To keep ahead in this race, taking regular Mock Tests is probably the most important aspect of CAT-2021 preparation.
If you are preparing for the CAT-2021 exam, then you must attempt at least 20-25 Full Length CAT mock tests before the real exam to be thorough with your preparation. Take Mock Tests that are similar to the CAT exam pattern and strictly follow it to have an actual experience of the exam.
Mock Tests are very resourceful preparation material for CAT as they are a close model of the actual CAT exam. They give an idea of how well prepared you are. They help in identifying the areas of strengths and weaknesses in the preparation beforehand so they can be given attention accordingly. Mock Tests are like the practice tests which are taken before an exam to get an idea about the format and the pattern of the exam.
Importance of Mock Tests:
- Helps in making you familiar with the actual exam pattern which in turn helps in building confidence and increasing speed.
- Teaches something new in every attempt.
- Helps in evaluating the overall performance over the course of the preparation.
- Assists in increasing speed and accuracy in attempting questions which are very important factors in scoring high in the actual exam.
- Gives an idea about the present level of preparation and how much more work needs to be done and in which areas.
- Helps in analyzing the strong and weak areas to strategize accordingly.
- It helps in coping with the pressure of the timer and exam in general which gives confidence in attempting the actual exam
- It aids in developing the time-management skills required for the exam.
Type of Mock Tests:
Mock Test papers of CAT can be taken in three formats. The official website of CAT 2021 and CAT coaching institutes provide mock test on their online platform.
1- Full Length Mock Test:
This type of Mock Test papers will cover all sections. The exam pattern of full length mocks will be the same as that of the CAT exam. Candidates may appear for this type of mock test series once they feel comfortable with their preparation.
2- Sectional Mocks:
Since the CAT exam is divided into three sections, this type of mocks will help the candidates to analyse the performance for one particular section. The sectional mocks are beneficial for the candidates who are not confident about any particular section.
3- Topic – wise Mocks:
This type of Mock Test papers is topic-specific. Candidates may select any topic for which they want to give the exam and then they can start answering the questions. This will allow the candidates to understand all types of questions which can be asked in the exam for that particular topic.
When & How to take Mock Tests for CAT 2021:
There are several stages in which Mock Tests for CAT 2021 can be taken. These are:
a- Month 0 (Zero) of your CAT 2021 Preparation:
We at FundaMakers, advise students to take the previous year’s actual CAT Paper as a mock before starting their CAT Prep. Why we do that? The answer is quite simple, taking the actual CAT exam itself gives an idea of your current standing or level & what needs to be done in order to crack the exam. A major advantage of taking a mock test of CAT beforehand helps candidates in knowing the major topics which need more attention.
b- Month 3-4 of your CAT 2021 Preparation:
This is the most undermined stage. What CAT-2021 aspirants believe is to take mocks after completion of the whole syllabus. THIS IS WRONG. CAT 2021 syllabus is 80%-90% which you have already studied till your 10th Class. Thus, to speed up the problem-solving capacity and to understand your weak & strong topics/areas, according to us, you need to start taking Full-Length Tests after 60% of your syllabus completion. 60% syllabus is generally covered in 3-4 months of your CAT Prep. This will give you plenty of time to focus and restructure your preparation strategy which will ultimately help you in scoring well in the main exam. Take at least 1 mock every 8-10 days for the next couple of months.
c- 2 Months Before CAT Exam:
The most aggressive phase of your CAT prep is 2 or 3 months before the CAT exam. During this time, you are required to take at least 5 Mocks a month. You must keep in mind that only Mocks test-taking will not make you score well but you need to analyse those tests too in order to learn from your mistakes & to improve gradually. This needs to be done one week before the D-Day.
Important Note:
ONLY MOCK TEST TAKING WILL GET YOU NOWHERE. YOU NEED TO ANALYSE THEM AS WELL.
You will be able to learn new concepts & tricks while analyzing the mocks. Always analyze your performance after every mock test and review them for genuine feedback about your performance.
There will be times when you feel disheartened or are not able to see the growth that you might be expecting even after regular practice. In those times, remember why you are preparing for this and what it could do to you.
Stay confident that you will Crack the CAT exam and will get into your dream B-School.
Hope this helps!!
Happy Learning!!
All the Best!
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