Most Common Problem:
Starting preparation too late
Some candidates start CAT preparation late as September/October leaving them hardly a month or two to cover the syllabus. Starting early and sticking to a study plan will return high results for the candidate.
Skipping too many topics
A continuation of the previous mistake is the fact that a number of candidates skip topics because they feel overconfident or they simply do not like the topics. This is another common problem that is faced by the student, and it can be dangerous because the syllabus requires in-depth preparation of all topics, and skipping too many topics can result in candidates will unable to remember the topics in the actual exam
Not taking Math basics seriously
Candidates directly start solving common problems and ignoring basic topics. This usually results in the candidate solving only a few problems from a topic and moving onto the next one without really understanding the basics of that specific topic. Candidates usually do this with the Quantitative section since they feel the syllabus is huge and they want to finish it as soon as possible. It is extremely vital to get the basics of mathematics right before solving problems. CAT exam syllabus requires a candidate to have an in-depth understanding of maths and the candidate must begin with basics to ace this section.
Lack of regular Revision
To retain something for a long time, one has to brush up on it multiple times on a regular basis. One of the common mistakes to avoid while preparing for CAT is that the students should not become satisfied and be on their revising whatever they have studied on a regular basis. Regular revision of the CAT topics frees you from overloading yourself during the last 2-3 months before the exam. Therefore, it is always recommended that during the preparation, everyone should manage their regular routine in such a way that they would be able to manage time for their revision of the topics which they are already done with.
Not taking enough mocks
This happens to be one of the biggest mistakes of any candidate. Taking CAT mock test will show you the art of taking the CAT exam. It teaches time management, what to attempt and what to avoid, preparing strategies, identifying weaknesses, and taking steps to remove them. The two most crucial elements for CAT success are also trained here – speed and accuracy. Opinions will differ on the number of mocks attempts. Some would recommend 15-25 and some would go as high as 45-55, but the real difference is how you analyze them – which brings us to the next common problem.
Not analyzing mocks properly
Most candidates simply check their scores in a mock exam and quickly transfer on to the next one. There is no error graver than this one. Each mock allows you to analyze your mistakes and rectify them so that you don’t repeat them again. You are not just writing these mocks to know your marks or to celebrate your preparation for CAT. After completing each mock, check the wrong attempted questions and find out what went wrong. Also, try to find out solutions to the unattempted questions. If these questions are from topics you have already prepared carefully, then you need to understand the different approaches used to solve these questions.
Each of these common problems that are faced in mocks is an opportunity to improve. When the margin for error is less in these exams, then you do not want to be missing out on even a single question, if you want to achieve your best CAT score.
Not learning strategies for saving time
As a continuation of analyzing mocks, ensure that you find the slight tricks and strategies that some special problems require. These strategies can be the difference between taking 6 minutes to solve to less than 2-3 minutes to solve the same problem. Every minute of saved time will help you attempt a new question. When speed and accuracy play such an enormous role in the CAT exam, every single trick and strategy you learn will help you to gain an advantage over everyone else.