In less than 3 hours from now, 2009 will come to a close. A new year brings with it new hopes and new aspirations. For those of you entering your final year of graduation, it's time you made the big decision - what after B.A /B.Com / B.Tech / BBA ?
Last year well over 4 lakh people wrote various MBA Entrance Tests in this country and they were fighting over less than 5000 quality B-School seats that India has to offer. Of course, doing an MBA abroad is a very good option and the competition there is relatively easier but either which ways you need to make a decision now - whether you want to join the MBA rat(read cat) race. More than 20,000 students have already begun their journey to Ahmedabad - the first batch for CAT 2009 started as early as June 2008 at IMS Learning Centres across the country. Going by past history, that number should more than double by the time the first month of the new year draws to a close.
If you have decided that you do want to go for the coveted MBA degree, then you need to answer the second question - when do you start? Is January too early? Is January already late? Should i first get over with my college exams in May/June? How will I combine the CAT preparation with college exams and the internships and summer training programmes? Each such question has to be answered and factored in to arrive at your final answer.
Great News For CAT Aspirants in Delhi
If you are readying yourself for CAT 2008, chances are you are already a regular visitor of http://www.totalgadha.com/ - just in case you are not, don't delay any further. It is the only online study place for CAT and a fine one at that. Check for yourself the quality of the lessons, articles and quizzes.
Now for the big news - these guys have opened their first centre in the New Delhi and have already 4 batches running. Known by the name of Tathagat, the first centre is at Kailash Colony (GK-1) and next week they are opening their second centre in Connaught Place. The first batch in Connaught Place starts 26th April and enrolments are open. For more information you can contact 9999658139 or 9891147846.
I have been a great fan of the website myself and was myself associated with it for a good part of last year. You must check out some of the articles yourself. You may start with this article on the Study Plan for CAT 2008 . ( I think login is required for this page so you will have to register but it takes less than a minute so that should be okay)
Tathagat has kept its fee on the slightly higher side (Rs.30,000) - market leaders IMS and CL are priced in between Rs.25,000 and Rs.28,000. But the quality of the material and the faculty justifies the price. For verbal they have two of Delhi's best English teachers for CAT including Kumar Abhishek, who had a long and successul stint with Career Launcher. As for Quant, it is being handled by Sanjeev Singh - the chief architect behind TG and the head of the content development team for totalgadha.com . Need i say more?!
Conclusion: Tathagat is Highly Recommended.
Now for the big news - these guys have opened their first centre in the New Delhi and have already 4 batches running. Known by the name of Tathagat, the first centre is at Kailash Colony (GK-1) and next week they are opening their second centre in Connaught Place. The first batch in Connaught Place starts 26th April and enrolments are open. For more information you can contact 9999658139 or 9891147846.
I have been a great fan of the website myself and was myself associated with it for a good part of last year. You must check out some of the articles yourself. You may start with this article on the Study Plan for CAT 2008 . ( I think login is required for this page so you will have to register but it takes less than a minute so that should be okay)
Tathagat has kept its fee on the slightly higher side (Rs.30,000) - market leaders IMS and CL are priced in between Rs.25,000 and Rs.28,000. But the quality of the material and the faculty justifies the price. For verbal they have two of Delhi's best English teachers for CAT including Kumar Abhishek, who had a long and successul stint with Career Launcher. As for Quant, it is being handled by Sanjeev Singh - the chief architect behind TG and the head of the content development team for totalgadha.com . Need i say more?!
Conclusion: Tathagat is Highly Recommended.
Structure of IIM's CAT Test and other frequently asked questions about CAT
Structure of IIM's CAT Test and other frequently asked questions about CAT
CAT - The Common Admission Test to the six IIMs is also the entrance test for few other top B-Schools such as SP Jain, MICA, and T A Pai. CAT tests your skills in five broad areas viz.
1. Verbal ability and reasoning
2. Reading Comprehension
3. Quantitative skills
4. Data Interpretation
5. Analytical and Logical reasoning.
Number of questions in CAT
The test used to comprise upwards of 180 questions in the early 90s. Since 1999, the number of questions in the CAT test has been steadily decreasing. What used to be a 165-questions paper in CAT 1999 and 2000 became a 150-questions paper in 2001 to 2003. In 2004, the test had 123 questions and in 2005 the CAT paper had only 90 questions. The number was reduced further in 2006 to a 75-questions paper divided equally into three sections. Typically this test can be expected to comprise between 75 to 150 objective type questions and is usually divided into three to four sections. Each question has a question statement followed by four or five alternate answer choices and the candidate has to choose the best answer for each of the questions and mark it on a special Optical Reader answer sheet.
The duration of the test used to be 120 minutes till 2005. Since, 2006 the duration has been increased by 25% to a 150 minutes test. This literally translates to answering a CAT question in 2 minutes since 2006 compared to less than a minute that was given in earlier CAT papers. Most successful aspirants would have attempted about 45 to 50 questions translating to attempting 180 to 200 marks worth questions in a 300 marks paper. (In 2006, each correct answer carried 4 positive marks and each incorrect answer carried a penalty of 1 mark).
Some Quick Tips to Cracking the CAT
The key to success, therefore, lies in two important parameters
1. The accuracy or strike rate
While each correct answer was awarded 4 positive mark, each incorrect question carried a penalty of 1 mark. Hence, it is important to get a strike rate of over 85% - that is reduce the number of negatives. Though speed is important, in a paper like CAT 2006 paucity of time was not one of the primary factors that determined success. Most students found the time provided to be adequate. What set the winners apart was the accuracy.
2. Smart Selection
As it is clear that you will not be generally able to attempt all 300 marks question, and you skip between 25 to 30 questions, the key to success lies in selecting questions properly. Hence, it is important to remember that there are no kudos, nobel prizes or awards waiting for attempting the tough questions. Be smart in choosing, the easiest of the questions and the ones that you have practiced a lot and get them right. Do not venture into unsafe territories. Essentially, do not try any question about which you only have a vague idea.
How different is the CAT Test compared to the JEE or the IAS
CAT and entrance tests of other top B Schools are a unique breed of entrance exams. They focus on testing some of the basic qualities essential for managers - the grit to work hard, smartness to choose the best alternative, quick thinking and above all perseverance.
Exams like IIT JEE test the depth of your knowledge, while the Civil Services exams test your width of knowledge. CAT evaluates your presence of mind and the ability to perform under pressure. You cannot prepare for CAT during the last 10 days, as one generally does for college semester exams. A minimum of 3 to 9 months of regular preparation is essential.
CAT - The Common Admission Test to the six IIMs is also the entrance test for few other top B-Schools such as SP Jain, MICA, and T A Pai. CAT tests your skills in five broad areas viz.
1. Verbal ability and reasoning
2. Reading Comprehension
3. Quantitative skills
4. Data Interpretation
5. Analytical and Logical reasoning.
Number of questions in CAT
The test used to comprise upwards of 180 questions in the early 90s. Since 1999, the number of questions in the CAT test has been steadily decreasing. What used to be a 165-questions paper in CAT 1999 and 2000 became a 150-questions paper in 2001 to 2003. In 2004, the test had 123 questions and in 2005 the CAT paper had only 90 questions. The number was reduced further in 2006 to a 75-questions paper divided equally into three sections. Typically this test can be expected to comprise between 75 to 150 objective type questions and is usually divided into three to four sections. Each question has a question statement followed by four or five alternate answer choices and the candidate has to choose the best answer for each of the questions and mark it on a special Optical Reader answer sheet.
The duration of the test used to be 120 minutes till 2005. Since, 2006 the duration has been increased by 25% to a 150 minutes test. This literally translates to answering a CAT question in 2 minutes since 2006 compared to less than a minute that was given in earlier CAT papers. Most successful aspirants would have attempted about 45 to 50 questions translating to attempting 180 to 200 marks worth questions in a 300 marks paper. (In 2006, each correct answer carried 4 positive marks and each incorrect answer carried a penalty of 1 mark).
Some Quick Tips to Cracking the CAT
The key to success, therefore, lies in two important parameters
1. The accuracy or strike rate
While each correct answer was awarded 4 positive mark, each incorrect question carried a penalty of 1 mark. Hence, it is important to get a strike rate of over 85% - that is reduce the number of negatives. Though speed is important, in a paper like CAT 2006 paucity of time was not one of the primary factors that determined success. Most students found the time provided to be adequate. What set the winners apart was the accuracy.
2. Smart Selection
As it is clear that you will not be generally able to attempt all 300 marks question, and you skip between 25 to 30 questions, the key to success lies in selecting questions properly. Hence, it is important to remember that there are no kudos, nobel prizes or awards waiting for attempting the tough questions. Be smart in choosing, the easiest of the questions and the ones that you have practiced a lot and get them right. Do not venture into unsafe territories. Essentially, do not try any question about which you only have a vague idea.
How different is the CAT Test compared to the JEE or the IAS
CAT and entrance tests of other top B Schools are a unique breed of entrance exams. They focus on testing some of the basic qualities essential for managers - the grit to work hard, smartness to choose the best alternative, quick thinking and above all perseverance.
Exams like IIT JEE test the depth of your knowledge, while the Civil Services exams test your width of knowledge. CAT evaluates your presence of mind and the ability to perform under pressure. You cannot prepare for CAT during the last 10 days, as one generally does for college semester exams. A minimum of 3 to 9 months of regular preparation is essential.
Vedic Maths
To increase your speed in maths for CAT you can use the Vedic Maths Guide. It really works. Click here to download the guide
Also you can practice previous CAT papers. Click here to download CAT 2006 Paper with Solutions
Also you can practice previous CAT papers. Click here to download CAT 2006 Paper with Solutions
HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR CONCENTRATION CLICK HERE
GK QUESTION FOR SNAP CLICK HERE
AN INSPIRING TRUE STORY CLICK HERE
FORMULAS TO BE USED IN CAT CLICK HERE
MORE DOWNLOADS COMIG SOON KEEP VISITING THIS SECTION FOR MORE UPDATES ON CAT AND OTHER MBA ENTRANCE EXAMS
GK QUESTION FOR SNAP CLICK HERE
AN INSPIRING TRUE STORY CLICK HERE
FORMULAS TO BE USED IN CAT CLICK HERE
MORE DOWNLOADS COMIG SOON KEEP VISITING THIS SECTION FOR MORE UPDATES ON CAT AND OTHER MBA ENTRANCE EXAMS
CAT DOES IT LOOK TO BE TOO TUFF
CAT IS NOT SO TUFF THE ONLY FACT IS THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW WHAT TO PREPARE AND HOW TO PREPARE. SO I AM HERE TO HELP YOU WITH ALL YOUR DOUBTS AND QUERIES. YOU CAN FREELY POST ANY QUERIES OR MAIL THEM TO ME AT agarwallavivek@yahoo.co.in I AM ALWAYS THERE TO HELP ALL THE CAT ASPIRANTS.
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