Study smart for CAT

Studying smart. That’s the key to this year’s Common Admission Test (CAT). Studying hard is secondary.
For if you know your strengths and are a good decision maker, you’re through. According to Amit Saboo, director of Career Avenues, a training institute, it’s your knowledge of who you are as a person that will see you through this tough exam."The test depends on the kind of decisions you make. Time management and choices are important."
The trends have been changing since 1997. While earlier, students would worry about the number of questions they were able to answer, the cut-off scores have now been reduced from 110 to about 75, making things a little simpler, he says.
So a student needs to answer 100 questions as compared to the earlier number of 140, and do it right. "This year, the focus is more on Math than English and there is also an increased focus on logic and accuracy," explains Saboo.
In fact, this year there are more people with work experience taking the CAT. The number of engineers appearing for the exam have increased from 40 per cent to 60 per cent, says Saboo.
"There are even people from the software industry who realise that there can be ups and downs in their profession. Therefore, it’s always better to be better qualified to survive." Even students realise that the focus is more on quality learning than solving a large number of papers.
Says Saboo, "Earlier, the students would give much more importance to the number of attempts rather than accuracy." Explains Sneha M, a BBM graduate with three years of work experience, "People should realise that CAT is not about solving difficult questions but about solving them smartly. It is ideal if you can join a coaching institute which gives you the required individual guidance and assistance. Every individual has his own strengths and weaknesses and the challenge is to recognise them and capitalise on them. for which, each needs to have his own strategy."
Rolly S, a BCom graduate with six months work experience says, that for those seeking corporate nirvana, an MBA from a premier institute gives the required head-start.
"And CAT is the gateway to the country’s most prestigious business schools. However, you need to possess a strong fundamental base. Regular practice of and exposure to various types of questions are important."
Don’t let CAT intimidate you, they warn. Sometimes there may be concentration difficulties and making time, especially for students who are working.
"Achieving accuracy and speed simultaneously time also pose as hindrances to successful preparation," says Sneha.
But at the end of the day, students must have a strong conceptual base followed by intensive practice. It helps to know simple squares, cubes and fractions, to solve problems speedily. More importantly, it’s your mental make-up and confidence that gives you the cutting edge.