CAT: Three things not to do in the final stages of preparation

Every year, a sizable number of young people take the CAT in an attempt to get admission to the nation's top 20 IIMs and other B-schools. Only those in the top 1-2 percent have a chance of receiving an admission offer from one of the desired IIMs because there are so few seats available in the top IIMs and there are so many applications.

Attempt to steer clear of these three typical errors that a lot of applicants make in their last stages of preparation:

 1. Taking more than one mock exam in a single day

Cramming practice tests might hurt your score! Do one mock exam a day in the last 1-2 weeks before the real test. Then, review the questions you missed and the topics covered. Practice individual question types daily, not just full tests. Simulate the real exam by taking practice tests at your actual exam time. Stick to the same question order for practice (verbal, reading, data, logic, math) to build routine and memory.

 2. Revising concepts without practicing question

Don't skip practice exams! Reviewing notes alone can trick you into thinking you're ready. Do at least 5 practice questions to really understand the material.

 3. Not getting enough sleep

Feeling anxious and sleep-deprived before a big exam? It happens! But don't worry, focus on self-care and getting enough sleep before the test. ‍On exam day, manage your time wisely and don't be afraid to skip tough questions and come back later. Remember, there's no penalty for leaving non-MCQs blank, but there might be for wrong guesses in MCQs. Feeling overwhelmed? Take a deep breath and relax. You've got this! Good luck!