STUDY PLAN
In order to face competition and come out
with flying colours in an examination like CAT, a student should have
conceptual knowledge in each test area and should also develop a strategy to
face the exam. For the successful implementation of the strategy, a student
should have the right combination of knowledge, approach, and skill. The
details of each of these is given below:
It’s the right combination of knowledge, approach, and skill
which will help a candidate be perfectly ready for the exam.
Knowledge:
A thorough understanding of the different
concepts covered in the exam will help a candidate achieve a competitive score.
It is imperative that a candidate is familiar with test areas, test pattern,
difficulty level or the number of questions topic-wise.
Approach:
A candidate needs to be equipped with different shortcuts and
techniques to crack a competitive exam. Since these are time-bound exams, time
becomes a critical factor. So it becomes imperative that a candidate is not
just thoroughly knowledgeable in different test areas but is also equipped with
different methods to solve a problem. A right approach will facilitate him get
the right answer in the least possible time.
Skill:
A right combination of knowledge and
approach will help a candidate arrive at the right answer to a problem in the
least possible time. The other dimensions which are also being tested in the
exam are the selection of the right questions, the ability to perform under
pressure and the ability to devise a strategy and act upon it when there are
any surprises in the exam. Mere knowledge of different concepts or awareness of
different methods to solve a problem is not enough unless it is adequately
backed by thorough preparation under different scenarios to cover all the
facets of the exam.
Therefore, for a candidate to come out with flying colours, he/she should be
well equipped with Knowledge, Approach and Skill.
The study plan for DI, Reasoning, English and
Quantitative Parts can be divided into four Stages.
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Stage 1:
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A student should attend class regularly. He should solve all the problems
discussed in class once again, at home, with complete understanding of
the concept.
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Stage 2:
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Apart from attending classes, the student should go through the concepts given
in the Study Material, solve the examples first without referring to the
solution and then refer to the solutions to compare his/her approach with that
given in the solutions. After solving the examples, the student should solve
all the problems given in the exercises. The emphasis in this stage of
preparation should be on gaining complete knowledge of the basic concepts
involved.
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Stage 3:
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A student
should solve all the test papers. While solving the test papers he/she should
keep a time target and focus on maximizing the net score, during this stage of
preparation. He/she should develope his/her own strategy of dealing with the
individual test papers. The emphasis in this stage must also be on identifying
shortcomings in each area, if any, in terms of awareness of concepts and
methods of solving.
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Stage 4:
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A student should take AIMCATs and analyze
the approach. These tests can be covered at the rate of about one or two tests
per week. The main learning will be in tackling each section within an overall
exam scenario, thus developing abilities to take on the real CAT. The candidate
should regularly discuss his/her AIMCAT performance with the faculty members and
take their guidance.
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