Are you under the impression that CAT exam is just about studies and no fun? Give your mind a second thought.

Are you under the impression that CAT exam is just about studies and no fun? Give your mind a second thought.  According to the CAT toppers, the ghost of CAT exam can be tackled easily with focus, confidence and positive approach.

Focus is the keyword which you should keep in mind while preparing for CAT exam. Staying focused and consistent will boost up your confidence level and can take you a long way. Keep your mind calm during the preparations and move slowly and steadily towards your goal. After all, this is not the last battle of your life!

In the words of Ankit Gupta, 99.34 percentile, IIM Indore, “I would just like to say 'Stay focused and believe in perseverance', each one of the aspirants has the capacity to Bell the CAT.”

Maintaining the regularity is a must to remain focused for all of you who see themselves in top B-schools in near future. It should be noted here that you need to devote time to the studies on a regular basis. Giving less time to studies can be managed sooner or later, but being irregular with the preparations can become a big obstacle in the path of achieving the right goal. The experts and CAT toppers believe that planning and Time Management are key components to remain focused while preparing for CAT 2010. 

According to Gaurav Swarnkar, 94.34 percentile, NITIE, even if one gives less time to studies, regularity will pay a lot.

GD and PI are not too far

Clearing the written exam is just 30 per cent success in the game of CAT, rest 70 per cent lies on the GD and PI.

Though it is a common trend that CAT takers prepare for the GD & PI after the written test but this is not the right way. You should be constantly updated with the current happenings by reading newspapers regularly. Not only will this help you in the GD & PI processes later on, but for CAT, you will be in a much better position for the Data Interpretation section and will increase the speed of Reading Comprehension section.
While sharing his experience, Siddhartha Saxena, 97.27 percentile, MDI Gurgaon says, “For increasing the level of general awareness, I went through two to three magazines. As I was not an avid news paper reader, my general awareness was low which proved to be disastrous in the IIM Kozhikode interview.”

Adding to his views, Swarnkar says, “My personal experience is that clearing the written test is just 30 per cent is struggle, remaining 70 per cent battle is getting through GD & PI process. So start preparing for GDs and specially interviews, right from the beginning and do not wait till your written exams' results.”

Have time for fun

It is an old saying that, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” and holds well even today. You should not deprive yourself from the fun factor of life. Enjoy each and every moment of your CAT journey.

Archit Shrivastava, 97.9 percentile, IIM Indore shares, “One thing what I learnt in last few years is don’t give up the fun part of life just to prepare hard for exams. Every one of us wants to excel in life. If we want one thing so badly, be it success, money, topping exam or even a girl or boy that we are ready to compromise on other things like time for movies, outing with friends or family, sleep, games for it. Trust me it doesn’t happen this way. So enjoy the journey as much as you want to enjoy your destination.” 

Shipra Pandey, 94.89 percentile, MICA gives you the formula to balance fun and preparation with equal ease. “Play with questions, and if you feel you have to struggle with it, leave it and go on to the next one. Study as long as you can concentrate. Work intelligently. Also, make it a point to have some fun every week. It helps.” She advises.

Lastly, it is very important to have faith in yourself from the beginning till the end. You should not be discouraged by anybody's remarks or any result. Do not lose hope and take it as an opportunity, not a burden. Learn to take lessons from your mistakes. Don’t be afraid with the ghost of CAT, be courageous and focused.