MYTH'S ABOUT CAT

"The basic difference between those who crack the CAT and those who don’t is the mindset. Most aspirants start out by telling themselves that the CAT is ‘too difficult an exam to crack’. This self-defeating thought is often supported by some false notions about the exam. Let’s destroy a few myths that students love to hold onto."

Myth 1: “Only engineers can crack the CAT”
Terming the CAT a ‘difficult exam’ and giving up on it thinking that only engineering students can crack it, is pure escapism as one does not want to put in the efforts that the preparation demands. Results have proven that non-engineers have done just as well in the CAT as students from an engineering background. Ankit Doshi, a commerce graduate from Mumbai University, who scored 99.7 percentile in CAT 2008, says “The most important thing to keep in mind for the CAT is common sense. The ability to gauge the test and adapt to it quickly is the key.”

Myth 2: “I need to be brilliant at both verbal and quantitative aptitude.”
It’s possible to do well in the CAT with any one area as your core strength. A lot of people who were not comfortable with math, have managed to crack the CAT by following a simple strategy - manage the weak area, maximise in the area of strength, and manage time to maximise the overall score. The CAT contains several simple and elementary questions as well. Having a fear in one area makes one ignore those questions or approach them as if they were tough to solve.

Myth 3: “I need work-experience to get a call from an institute.”
Though the proportion of people with work-experience is usually higher and varies across institutes, there is no rule about freshers not being admitted at all. Most institutes want diversity in their batch, and hence freshers are given a chance because of the fresh perspective they bring in.

Myth 1: “CAT is only about the IIMs.”
IIMs are only a few of the many institutes that accept the CAT score. There are many other good institutes that one can consider taking admission to, through the CAT. An IIM call may be cherished, but do not get disheartened if you don’t get a call. CAT offers many other excellent options besides the IIMs.

Myth 1: “I can manage preparation for CAT the same way as other (college) exams.”
CAT cannot be approached the same way as regular college exams. Unlike college exams, one cannot do justice to CAT preparation through ‘ study’ or during ‘preparatory leave’. CAT needs regular, consistent practice over a period of at least six months. It’s a classic case of ‘slow and steady wins the race’, in which consistent effort is far more important than short bursts of intense study.
Another important point to keep in mind is to look for ways to solve a question until one discovers the most favourable method. It’s a case of constant and never ending improvement. Mitesh Gursahani, IIM Indore batch of 2009-11 says, “Much of the perceived difficulty of the CAT arises from the hype that is created around it, making it seem as if cracking the CAT is nothing short of a miracle.”
Having seen through the above falsehoods, one also needs to bear in mind a few more seemingly minor but significant things. The first amongst them is persistence. There will be days of disappointment, and tests with terrible scores. It’s good to know this before you start preparations so that you can take disappointment in your stride.
Also, enjoying the process is important. Akanksha Thakore, IIMA batch of 2007-09, says, “I thoroughly enjoyed the process of preparation. I immersed myself in it, giving very little thought to what the outcome might be. It helped me focus my energies and do away with the pressure of results.”
Above all, one needs to start by believing ‘I can crack the CAT’. Says Thakore, “I told myself that I'm good enough for the IIMs, and believed in it. If I had not, the battle would have been lost even before it began!”
‘I can’ should be your mantra as you begin preparations for the exam. That’s where the right mindset begins.