Kumar Ravi

Q. What was your overall preparation strategy for CAT?

A. For CAT preparation i first started by framing the challenges in front of me. The challenges which I identified in the first few mocks were as follows:

1. Score consistently in all sections, specially VARC.
2. Have focus on marks and not on completing the syllabus or having extra knowledge about the course material.
3. Develop a monitoring system to gauge the work division amongst all three sections.

Q. Please share your sectional preparation strategy for CAT? How did you prepare for

• VARC: For VARC i started with improving my Vocabulary and grammar as that is the foundation for a better english. I started reading THE HINDU daily and also bought a kindle as it has a very nice vocabulary builder tool. In a few months i noticed that i had improved my VA skills and consistently practiced the parajumbles questions with a basic rule that the book is always right. In few months time i had improved a lot upon the VARC part but was still struggling with RC which comprised 60% of the marks. For RC i started back with the basics again and started with the practice of summarising whatever i read using a pen and paper. The understanding of passages improved in a month and my only problem left was how to reduce negative marking. For that i realised looking at the mock analysis that i was not gauging the difficulty level of each test and used to attempt 70% of questions in all tests. I started developing the ability to gauge the difficulty level and answer accordingly. By the last 3 mocks i performed consistently enough to foster enough confidence for the final CAT exam.

• Quant:For quants i did not have to struggle much as i was already very good with maths since school days. My only challenge was to convert this knowledge into marks in the tests. For this i realised that it is all about correct choice of questions to leave and a throughout speed in the paper so as to necessarily reach to the end of paper comfortably. With this mindset i started approaching the tests and every mock test i used to analyse with 2 mindsets. First was asking myself how could i have scored more in the test with the same level of knowledge and skills i have. Second was to find that one thing which if i knew would have fetched me maximum marks in the tests. Working upon this strategy i was at a comfortable position on the day of CAT’17.

• DILR:For DILR I figured out that there are 2 things which should be followed. First is expanding the number of types of sets you are familiar with. Second is getting the right strategy to attempt the paper. For first one needs to solve all the sets he finds and know which are the types he/she is comfortable with. For second the strategy is solving in the increasing order of difficulty and towards end solving only the parts of the sets and not necessarily the entire set.

Q. Was there any particular section/area that you were weak at? How did you overcome this challenge?

A. I was particularly weak at VARC and the strategy is already conveyed in the above section in all details. But i will still boil it down to 3 words here- basics, perseverance and guidance.

Q. What role did Mocks play in your success? How many mocks did you attempt before the exam?

A. I attempted around 20 mock during my preparation. Mocks played a very crucial role in my success. Mocks were the feedback I required about my preparation and were also a testing ground for the strategies which I had framed. They also were a decent representation of what all types of papers could come in CAT and the hence the strategy framed should be capable to deal with all the kinds of mocks faced.

Q. Did you self-prepare or attend a coaching centre and why?

A. I joined the TIME coaching centre in bangalore majorly because I had quit my job and had all the time in hand. The coaching centre would serve to provide me with a base level to start and with the help of knowledge and experience of the faculties I learned and grew fast to reach the best level.

Q. Please share your strategy for the CAT Day. What was your last-minute preparation? How did you plan your CAT test taking?

A. My strategy for CAT day was to be at my best performing state. That state has the features like being well fed, not sleepy and having a calm mind. I ate a light lunch before exam, had perfect sleep the night before and had well enough confidence in me on the day of the exam so as to avoid any panic. Also I had been practicing yoga and meditation since a long time and that really helped me to have a very composite and calm mind on the day of the exams.

Q. Your final message and tips for candidates preparing for CAT 2018.

A.  Be confident of your ability. Cracking CAT with top percentile is no big deal if you have invested smartly. Hours of work do not count much but the clarity of what you are studying and why you are studying is what counts. Have a sound strategy and a calm composed mind.

Q. Did you face any weak moment when you self-doubted your preparation and scared failure? Please narrate it, if so.

A. Till the last mocks i was performing at around 98%ile and i had build up some doubts. But then my brother said that all who score more than 95 can score 100 if they perform well on the day and stick to their strategy rather than being carried away by their impulses. I believed in his words and started meditating even more and removed any doubts from my mind.