Some students prefer preparing for the CAT and the other management school entrance exams on their own instead of than a coaching institute. Coaching institutes of course, provide benefits that individual study might not offer. Working without the classroom environment is easier said than done.
The following tips will help you prepare for the CAT on your own:
1. Prepare a time-table. Decide what topic to study on which day of the week and the deadlines for each topic.
2. Stick to the schedule. If you’ve made the decision to tutor yourself at home, do not be lazy or lax with your time-table. Do not let external factors like phone calls, appointments or cricket matches alter your schedule.
3. Complete the syllabus. Make sure that you cover all topics that appear in the CAT these adequately, whether it is geometry, analytical puzzles, time-speed-distance questions, algebra, and trigonometry.
4. Borrow study material from students who have taken the CAT previously so as to have some practice material. Speak to them extensively to gain knowledge of the topics.
5. Locate a good reference book. Pick out a book that elucidates concepts and has several exercises for practice.
6. Form a group of friends and meet up with them regularly to discuss questions, clear doubts, teach each other concepts etc. The informal meetings will aid learning from each other. Discuss and make note of which questions or concepts the group considers crucial. Solve Mock tests together. This may help you understand the CAT pattern better and be well prepared for the actual exam.
7. Working in groups is also useful while preparing for group discussions (GDs) and interviews. Mock GDs can be organized within the group and perspectives could be shared on important issues or the latest current affairs developments.
8. Mock tests are imperative if one is relying on self-preparation for the following reasons:
• Mock tests are a dress rehearsal of the actual environment that you would experience on the day of your CAT exam, and thus add to your comfort level. Those debuting at the CAT need to answer more of these to avoid nervousness and alarm on the day of the genuine test.
• A Mock test is like a crystal ball that offers a glimpse into some topics that appear in the actual CAT. It creates familiarity with the exam pattern and teaches how to crack it.
• Mock CATs develop skills like allocating adequate time for the various sections etc.
• Mock CATS should be treated as yardsticks for performance. They illustrate one’s strengths and weaknesses and measure the level of preparation. Through a mock test, it is possible to discover which sections are one’s fortes.
To make the most of studying at home, one must prepare thoroughly, exercise self-discipline in the form of a time-table, cover all topics and learn as much as possible from peers.
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