CAT ,MAT , XAT , etc are MBA entrance examinations… which takes place all over India and generally conducted by Indian Institutes of Management. Many candidates sit for the exams each time so the level of competition is really high.
so here some tips
1. If you are a 1st timer, write a mock test, any mock, and get a rough idea as to where you stand right now.
2. Get hold of study material from any institute and make sure that you go through at least QA and LR from start to end asap.
3. A very important thing (that most people don't do) is that every time you try and solve questions, do it with time limit. Right from the very first question of the study material you pick up. CAT is a speed based game these days and you'll be able to develop that skill only with practicing speed day in and day out. Every time you plan to study even for a stretch of say 30 mins, plan to solve say 18-20 questions in those 30 with a timer and try and maximise your score in this. This way, you'll develop the art of leaving questions. And then devote another 30-60 mins to learn from the questions you couldn't solve or solved wrongly. Practising within time limits makes your brain think faster and more efficiently under stress and you try and maximise your score this way. I repeat, DEVELOP THE ART OF LEAVING QUESTIONS.
4. Once you start writing mocks, maintain an excel sheet to keep track of questions in VA and QA topic wise. After every mock, during analysis, just fill this excel sheet, something like this -
VA -
MOCK PJ(T/A/C/W) RC(T/A/C/W)
SIMCAT 101 4/4/3/1 16/13/9/4
AIMCAT 1625 ...........................................................
At the end, apply a formula that will give you details about % attempt (A/T*100) and % accuracy (C/A*100) topic wise. After 10-15 mocks, you'll be very clear about which topic you are attempting less, where your accuracy is pathetic etc etc. It will help you much more than you realise. Around Sept/Oct when you'll be finalising a strategy for the final exam, this data will help you in deciding how to approach the paper. It definitely helped me a lot.
5. Maintain a thick notebook with all the QA formulas and keep updating it with every mock/sectional test you give. Revise it once every 20-30 days. By Oct, these formulae should become an extension of your mind. Recalling them instantaneously during mocks/CAT is VIMP. You can utilise travel time to office for revising this, I did.
6. Mental calculations are very important. As pagalguy CAT legend calls it, THINK without INK. You can practice this on a regular basis. Do whatever calculations you do during work/college without a calculator. As much as possible. In these 8 months, you can develop this skill exponentially by practising it daily. Challenge yourself. Lying in bed, about to sleep, ask yourself, what is 347x218? What is 59674-47392? Now try and visualize this. Make these calculations a habit and a part of your life. Trust me, it will help you in more ways than you can imagine even long after the CAT is over.
7. For VA/RC, people say that reading a lot of novels and newspaper helps. But I feel that reading helps a lot, definitely. But instead of investing time novels/newspapers, invest that same amount of time in solving RC passages on various themes and topics (With a time limit of course). This way, you'll practice a lot of reading as well as you'll also practice spotting answers for questions. Buy any popular book with 100s of RCs and start doing this.
8. About books, I can't really comment about which one to go for as I didn't use any. My preparation was only from 47 mock tests I wrote and 40+ sectional tests.
9. Mock tests are the single most important step in your CAT preparation. It prepares you for the final battle by simulating the same. Enroll in at least one among the big 3 and if possible, enroll in two (I would recommend SIMCATs+AIMCATs). Take every single mock very very seriously. You could write 30 mocks or 130 (depending on the amount of time that you can devote for CAT prep), but please take all of them very seriously. Analysing mocks is twice more important than writing one. Find out why you solved a particular question wrong or why you left a particular question. Update the 'thick notebook' that you made for QA with new formulas/concepts that you see in these mock tests' solutions. Solve the unsolved RCs/DILR sets later on (Try and do this too in time limits). Devote more time to analysing mocks than to write them. Learn everything that you can from every mock that you write. Try and write the next mocks only after analysing previous mock thoroughly. You will find this analysis very difficult and you'll have an urge to just skip it and write the next mock, but don't. I personally analysed only 38 out of 47 mocks thoroughly due to lack of time. Do this analysis not just for mocks but for sectional tests as well.
10. DO NOT try to do too many things. Someone will try and do mocks, various books from Indian authors, even GMAT books, then lots of reading, then improve grammar with several grammar improvement books, then vocab improvement books, solving questions on pagalguy, solving questions on various sites, various study materials etc etc etc. KEEP IT SIMPLE. Don't get caught up with all this. Don't ask for too many suggestions. Talk to a few good people, make a good plan that you feel will work for you and just do it.
11. Try and improve your English writing and speaking skills as much as you can today onwards. Practice it at home/office/college as much as you can. This will help you a lot during the final step after CAT result. This is something that will take time to improve (Only for those who are not too comfortable with English)
12. DO NOT get affected by a change in pattern or any other changes. Take it as a challenge and an opportunity to develop yourself as per the need.
13. A time will come when things will not go your way at all. Your mock scores will fall nad you'll start doubting yourself. DON'T. Get yourself up and fight harder. No matter how bad the performance is, keep going. Trust me, you'll face these, but don't let it demotivate you. Take it as a reminder that you've so much to learn.
14. Develop a balanced performance across all 3 sections. This is very important. Devote more time to your weak areas and work on it until you are good at that too.
14. Keep calm. Develop this skill with every mock you write. This way, you'll not get all tensed up during CAT and will be able to perform to your full potential. You'll be able to take CAT as just another mock test.
15. Stop wasting time. As Madonna puts it, "I am gonna delay my pleasure". Delay it for 4 months, all those parties, movies, hangouts can wait. Right now, FOCUS.