4 months Planner for CAT preparation: Working Aspirants
Taking into consideration that you start (or restart) with your prep from the first week of August, you have around 120 days (4 months) before D-Day, as CAT will be on 26th November this year.
Now, if you are serious about your CAT preparation, it’s absolutely possible to nail CAT with a high percentile with 4 months of preparation. All you need is Right strategy and resources along with consistency.
In this article, I will handhold you in outlining your roadmap with the help of my public Facebook Cat Preparation – iQuanta group and iQuanta so that you will be able to build your own strategies.
There are two ways to score 99+%ile in CAT 2023:
1) You are damn good in two of the sections, for example, QA & VA, QA & LRDI, or VA & LRDi, while average at the third
One example of a Past CAT score of an iQuanta student :
QA : 99.7
LRDi : 99.9
VA : 88
Overall : 99.68 (IIM C)
2) You are equally good at all the three sections QA, LRDI, and VA. (Balanced Prep)
With 97.5%ile+ in all the three sections will land you close to 99%ile overall. And 99%ile in all three sections will land you more than 99.7+%ile overall.
So evaluate yourself, and then make a plan on these lines.
Note: The plan is strictly for serious aspirants aiming 99+%ile in CAT.
Considering you are working for 9 hours a day and 2 hours of travelling ( in case you are working from home, you can utilise this time for your preparation), 5 days a week, I have made a plan considering (9 A.M- 6 P.M) as office time (shift your plan according to your timings)
You need to put at least 3-5 hours/Day on weekdays and 8 hours/day on weekend.(Please change according to your requirement if you feel exhausted).
The plan is divided into 80 days of Study and 40 days of practicing mocks. (80+40=120)
First, I would recommend you to make a list of al the topics that come in CAT with their weightage. Pen down all your strengths and weaknesses.
Following are the Important areas from each subject :
1. Quant chapters:
Approx number of Questions asked : (Considering 2 hours CAT exam)
=> Arithmetic ( 8-9 Questions)
=> Algebra ( 5-6 Questions)
=> Geometry (5-6 Questions)
Other important topics:
=> Numbers ( 1-3 question but this topic is going to be your base for all other topics, some concept that you’ll learn in this topic will help you not only in Quant but some DI sets as well)
=> Series, logs ,P and C (3-4) Question)
=> Miscellaneous (1-2 Questions)
(Considering you want to complete your portion in this order only; change if you wish to)
Chapter Wise Plan: (Starting from 1st August)
As iQuanta has started the CAT 2023 Last Batch from July so it will be useful for those who are enrolled too as well as to those who are starting the preparation around this time. (If you want to be a part of this course, you can enroll for Brahmastra CAT Full Course at www.iQuanta.in)
Numbers [1st August – 7th August]
(1.5 hours/day on weekdays and 5 hours/day on weekends or holidays) for a week (7 days) learning concepts and solving sums from past papers as well :
[11th August to 6th September]
- Arithmetic & TSD (1.5 hours/day on weekdays and 5 hours/day on weekends or holidays) for 26 days. From this point you can start taking Mocks along with your preparation, so that you get familiar to sitting for a 2 hour exam
[7th to 14th September] - Modern Maths(1.5 hours/day on weekdays and 5 hours/day on weekends or holidays) for 7 days.[15th to 29th September ]
- Algebra (1.5 hours/day on weekdays and 5 hours/day on weekends or holidays) for 15 days
[30th Sept to 12th October ]
- Geometry and Mensuration(1.5 hours/day on weekdays and 5 hours/day on weekends or holidays) for the next 13 days
[13th October to 31st October]
- Leftover topics (1.5 hours/day on weekdays and 5 hours/day on weekends or holidays) for 17 days Revise leftover topics and practice[iQuanta Course is desgined in a way that your whole syllabus will get covered by August End, while one month is adjusted for your Practice and Solidification of Concepts]
[1st October till CAT]
- iQuanta’s Exclusive Crash Course (1.5 hours/day on weekdays and 5 hours/day on weekends or holidays) for 2 months.
(The crash course is going to be a fast paced revision of all the concepts taught in the CAT Full Course with new content. We will teach you shortcuts and point to point explanation which are based on crystal clear concepts taught in the course, helping you save those precious few extra seconds, thus giving you an edge over all your competitors. This Crash Course is free along with the CAT Full Course)
Source:
From any standard material, you have in hand, along with iQuanta Sessions. Follow CAT Preparation Group posts/Events. Try to attempt questions there and ask doubts in case. (Most important)
So CAT Aspirants for getting a 99.5+ percentile :
I think per day you should at least do : (these are apart from iQuanta CAT classes)
30-50 Quant Questions,
3 LRDI Sets
3 RC Sets
10-20 VA
Even in case if you are not able to follow it every day, its completely fine, But then make sure you do 300 QA Questions per Week , 20 LRDI Sets & 20 RC sets Per week (apart from iQuanta classes).
For that Sources can be:
■ iQuanta Gift Material for self study, Application classes, assignments in Dashboard (jaha videos hn)
■Past CAT Papers
■ IIM ABC Batch Questions (those haven’t bought it may buy it now) :
■ CAT Free Resources like QA, VARC, LRDI, Reading Articles
■ Past CAT QA Video Solutions
■ 120 CAT QA Videos
■ Any hardcopy or soft copy material you have (but with iQuanta course won’t need, only if you are non iQuanta)
You can take any of the above sources to solve.
Doubts : For any doubt you get from these sources or iQuanta sessions just post in iQuanta group (CAT Group if not a student)
(And if iQuanta student, post in iQuanta Doubts Group) and we will try resolving them.
Post this just make sure from July till CAT you are taking a minimum of 30 CAT Mocks. (iCAT Mocks)
If you wish to join iQuanta CAT Last Batch, you can join here
If looking for other CAT & MBA Courses, click here
If you follow it strictly, You can be 99% sure to get a 99+ Percentile !!
VARC :
Reading comprehension
Critical Reasoning
Para Jumbles and Odd one Out
Paragraph Summary
RC and Verbal Area: (Starting from 1st August)
Keep a daily practice of reading for at least 30 mins, basically read some editorials, and also try to summarize from what you read. (Do it in your office time if possible)
You can read daily articles genre wise here : https://www.iquanta.in/test/iconcept
Reading comprehension (1 hour/day on weekdays and 2.5 hours/day on weekends or holidays) till November 26, 2023. Start with at least 2 passages per day then increase to 4-5 passages once you gain Accuracy.
Likewise, until November you will be able to complete almost 300+ passages
Here quantity is not important, quality is, focusing that you gain at least 90% Accuracy.
Critical Reasoning, Para jumbles, Odd one Out & Para summary . (One should keep 2 days for one topic (45 mins/day on weekdays and 2 hours/day on weekends or holidays)
Vocabulary :
Focus more on overall comprehension rather than Word to word meaning at this point in time. Personally I don’t think it’s worth spending time just for CAT. If you are actually interested, knock yourself out.
If there’s something simple that you want, there is a pretty solid hack. Whenever you encounter a new word, Google, get to the roots of it and then use them in your conversation. The word is going to stick with you for a long time.
Other than that – most of the words you find in a passage can be understood by the context.
Source :
From any standard material, you have in hand, along with iQuanta Sessions. Follow CAT Preparation Group posts/Events. Try to attempt questions there and ask doubts in case. (Most important)
So CAT Aspirants for getting a 99.5+ percentile :
I think per day you should at least do : (these are apart from iQuanta CAT classes)
30-50 Quant Questions,
3 LRDI Sets
3 RC Sets
10-20 VA
Even in case if you are not able to follow it every day, its completely fine, But then make sure you do 300 QA Questions per Week , 20 LRDI Sets & 20 RC sets Per week (apart from iQuanta classes).
For that Sources can be:
■ iQuanta Gift Material for self study, Application classes, assignments in Dashboard (jaha videos hn)
■Past CAT Papers
■ IIM ABC Batch Questions (those haven’t bought it may buy it now) :
■ CAT Free Resources like QA, VARC, LRDI, Reading Articles
■ Past CAT RC Video Solutions
■ Any hardcopy or soft copy material you have (but with iQuanta course won’t need, only if you are non iQuanta)
You can take any of the above sources to solve.
Doubts : For any doubt you get from these sources or iQuanta sessions just post in iQuanta group (CAT Group if not a student)
(And if iQuanta student, post in iQuanta Doubts Group) and we will try resolving them.
Post this just make sure from July till CAT you are taking a minimum of 30 CAT Mocks. (iCAT Mocks)
If you wish to join iQuanta CAT Last Batch, you can join here
If looking for other CAT & MBA Courses, click here
If you follow it strictly, You can be 99% sure to get a 99+ Percentile !!
LRDI Area :
– This area generally needs lots of practice to get hands onto a variety of sums.
– Keep practicing one day LR and another day DI for (45 mins/Day on weekdays and 2 hours/Day on weekends or holidays) [till 20th November]
Source :
From any standard material, you have in hand, along with iQuanta Sessions. Follow CAT Preparation Group posts/Events. Try to attempt questions there and ask doubts in case. (Most important)
So CAT Aspirants for getting a 99.5+ percentile :
I think per day you should at least do : (these are apart from iQuanta CAT classes)
30-50 Quant Questions,
3 LRDI Sets
3 RC Sets
10-20 VA
Even in case if you are not able to follow it every day, its completely fine, But then make sure you do 300 QA Questions per Week , 20 LRDI Sets & 20 RC sets Per week (apart from iQuanta classes).
For that Sources can be:
■ iQuanta Gift Material for self study, Application classes, assignments in Dashboard (jaha videos hn)
■Past CAT Papers
■ IIM ABC Batch Questions (those haven’t bought it may buy it now) :
■ CAT Free Resources like QA, VARC, LRDI, Reading Articles
■ Past CAT LRDI Video Solutions
■ 100 LRDI Playlist to solve
■ Any hardcopy or soft copy material you have (but with iQuanta course won’t need, only if you are non iQuanta)
You can take any of the above sources to solve.
Doubts : For any doubt you get from these sources or iQuanta sessions just post in iQuanta group (CAT Group if not a student)
(And if iQuanta student, post in iQuanta Doubts Group) and we will try resolving them.
Post this just make sure from July till CAT you are taking a minimum of 30 CAT Mocks. (iCAT Mocks)
If you wish to join iQuanta CAT Last Batch, you can join here
If looking for other CAT & MBA Courses, click here
If you follow it strictly, You can be 99% sure to get a 99+ Percentile !!
Sectional Mocks (All the 3 Areas) : From August till November 26
Daily take one sectional mock either of QA, LRDI or VARC, which can be from any standard source because you need to test yourself on topic wise as well once you are done with your study to get little confident and to ensure you have covered all the areas. You may increase the number if you are free that day, at least one sectional is a must per day. (if that day isn’t your Mock day)
Full Mocks : (Starting from August)
Take at least 1 mock per week until August 31st. From September take 2 mocks per week.
Once you are done with syllabus; start giving weekly 3 Mocks. (you can do that even now if your syllabus isn’t completed). Take as many mocks as you can.
You can even opt for iQuanta iCAT Mock test series, which will start around June.
Followed by Mock, analyse the paper, with your weak areas and then focus on your weak areas accordingly.
iQuanta will soon update the best way to analyse your mocks this month. Stay tuned.
Note :
1) Try to solve questions in CAT Preparation-iQuanta, and iQuanta paid CAT group, whenever you see a question, that too fast, if possible try to be the first one to solve. Make it a competitive environment. This has helped all my students who got phenomenal percentiles this year.
2) Keep solving Questions from your materials and in case you get doubt, post in CAT Preparation group or iQuanta Paid doubts group.
Now let me help you to create 1-day plan (Demo)
Note: It is just a demo you can change things as per your weak areas/convenience.
Study Time: 8 PM – 1.30 AM, It may include all study-related activities whether classes or solving in the group or solving your own materials.
Ps: You may change the work timings as per your working hours. So
Weekdays :
8.00 AM-7.00 PM———Office time (Read articles/editorials in between and do practice 2-3 RCs in between office time)
Also in between office hours do try to solve the practice questions posted in iQuanta Paid group by iQuanta Mentors
8.00 P.M -9.30 P.M——- (Quant chap) (you can start it as soon as you get free from your office, say at 6 or 7pm)
9.30 P.M -10.00 P.M—– Break
10.00 P.M to 12.00A.M — iQuanta Classes: Weekly 2 days either of QA/LRDI/VARC (so 2+2+2= 6 days a week)
12.30 A.M-1.30 A.M ——LR/DI
Weekends :
8.30-9.00 AM—Read editorials or newspaper
09.00-11.30—Quant
11.30-12.00—Break
12.00-01.00—Reading comprehension of 1-2 passages
01.00-01.30—Lunch time
01.30-04.00—Quant Practice
04.00-05.30— Reading comprehension (1-2) passage
05.30-06.00—Break
06.00-08.00— Solve LR/DI sets
08.00-10.00— Verbal Area (SC,CR,PJ,PC)
10.00-10.30—Dinner Time
10.30-01.30—Full Mock/Analysis
Disclaimer:
This is the rough plan; one can definitely change or shift timings according to one’s weaknesses and strengths. I would like to say that do not consider it foolproof, it only helps you to drive your plan. The aim here is not to complete the portion but to have thorough conceptual knowledge. Considering the number of hours I mentioned can definitely change as per your wish but ensure that you cover the syllabus in a defined period only. Please compete with yourself and not with others. Every time you take a mock ensure you improve and do not take mocks unless a thorough analysis of the previous mock is complete. Give time and definitely, you will see some progress. Keep developing shortcuts that can help you in the exam to save time. Join iQuanta Courses for tricks/ shortcuts and Conceptual understanding. The course is starting from April End. It starts from basics and reaches a bit above CAT level.
Try experimenting with your mock paper say for ex. Try using the elimination method while answering or using shortcuts to see how much time is saved.
Work hard as much as you can. Work Hard Now to Enjoy Later !!
All the best.
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