How I Failed My CAT Exam: Lessons Learned the Hard Way
Hey everyone! I never imagined I'd be writing a blog about failing an exam, but here I am. During my final year of college, I decided to follow a dream that had never even crossed my mind before: pursuing an MBA from the IIMs. I started researching about it, and the more I learned, the more it became clear that the CAT exam was my gateway to achieving this goal. I quickly made the decision to move to Kochi and join one of the best coaching institutes in the country. I spent six months preparing for the exam, and though I put in the effort, I made several mistakes along the way that ultimately cost me. Here’s a breakdown of what went wrong, categorized into a few sections, with suggestions for anyone preparing for CAT:
General Mistakes
Individualistic Learning: I’ve always been someone who prefers studying alone, and this was a huge mistake during my CAT prep. Coming from a humanities background, I was used to studying in isolation and focusing on theory-based subjects. But CAT is a different beast. It’s not about simply memorizing formulas—it’s about applying concepts in unique, tricky ways. In the first three months of my prep, I stuck to my solitary study routine and did nothing but repeat formula-based questions in Quant. My mock scores weren’t improving. One day, a friend pointed out that I needed to change my study approach. I started collaborating more with my classmates, discussing different approaches to questions, and that’s when I began to see improvement.
Mentality: I constantly told myself I was bad at Quant, and that belief stuck with me even during the exam. I would think, “Even if I do well in the other sections, Quant will drag me down.” This negativity was a huge barrier to my success. If you're someone who thinks they’re bad at any section, stop right now and tell yourself positive affirmations. Remind yourself that you are capable and that mindset plays a huge role in exam performance.
Limiting Myself: CAT is notoriously difficult, and like most aspirants, I assumed this year would be tougher than ever. I trained myself to only solve the minimum number of questions needed to score well, with accuracy as my only goal. When the actual exam arrived, we realized that the paper was easier than we expected. But because I had been limiting myself to only solving a few questions, I missed out on easily solvable questions, which ultimately hurt my score.
Not Making Proper Notes: Throughout my prep, I relied heavily on handouts and coaching material. Being from a textual learning background in social sciences, I never understood the importance of handwritten notes. When I had to refer to a particular question type, I realized I didn’t have a consolidated, easy-to-refer collection of notes. If you’re preparing for any competitive exam, don’t underestimate the power of making your own notes—they will save you during revision.
Quantitative Aptitude Mistakes
Not Having a Proper Formula Book: I had a formula book, but I didn’t give it the attention it deserved. Some formulas are only relevant to specific question types, and I didn’t write them down neatly or revise them consistently. This made it hard to refer to them during my preparation. Having a formula book isn’t just a good idea—it’s essential. Write down the formulas you often forget, organize them by topic, and revisit them regularly.
Not Practicing Mental Calculations: While the CAT exam provides an on-screen calculator, it’s slow and time-consuming to use. I relied on it too much for even the simplest calculations, which cost me valuable time during the exam. A better approach would have been to practice mental math, including Vedic math tricks, to improve my speed. Try to minimize reliance on the calculator, and use it only for more complex calculations.
Not Clarifying the Basics: In the initial stages of my prep, I kept focusing on advanced topics, assuming I already knew the basics. This was a big mistake. I should have spent more time building a strong foundation and understanding the fundamental concepts before moving on to more complex problems. Understanding the fundamentals and learning to think critically through problems is key to succeeding in CAT.
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) Mistakes
Not Taking DILR Seriously: DILR can be a tricky section because there’s always a bit of luck involved. Even after months of preparation, the types of sets you face on the exam could be completely new. Despite knowing this, I didn’t dedicate enough time to practicing DILR. I started solving sets only four months into my preparation. My suggestion? Start practicing DILR from Day 1. The more sets you solve, the better prepared you’ll be to handle any surprises during the exam.
Not Practicing DI Enough: I’ve always disliked Data Interpretation (DI), so I kept avoiding it. This was a huge mistake. During the exam, there were three DI sets—easy ones, in fact—but because I had avoided practicing DI, I struggled. Even if you don’t like certain topics, it’s crucial to practice them consistently. Avoiding them will only hurt you in the long run.
Miscellaneous Mistakes
- Not Referring to Current Affairs: This one didn’t affect my CAT exam score, but it did impact my interview preparation. For the last six months, I was so focused on CAT preparation that I neglected to stay updated with current affairs. Big mistake! Once the exam was over, I realized that knowing what’s happening in the world is key, not just for the exam, but for interviews as well. Make it a habit to read the news daily—this will help you in your GD-PI rounds and in building your overall awareness.
Conclusion & Final Tips
If you're preparing for CAT, here are a few general suggestions:
- Collaborate with peers: Don't isolate yourself. Discuss strategies, solutions, and approaches with classmates or friends. You’ll learn a lot from each other.
- Mindset is everything: Stay positive and believe that you can crack the exam. Don’t limit yourself or let negative thoughts cloud your preparation.
- Be strategic with your prep: Don't just aim to do the minimum. You should aim to maximize your potential by solving a variety of problems and expanding your knowledge.
- Start early: It’s never too soon to start mastering the basics. Build a strong foundation and then gradually increase the complexity of the problems.
- Practice under time constraints: Taking mocks and practicing under timed conditions is critical. It’ll help you get used to the pressure and improve your time management skills.
While I didn’t crack the CAT that year, I learned some invaluable lessons. I hope my mistakes can help you avoid the same pitfalls and guide you toward success. Keep at it, and remember, one failure doesn't define your potential—use it as a stepping stone to future achievements!
Good luck!
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