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What difference can last minute preparations make in CAT Exam?

Praqtise — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 12:28:44 +0000

We did it in school, then why not the CAT exam?

We did not have many thrills during our college days, but one such thrill which we consistently and thoroughly enjoyed involved last minute preparation. The adrenaline rush while constantly looking at the clock, like a metronome, the sweaty palms, the thumping heartbeat, and the untidy t-shirt hanging off your pant waistline. This is not too different from a bungee jump off a mountain of books.

However, after college ended, our last minute preparations seemed to become more and more tabooed. What was once a staple method of gaining the last ounce of confidence before a test became more like a crime. But, is this truly warranted? Do we need to taboo such an obscure sport form?

This is a question which might have bothered many CAT exam takers. Last minute preparation was an important ritual during school exams. We used to study the whole night till the exams started and give a satisfying paper and crawl through the questions to gain the minimum required marks. So, it can be logically concluded that last minute preparations made a lot of difference to us then. But would that also be true in the case of CAT exam?

PRAQTISE Fact File:

Activities	Timeline
Admit Card Download Window	24^th October 2016, 1:00 PM till Exam Day
Test Date	04^th December 2016 (Sunday)
Release of Results	2^nd week of January 2017 (Tentative)

An earthen pot maker never forgets to give the finishing touches to his pot. He knows that a rough and unfinished pot makes it to no one’s home. In the same way, last minute preparation is also important. It can definitely pay off during the CAT exam if done wisely.

Last minute preparation can be in the form of numerous practices, which can act as powerful ways to prepare yourself for what is to come:

Revise – If you revise in the last few days, you will have a chance to get a better look at what you have studied so far. This will allow you to go through your notes and study materials to brush up on the basics from CAT syllabus. Revision will ensure that you have your basics clear, be it mathematical formulae or vocabulary revision. This will give you more confidence with different types of questions.
Practice – Revision is not limited to looking at notes. You might also like to try a few questions based on CAT exam pattern. These can be section or topic-wise in nature. This practice will make you work more on maintaining accuracy and completing the questions in time. By solving questions from all different sections and diverse topics, you can be updated and acquainted with the different types of questions that you can expect.
One last mock test – During the last weeks avoid following your old CAT mock test schedule of taking 2-3 tests a week. Instead of straining yourself, you can take 1-2 tests and analyze them thoroughly. This might be your last chance to understand the areas that you still need to work upon. In this case, the important aspect to understand is that this process needs to be taken in the form of a ritual that cannot be avoided.
Analysis– You can analyze all the previous tests that you have taken, especially the last mock test thoroughly. Such an approach will bring to notice the mistakes that you are committing more often or the areas that need more attention. This will give you a chance to cover up those spots and get ready for the exam.
Test taking strategy– By now you have taken a number of mock tests and know which strategy works best for you. On the basis of that, during last minute preparations, you can finalize your final test taking strategy. Since you would not have the choice to start with your strong section, you should focus more on choosing the right questions to attempt. You can put this strategy to test in the “one last mock test” ritual. You can decide the time you want to spend on each question. A strategy will help you go in with more confidence.

Praqtical look:

Last minute CAT preparation can make a huge difference to your results. It will give you the satisfaction of having done all you could. The most pristine and sacred time during preparation is the last hour before the exam. Use the last hour in the wisest manner possible. Firstly, you should avoid taking up new topics. Neither would you be able to grasp it, nor would you be able to revise your already prepared topics properly. This will mount tremendous stress on you and you might lose out your confidence. It is alright to leave out few topics. Revise, practice, analyze and strategize to make the best of this time. Spend this hour sharpening your battle axe rather than finding the right weapons to use. You shall make it to the top colleges with flying colors. Godspeed!

Let us know your opinion about last minute preparation in the comments below.

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Clock

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3 CAT preparation tricks that will help you crack the Verbal section

Praqtise — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 12:10:01 +0000

Sumedha is a CAT exam candidate. She is in the final year of her engineering course. Her CAT preparation has been very quant oriented because she likes mathematics as a subject. Hence, she has been scoring well in the quant section, but is unsatisfied with her performance in the verbal section. She speaks about this to her mentor.

Her mentor, like the senseis of yore, takes out a dusty box from the top shelf. As he wipes the dust off the box, the words “Scrabble” come into picture. Sumedha looks at the box in bewildered confusion and exclaims, “How do I master one of the top examinations in the country by playing a game of Scrabble?”

“The problem, my child,” says the teacher in a tone that borders between light-hearted fun and intense focus, “is that you are not looking at the bigger picture. To truly master something like the CAT question paper, especially the verbal section, it is important that you pay more attention to how much more interesting and fun you can make the process.”

“So, let’s play!”

CAT Preparation- Having the right approach for Verbal Ability

Verbal Ability is the section that can really boost your result. This can also be a differentiating factor in getting a higher percentile than your peers. But the problem with verbal section is that it is very unpredictable. You can practice a lot for quant and be sure that the questions would be solvable due to similarity in pattern. But in verbal section you can never be sure, even after practice. The reading comprehensions are different each time. Other questions are equally different. So, now the questions are how to crack such a section?

We have a list of 3 CAT preparation tricks that can help you achieve higher percentile by scoring good in verbal section.

Praqtice Fact file: The CAT Verbal Ability section usually has 5 types of question – Critical Reasoning, Paragraph Forming (Para Jumbled Questions), Grammar, Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension.

Here are the 3 tricks for verbal section which need to be a part of your CAT preparation:

Measure time taken for each question

It is important to increase the reading speed, but it is also equally important to also focus on the average speed to answer RCs. The trick is in being speedy yet accurate. Just rushing and skimming would not help. While you practice for the verbal section and RCs in particular, you should always challenge yourself against the clock. Try to improve with each phase of your CAT preparation.

Not just practice, but PRAQTISE

Verbal section requires a lot of practice undoubtedly. However, the approach that you take towards practicing is what makes the difference. Why practice using traditional pen and paper methods when you can record and measure your speed, accuracy, and historical performances. Instead of studying the verbal section, you can actually play it out with your friends and challenge them to earn points and awards.

Error checking

While many other blogs will advise you with tricks like ‘read more’, ‘practice as much as possible’ and ‘stay calm’; we would advise you with a more practical approach. While you keep reading and practicing, you must invest proper time in checking the errors you made, the answers you got incorrect and the repeat mistakes. Forums like PRAQTISE help you out with fully worked solutions for each question. If you proactively keep checking for the errors you make, you are less likely to be bothered even by the trick questions in the exam.

A PRAQTICAL APPROACH: With the quantitative aptitude section, you can learn a few finite rules that will help you solve questions correctly and quickly. However, with the verbal reasoning section, there are no formal set of rules. There are just customized tricks and techniques. Your approach to learning and answering makes a major difference here.

A Praqtical Look:

As already mentioned the VA section can be a game changer. But it is unpredictable at times. So the best way to crack the verbal ability section is to read a lot, practice, solve the doubts, identify strengths and weakness. You need to monitor your performance closely during the entire preparation period. Then devise a strategy for tackling the verbal part of the CAT syllabus. Choose the questions wisely and attempt accordingly. Remember, that great strategy is not only about opening the right doors, but also about closing the wrong ones.

Do you agree?

Let us know your opinion.

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Darts

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CAT paper – How Creating a Confidence Index for each section will help you

Praqtise — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 00:04:17 +0000

I looked out of the window of my car at the polluted, bustling city road, amidst a plethora of noise and voices. After eight hours of constant preparation for the CAT paper, my head was throbbing with a painful headache. As I sat, contemplating on whether all those hours seemed to make any difference to my knowledge, my eyes fell upon a group of beggars. These little children in rags were moving around amidst the automobiles, with little trinkets in their hands. As I started to observe them move around, I started to notice their “marketing strategy”. It was incredible to see how they somehow changed their begging techniques or “marketing approach” as an MBA aspirant would say, according to the people they encountered. They somehow picked the people who looked more prone to sympathy and spent more time and effort on them.

This gave me a brilliant idea. As the signal turned green and the chaos on the street lurched forward, I wondered if I could systematically arrange my CAT preparation. This was when I decided to create a confidence index for my CAT paper preparation.

Confidence Index for CAT Paper

Preparing for the CAT exam requires a lot of hard work and dedication. Considering the enormous number of applicants who take CAT each year, one must regularly analyse their performance. Creating a confidence index that will help you in evaluating your performance will guarantee an improvement.

A confidence index is a tactically designed method to assess your weaknesses, using which one can efficiently work on the challenging subjects. This is similar to the technique that the urchins on the road use, whereby you segregate the chapters that you feel most confident about, while simultaneously singling out those chapters in which you are weak. Studying with a more structured approach, by planning out your study hours, while you compare your performance routinely will boost your percentile.

PRAQTISE FACT FILE: THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF ENROLMENTS FOR CAT EXAM WAS IN THE YEAR 2008, WITH 2.76 LAKH REGISTRATIONS. AND THE LOWEST NUMBER OF REGISTRATIONS WAS RECORDED IN THE YEAR 2014 WITH 1.89 LAKH.

Take a diagnostic test

Before beginning with CAT preparation, take a dose of diagnostic test. Start with this test, as it is an eye opener that gives you a reality check of where you stand.

CAT paper comprises of topics divided across the three broad sections including Quantitative Aptitude (QA) to Verbal and Reading Comprehension (VRC) to Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR). Evaluate each section by checking the number of question attempted. Based on the number of attempts, rank each section from high to low in terms of confidence. Concentrate on sections based on the rank, by giving more time to ones with that are lower on the confidence index.

Section	Attempts	Confidence Index
QA	20/34	Medium
VCR	18/34	Low
DILR	25/32	High

Next, set your minimum target score for each section that you want to cross within a set amount of time. This will give you a direction by quantifying how much effort you need to put in while preparing to reach your set target.

Divide and Conquer

This is the basic step for building up your understanding of the subjects and concepts. Each section being equally important, one must begin by getting their fundamentals right for each topic. Be it quantitative or qualitative your syllabus must be at your fingertips.

As you start learning from scratch, you would be amazed by the confidence that you will gain by building a robust foundation. An in-depth, pragmatic approach while preparing for the CAT paper would be to keep a close track of your problem areas. This enables students to ensure that they work on their lacking areas correctly. So, jot down the topics from each section and segregate them on the basis of your confidence, while you solve questions from each topic. Also mentioning your problem area for each topic would help you plan out your study hours effectively. This is an effective way to ensure that one doesn’t neglect their drawbacks.

Quantitative Aptitude: Confidence Index – Medium
Topic	Problem area
Number System	Nil
Complex Number	Slow Speed
Probability	Concept, More practice of sum

Empowering mock tests

To become perfect at any thing requires regular practice. This applies for your MBA entrance exams as well. To get acquainted with the CAT question paper style you must get used to it. This is achievable only if you develop the regular habit of giving a complete test. More the number of tests you give, better are your chances to score more.

Begin giving mock tests at least three months before the day of CAT exam. Fix a day in a week to give the test and make sure you attempt the test as a real one. This exercise might drain you mentally initially, but as it becomes regular, you will feel more comfortable sitting for 3 hours straight. This is a fruitful exercise because of two main reasons:

You will understand time constraints while attempting examinations and will also be able to get a better idea on how to manage your time efficiently while jumbling between questions or entire sections.
You will know which area or section you are weak in, hence allowing you to track your performance intricately.

A Praqtical Look: As you prepare for entrance MBA exams, you will have your strengths and shortcomings with each section. But, remember no one is perfect. It is practice that makes one perfect. Don’t focus too much on the end score. Keep your focus on the present task, as this will improve your overall result.

Was this suggestion useful? Do you already use a confidence index? Let us know in the comments.

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Image source:

[1]

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Should you practice only the tough questions for CAT exam?

Praqtise — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 11:19:48 +0000

CAT exam doesn’t have easy questions. Should I even practise them?

Natasha and Pratik were two students from Kolkata, preparing for their CAT exam. They were both engineering students. Pratik used CAT preparation books, and Natasha had got herself enrolled into online CAT coaching classes. They had practised a fair amount of Maths during their engineering and so didn’t find the preparation to be tough.

The strategy that Natasha and Pratik applied to crack CAT preparation was different. Pratik always thought that CAT was a tough exam and to prepare, one had to start by practising tough questions. He thought that if one knew how to answer tough questions, solving easier questions wouldn’t be difficult. Natasha, on the contrary, believed that to gain clarity about a topic, it was necessary to address easy questions first.

Whose strategy is more practical? Should you solve only tough questions or should you also answer easy questions to get your fundamentals right? Let’s find out.

TRENDS…

Before we start discussing which strategy is the better one, let’s look at the trends in the type of questions asked in the CAT question papers.

Year of Examination	Easy	Moderate	Difficult
CAT 2004	23%	39%	38%
CAT 2005	23%	23%	53%
CAT 2006	23%	44%	33%
CAT 2007	21%	56%	23%
CAT 2008	28%	40%	32%

CAT became computerised 2009 onwards, wherein the difficulty level varied with each slot and hence we have not discussed papers since then.

Why is this data helpful for us?

The trends mentioned in the above table clearly show that the percentage of easy questions has remained almost the same over the years. The paper setters play around with the number of moderate and challenging questions.

This data can help us form a strategy for the CAT exam.

What’s the strategy of solving a CAT exam to maximise the CAT score?

The CAT exam pattern is all about refining yourself in every section and having the fortitude to adapt to the exam.

The best methodology to follow is to solve the easy ones on the first go. Address the questions which according to you takes around a minute or so while skipping the other questions. Do remember to mark the questions for review later. Questions set for reviewing should include those which one is confident of cracking but would demand more time to solve. This way, the paper will get divided into three types of questions which are EASY, MODERATE and DIFFICULT. Another benefit of this strategy is that you would have gone through all the questions at least once.

The EASY & MEDIUM would roughly constitute around 25 questions which can be solved with 90% accuracy if you manage time properly.

CAT is an exam which not only tests your intelligence but also your decision-making power. It makes you focus on not only the type of questions you want to attempt but also on the ones that you should not. CAT is not just about choosing which questions to solve, it is also about choosing which questions to leave out.

How does practising easy questions benefit us?

The major advantage of practising easy questions is that it helps in building a strong foundation for the topic. If the foundation of a subject is strong, any type of question can be tackled with ease. It will eventually help a person score well in exams.

As discussed above, around 20 to 25 percent of questions in CAT are of easy to moderate level. A student feels confident once they solve a chunk of the examination paper. It helps reduce anxiety while giving the exam.

Also, some MBA entrance exams like CMAT and SNAP have questions that are fairly easy and do not take long to solve. Practising short and easy questions is thus beneficial for exams which test one’s speed.

How to prepare for CAT?

If your aim is to do very well in CAT, you need to start studying in advance. Also, you need to form and follow a strategy to be able to achieve your objective.

So, how should you go about preparing for CAT?

These are a few pointers that might help you in shaping your preparation for CAT exam.

Spend 1 hour on reading every day. It can either be novels, newspapers, editorials, news, magazines, etc. Reading not only increases your vocabulary but also expands your knowledge.
QA is a critical part, and one needs to reach a standard level of expertise for clearing cut-offs. Practice QA for an hour or two every day and start from topics like average, percentage, time and speed, etc. Slowly progress to more complex topics like numbers, set theory, permutation and combination. While practising QA, your focus should be on being able to solve questions faster, and trying to reach the same answer using 2-3 different approaches.
Spare an hour or so on topics like Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation.
Devote around an hour for the preparation of verbal.
Dedicate around half an hour to memorise multiplication facts, conversion of percentage to numbers and vice versa and formulas.

What according to you is the best way to crack CAT and score well in the exam? If you have strategies of your own which have worked for you, or for anyone else, then let us know in the comments section below. Spread your ideas and help the community.

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Image sources:

Image Source

[1]: http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2016/01/15/financial-goals-when-the-going-gets-tough/

[2]: http://digitalmarketingphilippines.com/top-6-content-marketing-trends-to-watch-out-this-2014-infographic/

[3]: http://www.techtimehub.com/cat-exam-preparation-tips/

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Daily Prescription Pills for CAT Exam 2016

Praqtise — Mon, 03 Oct 2016 11:37:00 +0000

For a brief moment, I looked up from my paper. Hardly a second, maybe even less. I knew I had already made a mistake when I looked around me. Hands moving feverishly, the rattle of the AC, and 35 people unanimously struggling to do better than the one seated next to them. This was just another CAT mock test in class but I couldn’t help imagining the magnitude of the competition in the actual CAT exam. The singular ‘I’ against the brightest hundred thousand of this country. The moment of clarity had hit me. I had to do more than just practice. It was time.

It is true that preparing for CAT exam exposes you to tumultuous pressure. The number one reason for concern according to most aspirants is the intimidating CAT syllabus. While there is very little to be done except to overcome it, there are certain hacks that will help you keep calm and focused in the final few months of your preparation.

Prescription for Your CAT Well-being

Time Yourself:

Every bit of your CAT exam depends on how well you manage time. Time yourself in each category. You can begin by solving CAT question papers and mock tests with a set time limit on each section. This will give you a clear and concise idea as to which areas you need to work on.

Create A List:

Based on your performance in the mock tests, make a note of the areas where you need to put in efforts. Use this list as a reference regularly to touch up on your weaknesses.

Read Newspapers and tabloids:

It is extremely important to stay up to date with the current affairs of the world, not just for the CAT exam but in the best interests of our daily lives. Cultivate a habit of reading newspapers that will not only enhance your general knowledge but also help with your verbal and written communication skills. Reading Comprehension is one of the most scoring sections on a CAT paper. Daily reading will better your chances of scoring in this particular section by heaps.

Revise Your Fundamental Concepts:

Every CAT topper emphasises on the importance of a clear understanding of concepts. A thorough revision of every topic will definitely add to your confidence level. In fact, some CAT toppers even go on to say that CAT can be a relatively easy paper to crack with clear concepts.

Give Time to Yourself:

Even though it is known that CAT exam preparation will take up a lot of your time, it is still absolutely necessary to delegate some time for yourself. A happy and calm mind ensures mental and physical well-being before and during exams. Exercising, sports or simple meditation can bring about a positive change before CAT.

Practiqal Approach: In 2013, Gavin D’Souza from Goa scored an impressive 99.49 percentile in the CAT exam. In an interview with Rediff.com, D’Souza mentioned how it is extremely important to unwind while also preparing for CAT.

In the final few months before CAT, it is no longer important to know how to prepare for CAT. It is however of greater significance to know what exactly to prepare during this time. In reality, the preparation over the last 3-3.5 months is what makes the ultimate difference. That is to say that a significant change in your CAT performance can be made with the right attitude during these crucial few months.

Practice Fact File: In a batch of students of a CAT Coaching center who enrol themselves 12 to 18 months prior to CAT exam, only 5% students remain regular with their attendance. Most students lose focus and remain under the impression that they have a significant amount of time in hand to prepare, which ultimately leads to a loss of impetus required in the final moments before the exam. Thus debunking the myth that all those who start early win the race. Preparation strategies in the final months make a much larger impact than starting preparations early.

Are you targeting CAT 2016? What strategy are you following in the final phase of preparation? Can you share some wisdom? Please do so in the comments.

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Will High IQ Guarantee Success in MBA Entrance Exams?

Praqtise — Sat, 01 Oct 2016 00:13:12 +0000

Will my IQ solely determine my success in MBA entrance exams?

[“Sheldon: Is that the prototype drive system for the high-G rover?

Howard: No, Bernadette got me a Fitbit so she can track how much I’m exercising….”]

“I wish I had Sheldon’s IQ. I could do such a lot more than engineering.” My 19 year old nephew lamented, pushing me to pause the television for the fifth time.

“Like what?” I replied, trying to contain my impatience as best as I could.

“I don’t know man. I spend such a lot of time studying, someone with Sheldon’s IQ would study half as much as I do and still ace the test. And here I am, struggling to keep up with my class.”

“At least you’re not about to put yourself through a grueling selection process to get into a top college.”

“No. But Sheldon would ace that too.”

My nephew’s stoic response had put me off for that night. I was worried enough already. With every though of that day, a steady whirlpool grew in my stomach, churning all my thoughts into dreadful possibilities. Now to add to that, I had started to worry about Sheldon.

Well not Sheldon Cooper. But the realism of his fictional IQ struck me like a dagger. There had to be people of a higher IQ than mine attempting to crack that exam with me. I had always been an average student. Not exceptionally high grades in school but nothing that my parents had complaints about. What I did have was discipline. I put my heart and soul into preparing for CAT. But now I had started to second guess myself. Was this going to be enough?

How Far Does IQ Take You in Life?

Short for Intelligence Quotient, IQ is a measure of one’s intelligence. A standardised test determines the level of one’s IQ.

PRAQTISE Fact File: On the Stanford-Binet test, a score of over 140 tags you as a genius, while average IQ remains at about a 100. In the past, research has shown that 20% of our life’s success depends on our intelligence.

Researchers still debate on the extent to which IQ influences success in life. Most contemporary thinkers seem to agree that although Intelligence is a crucial component, high IQ by itself does not assure success at work or other aspects of life.

IQ and its relevance to MBA Entrance exams

Intelligence is what determines our ability to understand concepts. A higher IQ equals a better comprehension of ideas which later translates to grades and scores in terms of academics. However the question we are asking is, does IQ decide your eligibility for CAT?

This question can only be answered by someone who has been in and out of this game. We look at some students who aced MBA entrance exams and their take on this subject:

Arup Chaudhari, who cracked the CAT exam for the fifth time in 2011 said that “to crack CAT, you need to be smart, not intelligent.” In an interview then, Chaudhari had said that CAT can easily be cleared if basic concepts are clear. Arup attempted CAT 5 times, and scored above 98 percent in each of his attempts. His 5^th attempt landed him a 99.36 percent in 2010. To ace the test, the trick is to know which questions to attempt, says Arup. To get into a good b-school, you need a good score, and playing smart is the key, thinks Chaudhari.

Verdict: Smartness over IQ

Sumit Patil, aced the CAT exam in 2013 on his first attempt agrees that doing well in CAT takes more than just intelligence. A near perfect performance in the MBA exams, with zero coaching is no easy feat. According to Sumit, CAT is not a very difficult test to crack, only if concepts are clear. While Sumit spent not more than 6-12 hours a week to prepare for MBA entrance exams, he believes that solving more question papers raises your chances of cracking the test. Sumit believes that Intelligence will aid when learning new concepts but practice will highlight the weak areas, that can be worked on and similar mistakes can be avoided.

Verdict: Practice over IQ

Sudipta Banerjee, a graduate from IIM Calcutta, says that IQ is an important aspect when attempting to crack CAT but it is not the only thing that will bring about success. Banerjee too, draws focus on mock tests and the familiarity of the paper pattern that solving mock tests bring about.

Verdict: Practice over IQ

In popular opinion, it has been noticed that most MBA graduates emphasise on having a higher frequency of solving CAT mock tests rather than a higher IQ.

A Praqtical Look: Dedication is more important than IQ in MBA entrance exams

As an answer to this burning question, we think it would be safe to say that a high IQ does not further your chances at cracking CAT any more than an average IQ does. Dedication towards your goal with practice is and will continue to be the answer to your prayers for success. To quote Denis Waitley “The winner’s edge is not in a gifted birth, a high IQ, or in talent. The winner’s edge is all in the attitude, not aptitude. Attitude is the criterion for success.”

How important is IQ according to you? Should one’s IQ stop them from even trying? Tell us what you think in the comments.

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5 Reasons Why Praqtise is Your Genie for Overcoming the CAT Syllabus

Praqtise — Mon, 19 Sep 2016 08:07:36 +0000

Not Again! My exasperation had driven me to fling the console across the room. It landed with a soft thud on the carpet. Why was it so difficult to defeat this guy? After 15 matches with him, I still had absolutely nothing to brag about. If you haven’t guessed it already, I am extremely competitive. But my constant losses at the hands of this gaming ninja had devolved my spirit for the day.

I spent a lot of my free time in the virtual world. When I wasn’t studying, I was gaming. My zeal was held up high with two things, my MBA entrance exam preparations and Fifa; both of which were online. My desperation to beat him at something made me think of all things possible. And then I thought of my mock test scores. Maybe I could beat him at the CAT syllabus! I could take him down. There was hope! But Alas! Why would such a game interest him? Does he even Praqtise?

Praqtise Fact File- On an average, an MBA aspirant spends at least INR. 25,000 a year on CAT Coaching.

5 Reasons why Praqtise Makes YOU Perfect

1) Competency Based Learning

While the road to your MBA dream requires you to overcome the entire CAT syllabus, individual pace is what we emphasize on. Our online study modules adapt to your pace of learning and level of competency. Contrary to most coaching centres; online or in real time, Praqtise banks on the principle of adaptive learning and not that of herding.

PRAQTISE Fact File:

Adaptive Learning is an innovative style of education where technology is clubbed with a customized learning program to suit individual requirements of students. This style of learning demarcates itself from conventional learning processes through the personalization that comes with it. This is of great use for tackling the CAT syllabus.

2) Mock Tests

No MBA entrance exam is close to completion without CAT Mock tests. Practice at absolutely zero costs or upgrade to a premium paid version with over 700 questions for you to solve. You can test yourself in either Praqtise or Mock mode. Created for the profoundly competitive minds of this era, Praqtise has a unique competitive learning system that rewards you with medals and scores.

3) In-depth Analysis

Every CAT mock test on Praqtise is analyzed, topic wise to give you an in-depth report of your understanding of concepts. Based on your accuracy and average time spent on each question, our analysis points out strengths and weaknesses so you know exactly how to prepare for CAT.

4) Gamification

We live in a world where Counter Strike, Fifa and numerous other online gaming portals take away our free time unlike learning, which is a strict no-play zone. At Praqtise we break that stereotype by incorporating a good challenge with the art of learning. You can prepare for your MBA entrance exams with your fellow aspirants with the same enthusiasm as that for a good game!

5) Illuminating Guides

Imagine a mall, or a supermarket. The first thing that comes to your mind is most probably the conglomerate of brands or goods. A supermarket stocks everything from groceries to furniture and all that a household needs. Praqtise is essentially the supermarket for your MBA dreams, except it is free. Seeking information on anything related to CAT, Praqtise is your best bet. Get tips for smoother practice tests, to reports to anything remotely related to CAT. Our Blog has answers to all your MBA questions, from CAT preparation to the career after MBA.

A Praqtical Look: Mock tests are as important as studying the CAT syllabus

Sanuj Mittal, who scored 100 percentile in CAT 2015, in an interview said that taking regular mock tests spearheaded his triumph. In fact, most CAT toppers harp on the importance of getting familiar with the pattern of the paper, and not just the CAT syllabus. Speed and accuracy can only be built with a steady practice schedule; that in turn will tell you of the appropriate time you need to spend on each section. Solving mock tests every day, as vouched for by every CAT topper, literally wins over 50% of this ardent battle.

At Praqtise, we believe in breaking out of the mould. While there is no dearth of training and coaching centres for the CAT syllabus, there are also very few preparation guides that can be adapted to your needs. Our approach to cracking CAT and other entrance level exams is by curating tests based on individual abilities and understanding of concepts. We believe that not everyone should be made to pass through the same hole in the wall.

What is the most challenging aspect of CAT preparation for you? Let us know in the comments.

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CAT Coaching Institutes – Can you crack the exam without them?

Praqtise — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 20:31:05 +0000

“ CAT Coaching for the Brave”

A cold wind blew through the trees, creating the illusion of a long and undulating painful song. It almost seemed like the trees themselves were wailing this dreary tune, as the snow fell and clung over their dead branches. As the cold and dreary forest remained unlit by anything except the moonlight, the song of the trees saw a peculiar audience. This audience left behind their footsteps in the snow, as their heaving breaths shown like smoke coming out of a hot furnace. With tongues drawn out and teeth bared, the pack of wolves continued moving forward through the wilderness, searching for something unknown.

“A peculiar thing about wolves is that their packs have a highly intricate hierarchy,” my dad stated in a calm manner as I weaned my attention off the television for a moment.

“The ones in the front are the weakest, and this hierarchy keeps building up till the end of the pack, where the alpha resides.”

As I looked at the television again with this new perspective, the screen showed a large black wolf that was howling up at the moon in majestic mystery. Even though it seemed quite similar to the other wolves, there was something in the way it carried its savagery and primal majesty that made it stand out.

Suddenly, the camera turned to the far end of the mountain, away from the pack, where the trees gave way to blizzards of hail and storm. Here, amidst snow-capped crevices, a white figure stood unmoving in the mist. As it became more and more visible, the figure turned out to be a wolf that looked as pale as the frozen wasteland that it stood in.

“Have you heard about the lone wolf, son?” The question that my Dad threw at me seemed like the start of a conversation filled with mysticism.

Well, even though that conversation was immensely intriguing, I understood the importance of being a lone wolf only while sitting in the last bench of the classroom of a CAT coaching institute.

The Human Pack

Humans are dependent on each other; that is just the way we have been created. We need each other more than we think we do. At the same time, the urge to compete with each other is also embedded in our psyche. One look at the education system of today, and we see glimpses of both these urges being nurtured. The education system is the tool that is used to fan the fires of some of our most primal urges.

Almost all coaching institutes work on the philosophy and the practice of encouraging a competitive spirit amongst the pupils. It is this need to compete and rise above opposition that also results in the formation of internal groups within classrooms. Yes, you might have observed how certain type of students club together with others, such as nerds, sports enthusiasts, gossip girls and so on. Most of the times, these groups may also be defined by perceived intellectual ability of the members, AKA “marks”. You might observe how the species of “nerds” tend to move away from groups like the “backbenchers” or the “artsy types”.

The Individual

If our need to compete is removed from an institutional setting, we might eventually find ourselves getting isolated from each other. As I watched the different groups moving about like wolf packs, the image of the lone wolf came into my mind. I pictured a caricature of myself standing atop the hill of CAT preparation books, as the stormy hail of CAT questions fell all around me. This is when I wondered about what it would be like if all that stood between the CAT exam and me was my own inhibitions to learn outside the box.

I remembered my Dad telling me that lone wolves are either driven out of the pack or are too weak to continue traveling with the pack. This point coincided with the first step that I took towards moving away from an institutional mode of training. Would self-study make me an outcast among other students, thus crippling my chances to excel in the examination? What would happen to me if I opted for a mode of study that was different from what most students opted for?

Most students find it extremely daunting to go against the herd mentality when it comes to CAT preparation. The fear of indulging in online study for CAT on their own can cause a lot of anxiety and stress. Another element that can be especially troubling for any lone wolf is the prospect of letting go of the structured patterns of teaching that coaching institutes follow. Plunging into the world of self-study can be extremely chaotic and might be considerably taxing on the student.

The Process of Liberation

A PRAQTICAL Opinion: There are several students who have made the most out of self-preparation for CAT. A quote by a student named Punnu Haniya summarizes the immense potential of self-study. He had this to say about self-study, “No class room coaching can teach aptitude, it is inherent in the system of the human body.”

Once you step into the world of self-study, the opportunities that arise for you are endless. With just the right amount of discipline and conviction, one can create complete structures of learning that are tailored to personal preferences and abilities. Even though this freedom can be scary for some, many students have plunged into the art of self-study and emerged victorious.

The absence of a classroom environment can open up windows of exploration, such as CAT preparation online courses and tutorials. The internet, if used wisely, can be an extremely useful resource pool for overcoming any obstacles while preparation. Self-study can also help you target the core of CAT preparation, which is embodied in the following message: CAT is not about how good your technical knowledge is; it is about how well you can apply your knowledge practically.

If you have failed in your previous attempts at CAT, or are overburdened by your work, it is probably time to become a lone wolf. The extent to which this liberation can teach you about time management and self-discipline is higher than the scope that any coaching institute provides. The prospect of self-study also opens up doors for innovative and creative ways to complete the CAT syllabus. This includes creating study circles or groups which have periodic group sessions to enable systematic preparation.

Let us have a PRAQTICAL look at the differences between online preparation and classroom coaching – that will help you decide for yourself.

Online Coaching for CAT	CAT Coaching through Institutes
Personal empowerment through one to one attention	Lack of personal attention due to increased focus on classroom teaching
Increased freedom for customization of study pattern	Limited freedom due to fixed syllabus and methods of teaching
Increased level of personalization as far as time periods and choice of study material is concerned	Decreased level of personalization due to fixed classroom structure
Lack of distractions due to the solitary mode of study	Increased distraction due to group study and discussions
Increased creative freedom for study arrangement, which could give rise to increased interest in the subject	Decreased creative freedom for structuring and study arrangement, which could result in a decreased level of interest in the subject

Preparing for CAT by leaving behind the systems of coaching institutes can be an intense learning experience. However, as you can see from the table above, the pros of online self-study for CAT are more numerous as compared to classroom learning.

So, would you like to be a lone wolf and resort to creating your own path towards success in CAT? Let us know your strategies in the comments section.

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Image Sources:

[1]: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/451556300112013807/

[2]: http://my.fakingnews.firstpost.com/india/coaching-institute-announces-iit-jee-preparation-course-for-unborn-students-8744

[3]: http://blog.simplylearnt.com/2015/07/how-to-manage-self-study-with-school-and-coaching.html

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How to complete your CAT preparation in 3 months?

Praqtise — Fri, 19 Aug 2016 15:46:21 +0000

“CAT preparation & luck: Do they go hand it hand?”

“People say that along with intelligence & hard work, CAT is also about luck. Is it so?”, asked my younger brother.

Having cracked CAT with 98.3 percentile the previous year, I remarked, “People might say that but I beg to differ. It is more about being organized and being fastidious with your approach.”

“So how do you think I can crack it in three months without any luck?”

“The difference, my brother, is not created by luck but by your approach and other personality traits like decision-making, calmness, memory power & analytical capabilities. And you can surely develop all this with disciplined practice.”

While I asked my brother to be organized, I also did the same and charted out the following strategy for him. The below mentioned 9 points might just help you gain that much required confidence and edge for the CAT exam.

1. Keep practicing a lot of questions

Don’t stop practicing once you get it right; keep practicing until you can’t get it wrong anymore. Apply this approach in all sections. Also don’t just work on harder sections, keep practicing your favorite sections too and have some fun. Relentless practice is what separates champions from the crowd.

2. Thoroughly analyze your mock CAT results and wrong answers

Appear for a lot of mock CATs. This will help you become familiar with the CAT exam pattern.

Make a timetable and try to take at least one sectional test every day for the three months. In the last 45 days, take 15-20 mock tests in addition to the daily sectional tests. This could be quite a decent timeline to follow but you can surely customize it as per your own needs.

Try different approaches in different mock CATs so that on the day of the real exam, you just know which approach works the best for you. Always keep some buffer time for each section during mock CATs to cross check and to try to answer the ones you’ve flagged for later. In the flagged questions, try working the other way round and see if you can start with eliminating from the answers and reach to the correct answer this way. It just works brilliantly at times in the quant section especially.

The forum at PRAQTISE will help you compete with the whole of India in mock CATs and compare your scores accordingly. There can be many more tricks that we can learn for giving mock CATs but we shall dedicate another blog post to that later.

3. Have a live access to your strong & weak sections at any time

Better if it is in a chart format and better if an online portal does that for you.

This strategy will allow you to use time wisely and will help you build your daily plans, weekly plans and monthly plans. Dedicate yourself to weaker sections for days on stretch if required. However, do not ignore your strong areas.

4. Avoid slack during CAT preparation

If you are anyway giving just three months to CAT preparation, you need to be regular & disciplined in your approach. Ideally, you should not let even a day pass without practicing. And after a lag, it might be difficult to get on track again. Let the engine be oiled every single day so that it can perform at its best on the day of the race. And you can surely take out a few hours every day to relax but skipping complete days should be avoided.

5. Work on your decision-making skills

CAT exam is a lot about the decisions you make, the questions you choose to answer and the questions you choose to leave. There might be some unexpected questions in the exam but if you panic, you lose the game. However, if you are strong headed enough to think through and reach the right decisions, you will excel.

6. Turn time to your favor

Keep a check on the time you take to solve different types of questions. Try reducing the time taken as much as possible for the sections you are strong at. This strategy will help you dedicate more time to difficult questions during CAT exam. Time plays a major differentiating role in the final score.

7. Work on accuracy

Another major differentiating factor among CAT toppers is the aspect of accuracy. If the complexity of the exam is on a higher side, normalization would benefit all those who had better accuracy and thereby minimized negative marking. Make better use of your PRAQTISE dashboard to keep a tab on your accuracy v/s time ratio for individual sections as well as for mock CATs.

8. Try multiple approaches for the same question

You might be able to solve a question in a particular way. But questions in quant sections specially can be solved with multiple approaches. Try to find different ways and you never know you could end up saving a lot of time solving the questions in an alternative way.

9. Take it like a game and play with your friends

This is where a forum like PRAQTISE helps you gain an advantage. We very well know how human psyche works on games.

You get so involved and habituated that you will play it perfectly & accurately even if someone wakes you from deep sleep. At PRAQTISE, we are redefining the whole MBA entrance exams preparation sector with our gamified version of CAT preparation. You can actually play it as a game, challenge your friends, collect medals, customize the experience and access reports showcasing your historical performance & weak areas.

While others spend their time on those onerous lectures & study books with limited questions, you can have an access to unlimited questions & analysis on just one click. The answer-bank in the portal is designed in such a way that it is capable of being a personalized tutor for you.

Gone is the era of classrooms, chalkboards and paper based exams. Welcome the era of eclectic, hybrid and custom-made online CAT preparation with PRAQTISE.

Gamified version of MBA entrance test preparation

How long did it take you to complete your CAT syllabus? Share your case study with us in the comments section and our panel of experts will reach out to you with a customized plan. And if you have an interesting case study to share, we might even feature it in one of our upcoming articles.

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Image Sources:

[1]: Self-generated

[2]: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140721143934-3332762-very-few-decisions-are-permanent

[3]: https://www.docebo.com/2014/03/31/gamification-corporate-learning/

The post How to complete your CAT preparation in 3 months? appeared first on PRAQTISE - India's most fun, adaptive and personalized online preparation platform for MBA entrance tests like CAT, XAT, SNAP, NMAT, IIFT, etc..

CAT Preparation Archives - PRAQTISE - India's most fun, adaptive and personalized online preparation platform for MBA entrance tests like CAT, XAT, SNAP, NMAT, IIFT, etc.

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Quantitative Aptitude: Confidence Index – Medium

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Should you practice only the tough questions for CAT exam?

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Will my IQ solely determine my success in MBA entrance exams?

How Far Does IQ Take You in Life?

IQ and its relevance to MBA Entrance exams

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Verdict: Practice over IQ

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5 Reasons why Praqtise Makes YOU Perfect

1) Competency Based Learning

2) Mock Tests

3) In-depth Analysis

4) Gamification

5) Illuminating Guides

A Praqtical Look: Mock tests are as important as studying the CAT syllabus

CAT Coaching Institutes – Can you crack the exam without them?

The Human Pack

The Individual

The Process of Liberation

Image Sources:

How to complete your CAT preparation in 3 months?

“CAT preparation & luck: Do they go hand it hand?”

1. Keep practicing a lot of questions

2. Thoroughly analyze your mock CAT results and wrong answers

3. Have a live access to your strong & weak sections at any time

4. Avoid slack during CAT preparation

5. Work on your decision-making skills

6. Turn time to your favor

7. Work on accuracy

8. Try multiple approaches for the same question

9. Take it like a game and play with your friends