[catgotmytongue]

nice initiative,vision IIM-ACL
The thing that stresses me most is quant.and DI after that. i do NOT remember ever getting even a sixty percentile in quant. This has brought my confidence and motivation to an incredible low. Its almost like i am resigned to my fate .Though heart of hearts,i feel i should be able to crack it because i ain't that terrible at math!!! :(
i don't know.I really don't. Sometimes i feel like i am on some wild goose chase . VA is ok.LR is ok. DI is not so ok.But QA is pathetic.
So pathetic that i scored a 53 percentile in QA in CAT-08. VA pulled my Overall to a 95. As always,the only reason my percentile is even in the 80's this time around is thanks to VA.
Last year,during my mocks i used to get scores beyond 90's.This time i have not even scored a single 90 to my credit. this in turn has also affected me a lot. I also did not write a bunch of mocks for the same reason.I know i am being stupid but i am getting frustrated . with myself.With quant for being such a bugbear that i feel like its unsurmountable. . Well,that was quite a crybaby post..but this is the stress i am dealing with..
Good Luck with all your prep guys,hope it takes you wherever you wish to go
Cheers!

[visionIIM-ACL]

Originally Posted by mohitgem

Hi Puys,

Everything goes fine for me except for QA... It simply doesn't click. I do not know where I am lagging. I consider myself to be an exceptional case where VA n DI is good but QA is pathetic. :(
Any ideas how to overcome this?

Dont worry mohit..... its not as if Engineers have to do good in QA at any cost.... dont let that pressure surmount on you when it comes to QA...

Secondly, if you are facing saome problem in QA in mocks, its better to go for a self review as far as quant is concerned....... try to identify the exact reason behind it..... whether the problem lies in basics or in application based problems..... if it is the latter case, first go for sectional tests on QA ( both online and offline) provided by coaching institutes..... some of them even provide it topic wise.... so, spend some time with all the major topics viz. Algebra, Numbers and Geometry..... and make a good hold on them.... and then again try all the mocks in which you could not score well in QA.... may be , now the things turn for you in quant...

Anyways, its good to hear that an engineer is scoring well in VA ( because, i have always been either below cut offs or just managed to clear them )...

Keep up the spirits and you will overcome the problem!!!
All the best...

[visionIIM-ACL]

Originally Posted by catgotmytongue

nice initiative,vision IIM-ACL
The thing that stresses me most is quant.and DI after that. also affected me a lot. I also did not write a bunch of mocks for the same reason.

Hii dude....

@ QA: i will suggest you also to first go for a self review...identify where you are lagging.... whether its basics or applications..... for former, go through the study material of any reputed coaching institute and for latter, first go for sectional tests (both offline and offline) provided by coaching institutes..... make good hold on Algebra, Numbers and Geometry...you will be well above the cut offs... you still have ample time to crack QA...

@ DI: as you said, you are ok in LR but face problems in Di....i think it is somehow related to the issues you face in QA.... for DI, you need to have good hold on percentages and Ratios.... also go through some regular DI stuff from any coaching institute to get hold on basics... then again go for sectional tests on DI... and then come to the caselets of all the mocks you have given till date and try to solve them....dont refer to solution before giving it an attempt atleast twice-thrice.... even then if you are not getting , refer to solution just for a hint and not complete solution....

@skipping mocks : please dont skip mocks just because of QA low scores..... keep giving a try and surely you will do well in QA too.... skipping mocks is not less than a suicide for a cat taker ... and committing suicide is a crime.... so, dont miss the mocks you have subscribed to .. in future!!!

All the best!!

[computer_nerd]

Nice thread!

I'm doing well in VA in the mocks, albeit I need to do much better to shoot my percentile up.
I'm not very strong in QA and lack of practice in LDI seems to be taking its toll as I haven't cleared the cut offs even once yet.

I know it won't be a big task if I practice enough, but that's where the problem lies. I spend around 10-12 hours at work. When I return home, I hit the sack even though I know I can't afford to rest. I don't think only weekend study is sufficient to crack the CAT.

The pressure seems to be mounting as I feel the lack of growth opportunities in my current role and believe that an MBA is the best option to open more avenues. I feel this pressure sometimes works against me and not with me to score higher.

[visionIIM-ACL]

Originally Posted by computer_nerd

Nice thread!

I'm not very strong in QA and lack of practice in LDI seems to be taking its toll as I haven't cleared the cut offs even once yet.

I know it won't be a big task if I practice enough, but that's where the problem lies. I spend around 10-12 hours at work. When I return home, I hit the sack even though I know I can't afford to rest.
The pressure seems to be mounting .

Hi,

@ QA and DI : please refer the above post (post # 13)

@ Work pressure : i can understand your situation because i am also working and return home after 12-13 hours of office... as you can realise yourself that hitting the sack after reaching home is not the solution of the problem , you need to overcome..... if not much , just try to give an hour or two daily after reaching home on weekdays ... focussed especially on QA and DI... .so that you remain in touch with them and then on weekends, you can devote the time to all 3 sections as per your wish and convenience....

Dont let the pressure mount.... it is mounting just because you are having the feel that you are wasting our weekdays and not able to study for 5 days.... and 2 days are not enough.... but, remember , its not the hours you study but its the way you utilize them is important...

even 1-2 hours daily after office...will give you results provided you concentrate cent percent during that time...

so, all the best!!!

[chocolateguy]

hey include ALL OF THE ABOVE in the options of the poll

[Love_CAT]

CAT is 3 months away..My problem is I clear CL's DI but not VA and for TIME it is just opposite..
I have just made a new strategy of preparation.
In each of QA,DI,VA I have devised it into 7-8 blocks..[like for DI these are game sets,exam based,maxima-minima etc, For VA these are FIJ,CR,RC,grammar etc]
I have formed 3 columns mentioning the following points,
(i)Have I done basics
(ii)Have I done all problems from the available mock papers[on that very part]
(iii)What I feel after this preparation

As you know yourself better.So more number of yes will boost your confidence..
Unless you feel ok/good about a particular topic, keep honing..

This is just my thought..
If we are not scoring a good %tile,this is high time to look back and start practising..
Hope we all will come out with flying colours..
Cheers!!

[dmd_10987]

thanks,visionIIM-ACL
keep it up man
i feel better my self after all .........

i also have same problem ..............

but u solved man.....

after short time this thred will rock man.........

[Tortured]

Hi puys

Here is a mail that I wrote after my first aimcat to some of my friends.I was very disheartened and had lost faith in myself.I had got just 70 or 80 percentile in that exam and was able to clear just 1 cutoff.But things have changed amazingly since that day( I will not say I have improved till perfection but I have improved a bit).I still have a long way to go.

Puys here is that mail.Please note that I was devastated after my mock and felt very bad ( as if everything in the world has ended)


Hi

I am very sad by looking at your as well as my performance.I have seen people scoring the impossible scores like I noticed that poeple are scoring around 70-80 in each section where we are struggling to score meagre 25 and was wondering How they are doing it? .

I have allways tried to imitate the leaders in schools and in college which I attended.I allways try to learn the techniques that make them overpower us and leave us weaning and cursing our faith.

Some points that came in my mind after analysing are as follows

1) We are not concentrating on practicing a single type of question,We are jumping here and there and are not able to concentrate on a single topic and completeing all the questions of that particular topic from all the books.

The lack of practice is leading us to go down,We are forgettin the formulae whenever we are able to attempt the questions.Particularly in english section lack of practice is causing us to confuse within the choices.

2)We are not concentrating on time management.People who are getting 80 marks in one section are attempting around 90 percent of the paper.Attempting 110 questions in 150 minutes is next to imposible if we do not look at time management.

Well points 1 and 2 are inter related practice will lead to less time consumptuion in the questions

3) Accuracy and reading speed - What is your accuracy???? or what is your reading speed?????

I do not think that any of us would have an answer to above questions.Topperas allways know their limits and they try to maximise both of them.

4) Attempting the right questions- We never look for easy questions and try to attempt them, Instead we allways choose the wrong questions tio attempt.

Take an example of Mandrake wala question,It was the last question of qiuant.I attempted it and It was wrong also(Why the hell did I attempted it???It was simply not doable at that point of time).

5)Planning- We ae not able to stick to plans.

Due to over comittment of work and laziness we are not able to stick to any of plan we make.We need to prioritize .

6) Wordlist- We think wordlist is not that useful, But my analysis states that If I had covered the wordlist well I would have scored around 12-20 more marks in english.

I am sorry for such a long and boring mail,I was thinking a lot and was cursing myself for long time now, thought that it is best if I share my feelings with youi people.I will be glad if i get some inputs (Good or bad) on this email.

Time has come for us to do something in life as If we do not do it now we will not be able to do it ever.

Thanks



Hope it is helpful to any of the puys over here

[Anchun]

First of all big thanks to VisionIIM-ACL for starting the thread.

All these days may be i am the one not able to clear the quant cutoffs(leave clearing getting in single digits)
that too when it takes the prime of my CAT prep time ( i am working with software company)
when ever i see a quant question in the exam, even if it is a bit tough looking, done my instinct use to say i may not be able to solve.
and the result i scored 2,1,4 and 10 in my mocks(have not even got those questions for which i can get answer from options)
but want to get out of this habit and tried to concentrate more on those questions where i can get answer from options
trust me it worked :i scord 23 in AIMCAT 1014,it may not be a great score but a humble start.

DI:
we all know that the key to scoring well in DI is nothing but a good practice, we all say we do that.but are we really giving DI its due attention.?????
i use to think DI ho jata he...pehle quant karunga(excuse me i am also pathetic in hindi)
but now we hardly have 90 days , so pull up ur socks and start DI(applies even for me)

MOCKS:
we also know analysing the mocks is the mantra.
but i use to think,yaar i have not yet completed my basics, so let me complete the basics but trust me they are never going to complete
the same mistake i have done during my engineering entrance exam,and doing it now
i have 6 mock papers to be analysed now :(

Verbal:(A little gyaaan)
able to score well above cutoffs and it is completely attributed to rc's .
i read some where in PG, RC's can break or make VA scores.
so friends its high time take up some abstract novels and start reading
trust me u will enjoy
now i am reading "Aristotle principles"

and as our friends said every thing is in mind...
make CAT most imp priority in life but not the only priority
try involving in other activities*( i know u must be wondering..yaar CAT prep ne keliye time nahihe or ee aadmi other activities baad kar raha hai)
but involve and u will find time.....i recently joined for guitar classes and going to gym regularly(but i find more time to prep now than earlier)
just observe how u r spending ur time on a 24 hour period and u would be finding many time leaks.
just stop them and u need not sacrifice ur beloved activities

enjoy CAT journey
hope we all make into best b-schools in india

thanks for reading such a long post