How Should an Engineer Prepare for CAT 2024?

How Should an Engineer Prepare for CAT 2024: If you have an Engineering background, you must have thought about doing an MBA and attempting the CAT exam . Engineers make up a sizeable chunk of the total candidate pool for CAT every year. Many consider engineers to have an advantage over other candidates due to their deep knowledge of mathematics, data interpretation, and logical reasoning. However, engineers also have to prepare for the exam regardless of their existing knowledge and certainly follow a well-thought-out strategy. They must also focus on important topics for CAT such as averages, mean median mode, percentages, ratio and proportion, simple and compound Interest, profit and loss etc. Read on to find out more!

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CAT 2024 Preparation Plan for Engineers

The CAT preparation for engineers is quite different from other candidates due to the technical knowledge that engineers possess. Students with a background in engineering must follow the preparation plan mentioned below to prepare for CAT 2024 effectively.

Begin Preparation with VARC

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension are one of the areas of the CAT syllabus in which most engineers lag behind during CAT preparation . Generally, engineers do not have a strong background in English and verbal communication skills, which is why beginning preparation with VARC is ideal for investing more time in this section. Aspirants must become thoroughly familiar with the VARC questions and syllabus to ensure they score a good percentile score in this section.

Brush up Basics First

It is common for engineers to begin preparation with complex mathematical concepts and topics like algebra, trigonometry, and geometry. However, in doing so, they often skip the basic topics like percentages, profit and loss, simple interest, compound interest, etc. which are also some of the most scoring topics in CAT. Therefore, engineers need to focus on these basic concepts beforehand so that they do not skip them during their CAT preparation.

Develop a Strong Reading Habit

Most engineers lack a strong reading habit which can be detrimental to their CAT preparation. Reading newspapers, journals, magazines, etc. is essential for staying updated with current affairs and general knowledge. Developing a strong reading habit will not only improve comprehension skills, which is essential for RC questions but also enhance overall verbal abilities required to solve Verbal Ability questions in CAT.

Maintain a Balance Preparation

Approaching CAT preparation in a balanced manner is crucial to covering the entire syllabus and understanding all the important topics and concepts before the CAT exam. Therefore, engineers must create a balanced study plan for their CAT preparation which does not focus solely on one area like VARC, Quantitative Aptitude, or Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning.

Practice Mock Tests Regularly

Mock tests are a staple for every CAT aspirant since they enable students to gauge their preparation and identify their strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, engineers should also attempt mock tests regularly to ensure they stay sharp and also to improve their overall accuracy and time management skills.

Also Read: Stress Management During CAT Preparation 2024

Section-wise Strategy for Engineer to Prepare for CAT 2024

Engineers preparing for the CAT exam must balance quantitative strengths with verbal skills. They must prioritise reading and mastering fundamentals to unlock their potential for good scores. Below given is a proven strategy to prepare for CAT 2024.

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)

Quantitative Aptitude

Things to Avoid During CAT 2024 for Engineers

It is commonly observed that engineers make certain mistakes during their CAT preparation and the exam which cause them to perform poorly during the exam. Aspirants must avoid the following during CAT:

• Do not try to solve every question during the CAT exam. Since engineers have good problem-solving skills, they tend to solve every complex question during the CAT exam which can cause serious problems and reduce their overall percentile score due to time constraints.
• Neglecting Verbal Ability and Reading skills is another common issue among engineers preparing for CAT. Since engineers typically do not have a strong background in English, they tend to avoid this section of the CAT syllabus. This leads to them performing poorly in the CAT VARC section reducing their overall percentile score.
• Focusing too much on complex mathematical topics like trigonometry, calculus, algebra, etc. is also an issue among engineers. Since they are intimately familiar with these topics, they focus too much on these areas rather than basic topics like percentages, profit and loss, simple interest, compound interest, etc.
• Trying to solve complex problems before easier questions. Since engineers have better problem-solving skills, they tend to solve challenging questions before easier questions on the CAT exam. This leads to wastage of time and mental energy leading to a poor overall performance and percentile score.

Should Engineers Choose CAT Coaching or Self Study?

CAT Coaching or self-study is another important question that every engineer should find the answer to before they begin preparing for CAT. Some engineers prefer CAT coaching because it helps them overcome their lack of verbal skills and reading abilities. On the other hand, some engineers prefer self-study because either they have a proper study plan devised or they have appeared for the CAT exam before and they have become familiar with the syllabus and exam pattern. That being said, an aspirant must weigh the pros and cons of both CAT coaching and self-study and choose whichever one suits them best. If an aspirant wishes to study for the CAT with the help of experts and teachers who will guide them through the entire process, then CAT coaching is the ideal option, on the other hand, if a student wants to study on their own and follow their schedule, then self-study is the best choice for them.

Hopefully, we were able to inform aspirants on how to prepare for CAT if you are an engineer! Check out the articles below to learn more about CAT 2024!

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