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'If you just solve all that you really know, you can even get into the IIMs'

Last updated on: October 25, 2011 09:40 IST
In an online chat with readers on October 21, ARKS Srinivas, ex-director of T.I.M.E. addressed reader queries related to last minute strategies to crack CAT 2011. For those who missed the live chat, here's the unedited transcript.
ARKS Srinivas says, Dear Friends, CAT 2011 is starting tomorrow. I am sure that some apprehensions exist. Here is an attempt to help all of you who are writing this important exam!
aalby asked, Hello sir. Is there going to be a small 1 minute break between the 2 sections? or is it going to be continuous?

ARKS Srinivas answers, at 2011-10-21 16:05:00There will be an optional break between the sections.
bell asked, Dear ARK Srinivas...give me the last min dos and don'ts for CAT

ARKS Srinivas answers, There are no do's before an exam except keeping your hallticket and voucher ready. But there are some don't which might really help. a) Don't take a Mock test one day before an exam b) If you do take, don't correct the same! c) Don't ask people what they are doing Each person has a unique requirement and hence do not bother about cramming up formulaes or doing last minute revision. This is not a Degree exam and hence take it without too much ado!
fully crack asked, what do you mean by optional break?

ARKS Srinivas answers, you may or may not take the break!
aalby asked, Also personally do you feel its better to do DI first and then quant or the other way round in the first section or should you just do it in the same order assuming the questions are mixed?

ARKS Srinivas answers, It frankly depends on whether you feel Quant is your strong point or DI. Please start with that which you are most comfortable with.
fully crack asked, kindly explain optional break?
ARKS Srinivas answers, There will not be any time between the start of second section and the end of section one. There is however a tutorial of 15 minutes before the start of the test. You can skip this tutorial though.
fully crack asked, Hello sir. Is there going to be a small 15 minute break betweem the 2 sections? or is it going to be continuous?

ARKS Srinivas answers, The 15 minute break is before the section I (for the tutorial)
rajesh asked, Plz tell me how to overcome anxiety b4 the CAT

ARKS Srinivas answers, Rajesh, I hope you are not writing the exam tomorrow. Even then, the basic anxiety is not because of the exam but the result of the exam. Tell yourself that you are not worrying about the result and that you will worry about that after you have written. Your anxiety would reduce!
sneha asked, sir what are the key things to keep in mind before going for the test tomorrow

ARKS Srinivas answers, Hi Sneha, Sparsh has spoken the key psychological things required. Material things: Voucher and Hall ticket printout Mental makeup: Not to worry about the result. Make sure that you go there to enjoy the test and solve those questions you CAN solve. Many a time, if you just solve all that you really know, you can get into the IIMs even!
Prateek asked, Tips for cracking DI?

ARKS Srinivas answers, Hi Prateek, Since DI, is going to be in Section I, give yourself a time-limit for each set of DI. Make sure that you read the instructions carefully for each data set. Make sure that you try questions by looking at the answer choices too (esp on calculation intensive questions). You will find that DI would not be very difficult
sameer asked, hi am from indore...what shd i do to get 99.99%ile in CAT...in mock tests i hvn't exceeded 99.2%ile

ARKS Srinivas answers, Sameer, if you have touched 99.2 in the MOCK CATs, you should be confident of getting much more than that. As I wrote just now, If you can keep your cool and JUST solve all the questions you know in the two sections, you should even aim for 100 percentile.

'Concentrate on what you already know, revise that well'

Last updated on: October 25, 2011 09:40 IST
kanhaiya asked, i still have a week to go, any tips for me to keep in mind, i am nervous about VA

ARKS Srinivas answers, Dear Kanhaiya, I have written on what you should do for VA and QA/Di. Please go through this article , it may help. http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slide-show/slide-show-1-career-last-minute-qa-and-di-tips-for-cat-2011-by-srinivas/20111020.htm
nmurali asked, how to score in DI .. PLEASE GIVE ME SOME TIPS

ARKS Srinivas answers, Hi Murali, Please do go through the chat. I have posted an article. It would do a world of good if you could go through that. http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slide-show/slide-show-1-career-last-minute-qa-and-di-tips-for-cat-2011-by-srinivas/20111020.htm
murali asked, which of these shd i attempt first: QA, VA or Logic?

ARKS Srinivas answers, Murali, Section I is QA and DI Section II is VA and LR So, in each section you have to make this decision depending on your comfort zone and strength (in that particular area)
thakur asked, hi i am working hence didn't get much time to prepare.Kindly suggest in these few days what best I can do to crack it definitely.

ARKS Srinivas answers, Hi Thakur, Please revise all the MOCK CAT papers that you have already taken. If you have another week to go, see that you take two Mock Tests in that week. This is not the time to worry about what you do not know, but see that what you actually know is utilised correctly in the exam.
shakti asked, How to score in Verbal ?

ARKS Srinivas answers, Shakti, The problem with Verbal always is that there is a chance of higher number of mistakes. Hence, the best thing would normally be to increase the number of attempts. however, see that you don't attempt Vocab and grammar questions without knowing them. Second, do take up all reasoning based VA questions as well as RC so that you have the best chance of getting a higher score.
kiran asked, do you suggest any good book for CAT

ARKS Srinivas answers, Kiran, there are hardly any good books. However, Pearsons and Tata McGraw Hill publish certain books on QA, VA, DI etc. Please pick one of those. This is however not the time to look at new books if you are writing CAT this year!
varun asked, My exam is on nov 16, last year i scored 91 percentile, but this year bcoz i m working from 10 to 8, i do not have gud hopes, how shud i go about with such a short time left, pls guide

ARKS Srinivas answers, Hi Varun. Since you have around 20 plus days to go. Use these 20 days to go through all the Mock CATs that you have done. Do the same area wise and topic wise. For eg. In DI, take all the torunament and games sets at a time and solve them. or take all the PI charts that have come in the Mock Cats that you have written (should have written) and solve them. For an area like QA: Pick up a topic say Geometry and Mensuration, gather all questions from the Mock Cats and solve all the G&M problems at one go. Similarly do that for the other areas/topics. This is the best that can be done at this stage. But 20 days is still a good enough time to catch up. All the best.
madhuri asked, I dont like the topic Functions and Graphs. Is it ok if i leave it and see the remaining topics?

ARKS Srinivas answers, Functions and Graphs is an important and easy chapter. However, if you are writing the exam in a few days then skip, however, if you are writing the exam in say 10 days, it is worthwhile to go through the basics once.
varun asked, what are the gud b schools for percentile between 80 and 90 , in which i can apply

ARKS Srinivas answers, Hi Varun, There are quote a few good B Schools for that range. BIM Trichy, TAPMI, Welingkar, KJ Somaiyya, FORE etc are all schools that take in that range.
sunil asked, hi Sri, Im giving my exam on nov13th.Is it better to go through topics which i still have a doubt on or to revise only the topics that im good at?

ARKS Srinivas answers, Sunil, Since you have around 20 odd days, it may be worthwhile to go through the topics that you have not gone through or are in doubt. Esp, if you have been able to identify the areas. Otherwise, this is the time to concentrate on what you already know and revise that well.
varun asked, what are the typical packages that these schools can get with the percentle between 80 to 90

ARKS Srinivas answers, Packages depend on the Economy. However, you can get (on an average), between 4.5 lacs per annum to 10 lacs per annum (depending on the institute though.
hot asked, the day b4 xam how to revise topics

ARKS Srinivas answers, The day before the exam should not be for revising anything!
aishwarya asked, my weak area is qa.how can i improve on it so that i can improve my cat score too?

ARKS Srinivas answers, Hi Aishwarya, In QA, please divide your areas into Arithmetic, Algebra, Pure Math and Geometry &Mensuration. Please pick any two of these four areas and solve all the questions from various test papers/mock cats that you have written. If you have more time, also go through the questions of these areas from the CAT original papers too. Take couple of sectional tests too (I am assuming that you have more than two weeks time for the CAT paper.
hot asked, sir wats the difference doin mba in normal colleges and b schools.will it make any difference

ARKS Srinivas answers, I don't know what you mean by normal colleges and b schools. Can you elaborate?
sunil asked, hi Sri, Any predition on the imp topics based on the institue that is setting paper and which had already set earlier.

ARKS Srinivas answers, Sunil, IIM C is conducting the paper. However, unlike the previous years prior to 2008) there are going to be40 different sets of papers and hence it is impossible to predict what would be the area which gets more weightage on the exam day you are writing. I guess, speculation on that would be of no use.
PKM asked, Dear Nivas, I cudnt prepare anything in particular as was busy with sap job. this will be my 4th attempt. whats the suggestion for me?

ARKS Srinivas answers, Frankly PKM, I would suggest that you give your best for this exam. Re-assess what you want to do, prioritise things in your life and take it from there.
ARKS Srinivas says, Well friends, all those who are writing the CAT exam in this window of Oct22nd and Nov 18th, here's wishing you ALL the very best.