CAT, the piece of cake
by Ms.Padma R – MICA Ahmedabad

CAT is a piece of cake – difficult to admit but it is. While people go around preaching about how CAT is one of the toughest exams in the nation, it is often a case of sour grapes. CAT is just like any other exam in life – if you know the trick and maintain your calm, it’s not as tough as they make it seem. CAT is that one slice of heaven you can relish provided you bake it right.

Let’s get the baking started!

Step – 1: Choose your recipe – This explains the final product

1. What is your goal behind attempting CAT?
2. Do you want to attend a specific B-school ?
3. Do you want a specific course ?

When you have answers to above three questions, you have got the recipe right. If your answer was yes to the last two questions, mind that the recipe will be also specific as you have to figure out the requirements for that particular B-school or course. If not, the recipe is simple – you just have to prepare with no limits other than the ones you impose. Study the syllabus of CAT the way you would learn the recipe – assess what all you have and what all you don’t have.

Step – 2: Choose the Baking plan – This explains the process

This is the beginning stage and the most crucial stage also as you lay out a plan about how to put the ingredients into the right use.

1. Do you prefer preparing alone or in a group?
2. What kind of environment do you prefer to study in?
3. Do you prefer to study straight for 8-9 hours or have a few breaks in between?
4. Are you self-disciplined enough to prepare on your own or you need to enroll in an academy?

These are the questions that help you in drafting the right plan for your preparation. Just keep in mind that the recipe and the baking plan have to be compatible. If not, the cake you get won’t be the cake you wanted.

Step – 3: Gather and prep the ingredients – This explains the method Now that you have got the plan, get the ingredients right!

1. What are the topics you know already? Is that enough or you need to prepare more?
2. Are you going to skip or learn the topics you don’t know – are they vital ingredients or not?
3. What resources do you rely on to get the said ingredients? Videos, books, tutors, etc.?
4. What is your hack if you can’t get an ingredient right – your tricks for the exam?

It’s important to always differentiate between the vital and trivial ingredients of the cake so that you know what to skip and what not to. Whenever the ingredient mix goes wrong, make sure that you have some cake-saving hacks!

Step-4: Oven time! – This explains your thoughts during the exam

You have got the ingredients right and mixed in a bowl. You just have to pour them into a mold and put it in the oven for it to be baked. What are your thoughts while it is being baked?
Nervous? Scared? Excited?
So many feelings at one time and what if you get drowned in those thoughts? You might miss the timer going off and end up burning the cake. That’s why you have to be calm and peaceful but still concentrating on that one final product of yours – because this is what you wanted.

Step-5: Wait for the cake to cool over – This explains the thoughts after the exam

Once the cake is out of the oven, you might be excited to taste it but then you can’t, since it is too hot. The suffering is real but this cake is the result of your work and you can afford to wait for a little while to taste it. At this time, if you worry about what the taste will be – trust me, you can’t change it now.
If it’s good, well done – you got what you wanted.
If not, try again – just one more baking to be done.