SNAP results have been disappointing for some and CAT has the reputation of being a spoilsport. In this situation and at this juncture, CMAT is the most viable and the last option available. CMAT as such is an easy paper and can be dealt with in a rather level headed manner, because it simply tackles the 2 major hurdles one faces in SNAP, CAT and even NMAT for that matter
1) Time Allotted – 3hrs
2) Questions to attempt – 100 (25 * 4)
The level headed manner includes –
1) Clearing basics – clearing basics won’t be a task as you might have already attempted the above mentioned exams once, even if you haven’t it isn’t too late to start. Start with the basics and work hard. The material that is provided in class has enough questions to lay a perfect foundation. And CMAT aims at basic questions only, hardly one or two questions are aimed at higher order of thinking.
2) Weak Sections – Once you start solving the basic sums, the challenges will appear and disappear. The sections for which the challenges remain, try to solve them more. This will be done in class as well as provided for in your materials. “practise makes a man perfect”
3) Shortcuts – Shortcuts are something one can get familiar with after one is done solving quite a few sums in the respective sections. The shortcuts are more of patterns that emerge as you solve more. But these shortcuts will be served to you on a platter, and practicing these shortcuts will help you focus more on your weak areas during the actual CMAT exam. The shortcuts are the ones which will help you to solve without using pen/paper and hence will help you come out of tricky situations.
4) Actual CMAT and similar papers – you get a bit familiar with the questions, and now different questions from different topics jumbled together should make sense to you. Studying the same topic and solving the same topic is different than solving sums under a random. The actual papers of CMAT (both Feb and Sept 2012) will be available so that you understand the level of difficulty that you are comfortable with, the kind of questions and how to approach. This will help you understand, predict and strategize CMAT in your own way. Along with this MAT papers will be made available.
5) MOCKS – daily or alternate day mock is preferred for the last lap. The mocks will be specially tuned to CMAT level and the difficulty level too is timed. The mocks will be of varied composition, to make you comfortable with different quantities of different topics.
Last but not the least, don’t give up. 15 days seems like very less time to begin with but giving up is an escape route. Best of Luck!
Rav Singh
CMAT Expert
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