Play the theme song because the Myth Busters are here to bust myths about the CAT Exam
With examinations come a number of truths and myths. However, before messing up in the examination, it is important to know the differences before-hand in order to avoid any issues during or before the examination. For an examination like CAT which is conducted by the IIM’s for admission into the IIMs, it is actually very important to be sure of all the facts and myths about the exam. A number of students had certain similar doubts and myths about the exam that they were not quite sure of. Hence we have it all sorted for you. Here’s a list of myths about the CAT Exam and truth behind them:
Myth #1
CAT Examination can only be given by candidates belonging to the field of Commerce
- This is one myth that has got to be busted as soon as possible. CAT is not inclined towards only the commercial field. Students from any field can appear for CAT provided they have fulfilled the eligibility requirement for the CAT Examination. The eligibility for CAT is to obtain a minimum of 50% or any equivalent CGPA and holding a bachelors degree. You can hold a bachelor’s degree from any field and give the CAT Examination provided you have fulfilled the eligibility criteria.
MYTH #2
CAT Examination can not be given by engineers
- CAT and Engineers are usually this one pair that confuses a number of aspirants. However let us just make this very clear. ENGINEERS CAN GIVE CAT JUST AS ANY OTHER CAT ASPIRANT. In fact according to research, statistics showed that among the candidates appearing for CAT, The highest number of CAT aspirants are Engineers. This is mainly because a large number of engineering students seek admission in to the IIT’s and if they want to build a career in the field of business, then they try seeking admission in the IIM’s. Hence the number of engineers who give CAT are higher as compared to the candidates who are non- engineers.
MYTH #3
You should appear for CAT only once because there is no chance of your score to increase in the next attempt
- You can give CAT as many times as you want. Also though there is no clear possibility or assurance that your score will increase in the next attempts however that does not mean that your score in CAT will never increase. It may interest you that a number of candidates appear for CAT not just for the second time or third time but even for the fourth or the sixth time in that case. You have to ensure one thing that you need to put in more efforts than your last attempt and you give it your best shot with the best coaching or study material along with the correct method of preparation and the perfect techniques. Also, you need to make up your mind whether will you be able to devote one whole year all over again for the preparation of the examination. The competition in CAT is cut-throat and thus it would require you to be extremely hard working and devoted throughout your preparation. Also maintaining a consistent attitude towards the examination will help you achieve your desired scores. Be regular with respect to solving mock papers, tests, and questions as per the syllabus. Also always try to solve questions a level higher than the level of questions you are able to solve.
MYTH #4
You can not ace well in CAT if you are not good at maths and English
- Well, now when it comes to CAT we all must agree that it is definitely a tough examination. However, it is not that tough that it requires the English language to another level. It requires your vocabulary to be as strong as possible. Also, it requires you to have a good command on your reading and also on your grammatical skills. When it comes to Maths, you need to know that quants require more of your understanding and brainstorming so if you know your basics well and you have solved enough questions, tests and mock papers then you are definitely good to go. You need to practice maths of a level higher than the maths you are comfortable solving.
Myth #5
If you have good percentile in CAT you are securing a seat for sure.
- Now this one needs a reality check. Scoring good or high in CAT does not necessarily mean that you are getting a seat secured. You have to understand that CAT examination is the only route to get into the IIMs. However, with the selection and admission procedure comes the fact that you have to go through rounds of interviews. And in case you create any problems or if anything goes wrong then your chances of selection also reduce. Hence you have to make sure that you have achieved the right percentile but you also have to make sure that you are well versed with the selection process and confident about your interview rounds so as to maximize your chances of selection in the IIM’s.
MYTH #6
If you have good spoken English you can score very high in Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
- This is the most common misconception which still exists or prevails in the minds of students appearing for CAT. If you have good English language that does not mean you will be able to solve all the questions. The level of difficulty of CAT may not be very high but is definitely higher than the average spoken English. Hence, solving as many questions as possible along with tests and mock papers is the ultimate solution. Also, you may read novels, papers or books or magazines of a higher level than your level of English so as to improve your reading and vocabulary skills.
We hope this article busted all the myths about the CAT Exam that you had and cleared your misconceptions. Oh, and one last thing…BEST OF LUCK!
