The CAT is the most popular management entrance exam in India. Whether you have taken CAT online coaching or joined an offline institute, you understand that “belling the CAT” is not an easy task. It is a journey undertaken by most aspirants in hopes of getting admission into India’s top business schools.
Given the high competition and varied preparedness levels, many questions often linger in the minds of many candidates: How many times should I attempt CAT? The answer is not cut and dried; it depends on a lot of factors like one’s preparation level, career goals, and personal circumstances.
The First Attempt: The Fresh Start
Irrespective of your attempt number, CAT is a learning experience. Whether you have opted for CAT online coaching or are preparing on your own, this initial attempt sets the stage for understanding the nuances of the exam. Rather, you understand the dynamic of a competitive exam. For most people, this is the first time that they prepare for a competitive exam. Naturally, those who have prepared for any other exam earlier have a slight advantage.
While many students do crack CAT with an excellent percentile in their first attempt, the journey doesn’t end here for everyone. Most people do not have a very high CAT percentile at their first attempt.
If one prepares diligently and has a solid academic background, one might just get through with it in one attempt. Otherwise, if the score doesn’t match the cutoff range of the dream B-school, it’s time to reflect on whether another attempt is worthwhile.
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Quick Tip:
If you are starting for the first time, enrolling in a CAT online coaching is advised. Usually much of the time is wasted in finding the resources. So, getting yourself enrolled will help you in saving a lot of time.
Should You Take CAT a Second Time?
The second attempt is often seen as the sweet spot for many aspirants. By now, you’ve identified your problem areas and gained valuable insights from your first experience. When you witness your scorecard, you realise things that you didn’t understand before. These could be anything – the importance of getting 99%idle in one section, the unpredictable nature of the exam, the amount of luck involved etc.
Retaking CAT reflects perseverance and determination, traits highly prized in top B-schools. Most of the candidates, who do not get it right in the first instance, manage to get a seat in the most coveted institutes such as IIMs, FMS, or XLRI on the second occasion. Remember, practice, persistence, and clear understanding of exam pattern and syllabus are essential.
Multiple Attempts: Where Should You Draw the Line?
Multiple attempts also come into play here, which the CAT exam doesn’t even restrict how many times a candidate can appear, though this decision must be personally guided in relation to your personal and professional considerations. So here are some factors:
- Improvement Over Time: In case you’re continually improving the percentile, then another attempt will do good, but in case the scores don’t rise with some serious efforts, it may be time to review one’s approach. As mentioned above, luck is also a factor, so make a serious assessment of your capabilities and then understand the score you have received.
- Understanding the CAT Syllabus: Mastery of the CAT syllabus is essential. Candidates often underestimate the importance of thoroughly covering topics such as quantitative ability, data interpretation, logical reasoning, and verbal ability. If gaps in your preparation persist across multiple attempts, consider revisiting your study methods or exploring expert guidance.
- Opportunity Cost: Every year is a year that is not utilized either for other career opportunities or as a further education avenue; hence, weigh the pros against the cons of retaking CAT against the possibility of investigating other avenues such as the GMAT, GRE, or other MBA entrance options.
Is There a “Magic Number”?
The number of attempts at which the idea of a “magic number” is followed is subjective for everyone. One or two attempts satisfy most aspirants. A candidate often tends to get a successful outcome after three attempts or more, depending on his sustained improvement and retaining high motivation.
Ultimately, the number of attempts isn’t as important as the quality of your preparation and the strategy you adopt. A serious advice would be to not bother about the ‘number of attempts’ – the sole barometer must be regret and giving your best.
Ensure that you give your absolute best at each attempt – whether first or third. There is a common tendency for students to take a first attempt casually so as to “get a taste of the exam.” – this should not be the case. Irrespective of your attempt, always give your personal best.
Key Takeaways
- Prepare with Purpose: Be it the first or third attempt, a focused preparation is necessary. There is no point unless you decide to give your best.
- Utilize the resources available: CAT online coaching, mock tests, and peer study groups go a long way, do not shy away from asking for help. Use CAT preparation groups on Telegram and Reddit.
- Familiarise Yourself with the CAT Syllabus: A complete knowledge of the syllabus helps avoid leaving a stone unturned.
- Know When to Move On: If several attempts have no positive outcomes, it’s time to look for something else.
- Luck Matters: There is a very significant possibility that things might not work out the way you want them to despite the effort you put in – that’s life. There are too many variables involved – your test centre, your competition, the slot, the tough section of the exam etc. Understand that you scored 99%ile or a 90%ile – all of that is not you, you might have underperformed or maybe you have overperformed. Always keep luck in mind.
Success in CAT is not about the number of attempts but about resilience, strategy, and informed decisions. No matter how many times you appear, make sure each attempt is a step forward in your journey toward achieving your career goals.
