Girl engaged in CAT self preparation, studying with laptop and book at night

If you are a CAT aspirant, you are most likely enrolled with one or the other organisation that provides classes, test prep materials and other guidance resources. Today you can even opt for some very good CAT preparation online courses.

Studies show that up to 93% of all common entrance aspirants participate in some form of guided study to complete their preparation journey, with a small minority going the CAT self-preparation route. This can take the form of 1-1 tutoring, private classes with a small group, online classes, workshops, mock-test series and many more variants available today. 

However, there is one thing that is common in all of the above – the need for complementary self-study. No one method above can prove successful without a proper and simultaneous self-study work, and this goes for all manners of academic pursuits, not just those related to management studies. 

Let’s learn something about how to effectively self-study for CAT. There are proven benefits to creating a learning routine that incorporates external help and your own study –

  • You gain confidence

    Doing something regularly and with the support of others helps cement the idea that you are doing well. Even with difficulties and challenges, you do not feel demotivated because you have the support to face the challenges and even defeat them. 

  • You feel successful

    A major chunk of our ‘sense of success’ comes from doing something consistently. When you participate in tutored classes and similar guided group study, you feel accomplished and have more chances to apply that learning when you’re studying alone. There is a reason why organisations and corporations place so much emphasis on teamwork. Teamwork makes the dream work. 

  • You change your perception

    As you work with others – teachers, tutors, peers, junior – you start thinking from different angles and unlearning some of the less productive thoughts that may be holding you back. Looking at problems from other people’s perspectives is a surefire way to crack open issues from novel angles and come up with solutions that were otherwise invisible to you. 

  • You feel more responsible

    Responsibility has many meanings, and one of the meanings is ‘feeling answerable to yourself and your peers’. When working in a group setting, you feel responsible to complete your part of the tasks so that your group sees you as worthy and able. This work can be individual work in the group or self-study work on your own, but in any definition, it still holds value and helps you achieve the rewards you desire from the group. 

  • You can set better goals

     Lastly, working together with others helps you feel more in control. When looking at the future, instead of deciding or taking on the pressure of figuring out what is and is not possible on your own, you can instead look to your peers and fellow students and rethink your plans suited to your current abilities. This also helps lessen the chances of disappointment or failures. 

All these are just some ways that the combination of self study and class work can help you realise your study goals in the most beneficial way. Your CAT self-preparation strategy will get a surefire update. There are many psychological benefits to creating a combined study pattern and sticking to it. 

So, how do you do it? Let’s look at a few ways to create the best plan. 

Your SWOT analysis 

Strengths – figure out what you are good at (self-study in online classes, test-taking, checking for mistakes, honest evaluation of your strong and weak subjects, etc.) and where you might need help. 

Weaknesses – similarly, ask yourself if you need more help/guidance in one subject than another. It could be that you are out of touch but not weak in a subject, or it could be that you have been working hard but not succeeding in one. You must be sincere in your assessment here. 

Opportunities – these, for you, will look like time, location, money, ability. What sort of organisations or institutes are near you? Can you find something online with the same quality? Can you afford the programs available? Are you able to attend classes regularly with studies/work? Having these important factors in front of you will help figure out if attending classes is possible for you or not. 

Threats – taking a hard look at things, ask yourself what are the real hindrances that might make it difficult for you to, say attend classes, or study on your own. This could be something temporary such as festivals, college functions, extra-curricular activities, etc. or something more permanent such as having a noisy neighbourhood/home, having no personal space to study, not having a strong internet connection for online classes, not having time to study with your job or college. 

All these factors seem obvious, but when you put them together, you can clearly see where your success and failures come from on a daily basis. 

For example, say you have enrolled in Takshzila’s Live classes at 7 am. You have enthusiasm and you feel ready to start studying with a group. The classes are 4-5 days a week for the next 3-4 months, and you feel that with regular classes and a few hours of study every day, you will be more than prepared for the upcoming test season. However,  in the first week, you find it difficult to wake up in time for classes. You resolve to set the alarm earlier and do so, only to feel sleepy later during the day, and unable to give any more time to study. Soon, you are falling behind in classes because you are attending the classes but not able to study on your own. OR you are not attending classes, hoping to catch up on recordings but because you haven’t done that yet either, you are sitting on a mountain of study to catch up on while your actual preparation is stagnating. Sound familiar?

This is common and very expected. With the SWOT analysis in place, you would be able to anticipate that you cannot do early mornings and self-study in the evening, so instead, you choose a 7pm class, so that after class, you can devote another 1-2 hours of revision and study, and since you’re in the study mode, you have better concentration. Also, since you don’t need to wake up early, you can study till late and make up for lost sleep in the morning. 

This is an effective way to understand your patterns, and ultimately work towards replacing what isn’t working with something new and more effective. Whether it’s self-paced online courses or live classes, you should go in informed. 

Try the SWOT analysis for your next study routine. Be strict with yourself and honest in your evaluation of every aspect listed above and most of all, be ready and accepting of new patterns as you work towards success.