Students consistently make the same types of repeating errors while studying for the CAT. 

It will take a lot of hard work and long hours to get to your eventual destination—getting accepted into one of the prestigious MBA programs at IIMs or another prestigious institution. 

But the best method to ace the CAT is to develop a clever plan and improvise it as you go along with your training. 

You also need to be aware of the typical errors CAT applicants make. 

This article has compiled a list of 5 common mistakes you should steer clear of to succeed on the CAT entrance exam to make your CAT preparation easier, and they are as follows:

Not understanding the question

Many students must fully understand the question before answering it, leading to incorrect or irrelevant answers.

Need help understanding the question that is expected during the CAT exam. This can happen for various reasons, needing help understanding the vocabulary used in the question or needing help to grasp the task. As a result, students may answer the question incorrectly or provide irrelevant information. It is crucial to take the time to understand the question before answering it correctly and avoid information.

Oby reading void, this mistake is to read multiple times and ensure you understand the task being asked. Pay attention to the wording and any specific instruction, and provide you know the vocabulary used in the question. If there are words you need to become more familiar with, take the time to look them up and understand their meanings.

Another way to avoid this mistake is to divide the question into smaller parts and focus on answering each piece separately. This can help you understand the question better and ensure that you provide the correct information. Additionally, if you need help understanding the question, feel free to ask for clarification or assistance.

In summary, not understanding the question can lead to incorrect or irrelevant answers; it is essential to take the time to fully understand the question before answering it to ensure that you are answering it correctly and providing the information being asked for.

Lack of time management

Poor time management is one of the students' biggest mistakes during the CAT exam. Budgeting your time correctly can lead to leaving essential questions unanswered.

Time management is an essential aspect of the CAT exam, as it is a timed test with many questions to answer quickly. Poor time management is one of the biggest mistakes students make during the CAT, as it can lead to leaving essential questions unanswered.

One of the most common mistakes students make is not budgeting their time correctly. This can include spending too much time on a single question or needing to allocate more time to specific sections of the test. For example, if a student spends too much time on a difficult question at the beginning of the trial, they may need more time to complete the rest of the test.

Another common mistake is not pacing oneself during the test. This can include spending too much time on easy questions or not leaving enough time for the more complex questions. It's essential to identify the questions that are taking more time to answer and practice them more to make them more efficient.

A time management strategy is essential before the test to avoid these mistakes. This can include creating a schedule during the trial and identifying which sections or questions require the most time. Additionally, it's essential to practice time management during your preparation by taking mock tests with a timer and analysing where you are spending more time and how to optimise it.

In summary, lack of time management is one of the biggest mistakes students make during the CAT exam. It is essential to develop a time management strategy and practice it during the preparation to budget your time correctly and avoid leaving important questions unanswered.

You do not understand the scoring system.

CAT has a negative marking system, so it is essential to understand how it works and avoid answering questions you are unsure of.

Understanding the scoring system is another mistake many students make during the CAT exam. The CAT exam has a negative marking system, which means that for each incorrect answer, a certain number of marks will be deducted from the total score. This is important to understand, as it can affect how students approach the test and the questions they choose to answer.

One common mistake students make how the negative marking system works. This can include not being aware of how many marks are deducted for each incorrect answer or understanding how the negative marking system applies to different test sections. Being aware of the negative marking can lead to students answering questions they are unsure of to avoid leaving a question unanswered, which can lead to losing more marks.

Another mistake is not considering the risk-reward ratio of answering a question. Some students may answer questions even if unsure, thinking they might get lucky and get it right. However, this can lead to losing more marks than if they had left the question.

To avoid these mistakes, it's essential to understand how the negative marking system works and how it applies to different test sections. Additionally, it's necessary to consider the risk-reward ratio of answering a question and to avoid answering questions you are unsure of.

In summary, not understanding the scoring system, particularly the negative marking system, can lead to poor performance on the CAT exam; it is essential to know how it works and consider the risk-reward ratio before answering questions you are unsure of.

Not practising enough

Practice is crucial for success in the CAT exam. Practising enough can lead to good performance on test day.

Practice is crucial for success in the CAT exam, as it allows students to become familiar with the format and types of questions on the test. Practising enough is a mistake many students make, leading to poor performance on test day.

One of the most common mistakes students make is needing to take more practice tests. CAT is a high-stakes exam, and taking practice tests is one of the best ways to prepare for it. Practice tests can help students become familiar with the types of questions that will be on the test, as well as the format and time constraints of the exam.

Another common mistake is to practice more with the different test sections. The CAT exam is divided into quantitative aptitude, verbal ability, and data interpretation. Practising enough with each area can lead to poor performance on test day, as students may need to be more familiar with the types of questions on the test.

Not reviewing mistakes made during practice can also lead to poor performance on test day. Understanding why a mistake was made and how to avoid it in the future can lead to repeating the same error on the actual exam.

To avoid these mistakes, it's essential to take as many practice tests as possible and to practice with the different sections of the test. Additionally, reviewing mistakes made during practice is crucial to understanding where to improve and avoid the same mistakes on test day.

Practising is crucial for success in the CAT exam; not practising enough can lead to better performance on test day. It's essential to take as many practice tests as possible, practice with the different sections of the test and review mistakes made during exercise to avoid them on test day.

Not reviewing mistakes

Not reviewing your mistakes and understanding why you got them wrong is a mistake that can be costly on the test day, as it can lead to repeating the same mistakes.

After taking practice tests or the actual test, reviewing your mistakes and understanding why you got them wrong is essential. This will help you to identify areas where you need to improve and avoid making the same mistakes on test day. Not reviewing errors is a mistake that can be costly on test day, as it can lead to repeating the same mistakes.

One of the most common mistakes students make is not reviewing their mistakes. After taking a practice test or the actual test, students may continue without reviewing their mistakes and understanding why they got them wrong.

Another common mistake is to review errors systematically. With a proper viewing system, students may understand why they got the question wrong.

Additionally, not reviewing mistakes on time can also be a mistake. Waiting too long to check errors can make it harder to remember the information and the context of the question, making the review less effective.

To avoid these mistakes, reviewing your mistakes after taking a practice test or the actual test is essential. This can include going through each question, understanding why you got it wrong and how to avoid making the same mistake in the future. Additionally, it's essential to systematically review your errors and do them promptly to make the most out of the review process.

In summary, not reviewing mistakes is a mistake that can be costly on test day, as it can lead to repeating the same mistakes. It's essential to check your errors after taking a practice test or the actual test, understand why you got them wrong, and have a systematic way of doing it promptly to make the most out of the review process.