Final Push for RC Preparation: Last Week Prep Advice for CAT 2024 Exam

With just one week remaining for CAT, it’s time to fine-tune your preparation and focus on strategies that will make a real difference on exam day. Here’s how to maximize your Reading Comprehension (RC) performance effectively in the final stretch.

Two Key Areas for RC Success

1. Timed RC Practice

In the last week, your primary focus should be on practicing RCs under timed conditions:

Solve passages under strict time pressure to simulate exam conditions.
Identify question types you excel at and pinpoint those that take longer or lead to errors.
Aim to complete each passage slightly faster than the CAT standard of 7.5-8 minutes. For instance, try solving each RC in 6-7 minutes to build speed and efficiency. ⏱️

By pushing yourself to solve two RCs in 14 minutes instead of the typical 15-16, you train to handle the pressure and save time for challenging questions during the actual exam. At this stage, focusing on speed and accuracy will yield better results than attempting to build deep knowledge.

2. Section Tests

Instead of full-length mocks, dedicate this week to RC-focused section tests:

Attempt 1-2 RC-specific section tests (40-minute VARC segments) this week.
For added challenge, aim to complete the section slightly faster than the standard 40 minutes—target 35-36 minutes.
This approach conditions you to manage time effectively and builds familiarity with real-time test pressure.

Tips for Optimizing Attempts

In the final days, focus on gradually increasing your attempts without compromising accuracy.

If you’re currently attempting 14-15 questions, aim for 16-17 with consistent accuracy.
If you’re already attempting 16-17, push for 18-19 genuine attempts by managing time more effectively.
Practice adjusting your pacing by shaving off 2-3 minutes during practice sessions to simulate real-exam stress and refine your focus.

Review & Revise: Consolidating Your Prep

Use this week to consolidate your RC strategies:

Revise critical notes and learnings from past mocks, especially question types you’ve struggled with.
Strengthen your approach to inference-based, main idea, and tone/style questions—these are common in CAT RCs.
Keep a summary of your key takeaways from practice to review quickly before the exam.

General Pointers for the Final Week

Focus on Strengths: Play to your strengths while aiming to improve minor weaknesses. This balance ensures you maximize your score without unnecessary stress.
Quality Over Quantity: Prioritize solving and analyzing a smaller set of high-quality passages over rushing through excessive practice.
Mental Prep: Stay calm, confident, and avoid overloading yourself with new material.

Final Takeaway

In this last week, prioritize timed RC practice and sectional tests to sharpen your speed, accuracy, and confidence. Consolidate your preparation by revising key learnings, and trust the process you’ve followed so far.

Remember: Stay calm, trust your preparation, and believe in your ability to excel on exam day!

Good luck—you’ve got this! 😊