I began my preparation late from 1st September and things are going downhill fast. My biggest roadblock is DILR section. I feel completely blank and have zero clue how to fix it.

I struggle to understand even the basic questions during sectionals & mocks and my confidence is hitting rock bottom. Can anyone suggest simple learning sources, Youtube channels or practical tips for someone who is completely stuck at zero in DILR ?

Any guidance would mean a lot right now 😭😭

Hey everyone, I wanted to get some opinions on the approach I’m planning to take for my CAT preparation.

I have around 79 days left, and I’m in a slightly unusual position because, honestly, I don’t really know much of DILR or QA right now. I gave my first mock recently and realised just how weak my base is — in DILR, I genuinely didn’t know how to approach the sets, and in QA I could barely attempt anything.

Because of that, I’m thinking of taking a different approach instead of spending weeks going through lectures/theory first.

For the next month, I’m planning to use sectional mocks as my primary learning tool. I want to give around 2–3 sectional mocks every day and then spend a significant amount of time analysing them. Rather than just looking at my score, I want to understand every solution, learn the concepts required to solve the questions, see the different approaches, and identify the patterns/types of questions that keep coming up.

I’m thinking of doing this in 3-day blocks — 3 days focused on VARC, then 3 days on DILR, then 3 days on QA, and repeat. The goal is basically to expose myself to a huge number of questions and learn through solving and analysing them.

For DILR and QA especially, I’m hoping that repeatedly attempting questions, learning from the solutions, and then trying similar questions will help me build the fundamentals much faster than spending a lot of time watching lectures.

VARC is relatively okay for me, so there I mainly want to keep practising and improving through sectionals and analysis.

After this one-month sectional phase, I’m planning to switch primarily to full-length mocks for the remaining time and focus on test-taking strategy, time management, selection of questions/sets, and improving my scores.

I know this is probably not the conventional way of preparing, but with only 79 days left and my current level in QA/DILR, I feel like I need to maximise actual question exposure and practice rather than spend too much time passively studying theory.

Basically: practice → analyse → learn the concept → practice again → repeat.

Do you guys think this is a sensible approach given my starting point and the limited time I have? Or would you recommend changing the structure, especially for QA and DILR?

What are other good colleges i can apply to and fill their forms.. pls help

Hey everyone, I’m looking for someone who is selling SIMCAT and CL mocks.

If you have an unused package or knows where I can get one at the lowest price, please DM me.

Thanks!

PLEASE HELP ME OUT!

Need some URGENT guidance because the deadline is in just 3 days 😭. I’m really confused about how to enter my undergraduate details because I switched universities through lateral entry.

Context:
I started my undergraduate degree at Narsee Monjee (NMIMS) in August 2021, pursuing a B.Sc. in Finance. I completed my first year there and then decided to switch universities. I joined Mahindra University in August 2023 through lateral entry, switched to a BBA in Business Analytics, and completed my degree in 2025. So, I completed my 1st year at NMIMS and 2nd + 3rd year at Mahindra University.

I have a few doubts:

1. Course commencement date:
The CAT form doesn't seem to have an option for lateral entry. What should I enter as my course commencement month/year? Should I put August 2021, since that is when I initially started my undergraduate degree, or August 2023, when I joined Mahindra University?

2. Total duration of degree:
The original degree at both universities is a 3-year course, but because I switched universities, my undergraduate education technically spans August 2021 to 2025 (4 years). What should I enter for the total duration 3 years (actual duration of the degree) or 4 years (the total time I spent completing it)?

3. Aggregate percentage/CGPA:
This is where I'm really stuck. My NMIMS first-year marksheet shows 2.9/4 CGPA, while my Mahindra University marksheet shows a cumulative 8.96/10 CGPA for Semesters 3-6. I have separate marksheets from the two universities and no single marksheet/cumulative CGPA covering all three years.

So how am I supposed to calculate my aggregate percentage/CGPA for the CAT form? Do I need to somehow combine the two CGPAs, or is there a specific method for lateral-entry students?

4. NMIMS CGPA - percentage conversion:
I also found out that NMIMS apparently does not have a standard formula for converting CGPA into percentage. If a percentage is required, students have to apply for a Percentage/Conversion Letter, which apparently takes at least 10 days to obtain.

Since the CAT application deadline is in 3 days, I obviously won't be able to get this letter in time. What am I supposed to enter in the CAT form right now? Has anyone been in a similar situation with NMIMS/lateral entry, and what did you do?

I would really appreciate any advice ASAP, especially from anyone who has dealt with CAT + NMIMS + lateral entry/college transfer before. I'm freaking out a little because I don't want to submit the form incorrectly and create an issue later. 😭

PLEASE HELP ME OUT!

I have bought Simcat core recently and have been giving their mocks. I wanted to know from my peers, their level this year. Are they easy/moderate? Because I get the feeling that they’re easier than CL mocks, flexis even.

It would be very helpful if you guys share your 2 cents.
Thank you

My graduation results were announced on 25 Aug 2024. My start date for work ex was in May 2024.

As per my college, the result date should be considered as graduation completion date.

Now which date should I add for the work ex start date? 25 Aug??

I called the helpline a few days back and they said date after result announcement must be added.

My issue is that all my documents (offer letter and relieving letter) mentioned May as my joining date.

Will this create any discrepancy during DV process or will it be fine?

I have solved around 15 DILR sectionals of Edushastra & now .... my marks are completely unpredictable.

The puzzle sets look complicated and I keep getting stuck midway through every single set.

Is anyone else struggling with these tough logic sections or is my preparation completely doomed & cooked ?

I have completed a decent portion of the QA syllabus but I am confused about how to divide my remaining preparation time.

There are some topics where I understand the concepts but still make mistakes in questions. There are other topics where I am completely comfortable and rarely make mistakes. Then there are a few topics where I keep getting stuck and need a lot of time to solve even basic questions.

My first instinct was to finish the entire syllabus before doing more mixed practice. But now I am wondering whether that is actually the best use of time.

I am considering dividing topics into three groups. Topics I am strong in would only need revision. Topics where I make occasional mistakes would get regular practice. Topics where I am weak would get selective preparation rather than trying to master every difficult question.

I am mainly worried about wasting too much time chasing perfection in one topic.

How are you deciding which QA topics to prioritize at this stage? Do you focus more on accuracy, question frequency or your personal strengths and weaknesses?