CAT is regarded as one of the most difficult and demanding MBA entrance exams in India. Thousands of applicants appear for this exam but fail to evaluate and do not work out their performance in an effective manner. The relevance of analyzing your CAT performance extends far beyond scoring; it helps you to understand your strengths and weaknesses and helps you in preparing better for the next steps in your MBA journey.
Detailed performance analysis is a prerequisite of proper decision making concerning which colleges to apply to, whether to retake the test, and preparation for further rounds such as group discussions, written ability tests, and personal interviews.
In this blog, we will cover all the crucial steps required to be followed while analysing your CAT 2024 performance which aims to provide you detailed understanding and also aims to clear your doubts. So keep reading to get complete insights:
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Check the Steps Below for your CAT 2024 Analysis Performance:
1. Commence with Raw Score Calculation
Most likely, the official answer key will be released soon giving you a chance to pair your responses with the correct answers. But for now it is advisable to calculate your raw score. Let’s understand how it is calculated in few simple steps:
- Every single question has +3 marks
- There is -1 mark for every wrong answer for multiple-choice questions,
- Non-MCQs questions do not have any negative marking.
Follow the steps to calculate your raw score:
- VARC Section: Calculate the total number of correct and wrong answers under the
- Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension.
- DILR Section: Repeat the same for Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning.
- QA: Finally work out your scores for Quantitative Ability.
Collate the scores from each section and enable the final total raw score.
2. Scaled Score and Normalization
Normalizing raw scores through a scaling process is done to allow for all slot CATs to be at par with each other, given the diverse degrees of difficulty attached to the slots.
Your raw scores would be converted with the help of statistical techniques to scaled scores, and it is the scaled score which assumes the task of calculating percentiles that normally refers to the conversion of raw scores through statistical techniques to scaled scores.
3. Percentile: What It Means and How to Interpret It
The CAT percentile is a measure of how well you have performed relatively to other test-takers. A percentile of 95 means you performed better than 95 percent of candidates.
Interpret your percentile as follows:
- Overall Percentile: This is the most vital measure for admissions.
- Individual Percentiles: This is each section’s (VARC, DILR, QA) percentile and the minimum sectional cutoff requirement for many elite B-schools.
- Comparisons With Cutoffs: That way, you can check the percentile cutoffs against those of your target colleges.
The overall percentile is highly likely to be above 95, and sectionals may vary at around 80-85 percent or above in most top IIMs and top business schools.
4. Analyze Each Section Performance
Your overall performance in CAT is important, but sectional performance plays a significant role in shortlisting and giving you an insight into your strengths and weaknesses.
Verbal Ability And Reading Comprehension (VARC)
- Strengths: Did you have a good hand in inference questions or para jumbles?
For example, in IIM Ahmedabad, academic records have much prominence while work experience has prominence in IIM Bangalore.
- Weaknesses: Were vocabulary-based or passage-related questions difficult for you?
Accuracy vs. Speed: Check whether low scores came from incorrect attempts or insufficient time taken.
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
- Set Selection: Did you select the right sets to attempt?
- Time Management: Find out if you wasted much time on one single set.
- Level of Difficulty: Check if certain types of data (e.g. graphs, puzzles) are difficult for you.
Quantitative Aptitude (QA)
Using these categories, complete the following analysis for Quantitative Ability (QA) given below:
- Analyze Subjects: Such subject breakdown may be arithmetic, algebra, geometry.
- Missed Chance: Did you miss scoring on easy questions?
- Was the time spent per question properly coordinated?
5. When Comparing with Mock Test Performance
Mock tests allow benchmarking your current level of preparation. Post-examination, compare the actual score obtained in the CAT with that in the mock test performance.
Questions to ask while comparing:
- Mock scores generally hold good for actual performance?
- Did exam pressure affect accuracy during a test or pacing of time management?
- The strategies that were effective in the mock test helped you score impressive results in the real exam?
Understanding things like that help you to refine your preparation for rounding off the upcoming examination or possible retake.
6. Identify Weaknesses and Strengths
It is crucial to identify your strengths and weaknesses and a proper analysis is required to determine the performance falls in one of three areas:
- Strengths: The topics you dwelt mostly and got very good scores on.
- Weaknesses: The topics you always try to skip or avoid any questions concerning them.
- Opportunities: Topics where the scores were decent but which could be improved under a little disciplined practice.
Those performances should be used to draw up improvements in case of a retake CAT or any other examination preparation such as XAT, NMAT, or GMAT.
7. Research CAT 2024 Cutoffs for Target Colleges
Each B-School has its own set of admission requirements; which begins with the following:
- Overall Percentile Cutoff: Minimum percentile necessary for your colleges.
- Sectional Cutoffs: Make sure your sectional percentiles make the cut.
- Other Parameters: Many colleges consider weightage for academic records and/or work experience outputs as well as extracurricular activities beyond CAT scores.
For instance, academic records are given considerable prominence in IIM Ahmedabad, while emphasis is placed on work experience in IIM Bangalore.
8. Retake CAT
If your score is not as high as expected for CAT 2024, determine if it makes sense to take it again in 2025.
Important considerations include whether:
- There is enough time for preparation.
- There is scope for improvement in weak areas.
- You may want to consider the performance in other exams such as XAT or GMAT for better output.
9. Strategically Plan Your MBA Applications
After the test, categorize colleges as per your performance into:
- Dream Colleges: Make a list of those colleges which fall within your scores.
Realistic Colleges: Those colleges where your score meets the cutoffs or marginally exceeds them. - Safe Colleges: Those colleges where the cutoffs are relatively low, ensuring admission.
Also, start preparing in advance for the subsequent rounds of admission which generally includes:
- Group discussions (GD)
- Written ability tests (WAT)
- Personal interviews (PI)
10. Use Performance Analysis Tools
There are numerous coaching platforms and other online tools that provide deep analysis of the performance of CAT 2024.
However performance analysis helps you to:
- Predict your percentile based on raw score.
- Identify strong and weak areas.
- Compare your performance with others taking the exam.
Although there are multiple performance analysis tools available online, prefer opting for https://aiexpertsedge.com/analyzer as this performance analysis tool analyses your score pretty well and gives you accurate results.
FAQs
- How is the percentile of CAT calculated?
Ans: CAT percentile refers to the overall rank it keeps compared to other test-takers. For instance, you belong to the 98th percentile if you beat around 98% of the candidates. Percentiles are computed using scaled scores. - What is a good CAT score besides the above top IIMs?
Ans: A score typically higher than that in the 99th percentile is generally expected of top IIMs. But it’s sectional scores that matter too. - Is it possible to apply to the colleges even when sectional cutoffs are not secured?
Ans: Several institutions may take only the overall percentile without any sort of sectional cutoffs but almost all IIMs and top B-schools would need both. - Should I take the chance to retake CAT?
Ans: Yes you can take the chance to retake the CAT exam again if you really believe that you can improve a lot and this score isn’t good enough for any of your target colleges. - Are CAT scores enough for MBA admissions?
Ans: No, there are other criteria as well which includes the past academic records, work background, extra activities, and of course, GD-PI performance counts too.
Conclusion
As you analyze your CAT 2024 results, you are taking the first stride toward successful career building through an MBA. Your raw, scaled, and sectional scores will thus give you invaluable and deep insights into how well you are faring and therefore help you in making right decisions regarding your future.
Whether it is application planning or preparation for the next rounds, or even deciding whether or not to retake the examination, good analysis will always ensure that nothing is left groundless in your endeavors towards success.
