How to score 99+ percentile in CAT 2022

IIM (Indian Institute of Management) conducts the Common Admission Test (CAT). Students seeking admission to IIM must take this test. The exam is held each year in the last week of November. CAT 2022 will take place on November 27, 2022. To crack the CAT exam, you need to develop an organized strategy and have a lot of determination. In order to achieve a ninety-nine percentile score in CAT 2022, what kind of strategy is recommended by CAT topper? We will share the strategy and tips to ace 99+ percentile in CAT 2022 in this article to stick around and keep reading till the end.

How special is 99+ percentile in CAT?

Every year, almost 2 lakh candidates take the CAT, and less than 2000 achieve a 99+ percentile. You need to prepare differently in order to stand out and be among the 2000 candidates who score 99+ percentiles. The following strategies have been observed over the years to produce 99+ percentile scores for those who follow them:

Decide what you want to accomplish

Your goal should be to score 99 percentile from day one. Do not settle for less than 99 percentile even if it is 0.1 percentile. It’s all about having confidence in yourself and being optimistic that you can achieve it. Choose the IIM that you want to attend and try to make the percentile needed to get into that IIM.

Strive to go beyond your comfort zone

Begin working hard right away. Put your heart and soul into your studies. Take sectional and topic tests as you start early for CAT 2022 daily. Make sure you solve every mock like it’s the actual CAT exam. Check your answers after each mock and practice not to repeat them. Work hard and push yourself beyond your limits. Take the difficult topics seriously as you have enough time to master them as well. Don’t stop practicing even the topics you already know well. Make sure to solve each question carefully and focus fully.

Create a strategy to achieve your goal

First, familiarize yourself with the exam pattern. Understand how many questions you must answer correctly in each section to score 99 percentile. Apply these strategies when you take mock exams. The strategy that works best will be apparent to you. Choose the strategy that has worked for you in the past. You should indicate how much time you will be able to spend on one question and how much time you will spend on the section.

Evaluate your performance each time

Always evaluate your performance after you practice. Write down any mistakes you make. Keeping track of your progress will allow you to know which sections you are good at and which sections you still need to improve. Therefore, plan out which questions you would prefer to attempt. As a result, you won’t lose any marks. Be aware of your weaknesses and don’t overestimate your strengths. Focus on improving your weaknesses. 

You should attempt as many problems as possible but with accuracy. Remain consistent. One should keep in mind that practice makes perfect, so making time for mock tests is crucial.  Even if you’re already proficient in some topics, practice those too. Solving the questions should be done with attention and concentration.   

Avoid being swayed by pressure

How 99 percentile scorers deal with pressure sets them apart from the less percentile scorers. You must remain calm during the test regardless of the circumstances. Maintain your composure. The candidate may not be able to answer a question on the first try. In such a case, skip the question and complete the rest of the paper. This will save you time. It is unlikely that you will be able to complete your paper ahead if you panic and stick to solving that question. Maintain a positive attitude and have confidence in your abilities.  

Managing your time

Solving problems quickly is essential. Make sure you don’t waste too much time on one question. It is better to leave the question for later and solve it later if you have time. You cannot make stupid mistakes when solving with speed. The low percentile is caused by stupid mistakes. Each question requires care and attention. Take the time to understand it.

How many attempts are required to score 99+ %ile?

In contrast to other MBA entrance exams, the CAT has a difficult exam pattern and scoring process. A second question that frequently arises is: How many questions should I attempt in the CAT in order to score a 99+ percentile? Knowing this answer will help you prepare for the CAT. Let’s discuss which factors impact the score on CAT 2022. 

CAT Marking Scheme 

Learn how CAT markings work. This can go back to a 100 question pattern in 2022, so it is advised to practice on the 33 question pattern while preparing for CAT 2022.

• For every correct answer, three points are awarded and one mark is deducted. However, unanswered questions are not penalized.
• The CAT question paper has 76 or 100 questions, but you do not need to attempt all of them to get 99 percentile.
• CAT papers never follow the same pattern. A perfect score of 100 percentile or 99 percentile cannot be predicted. Your goal is to solve a question accurately and in the shortest amount of time.

In order to score a 99+ percentile, how many questions should you attempt in CAT?

According to experts, you should attempt at least 75% of questions accurately to aim for 99+ percentile. In addition to the overall percentile, the sectional percentile is an important factor in IIM admissions. In the table below, you can see how many good attempts they made compared with the total number of questions in the CAT:

CAT Sections	Total questions	Good Attempts
VARC	26	18-20
DILR	24	17-18
Quantitative Aptitude	26	16-20
Total	76	41-58

CAT Score and Percentile Equivalence

Here is an indicative or general trend of score vs percentile in CAT exams. 

CAT Percentile	VARC Score	DILR Score	QA Score	Overall Score
80%ile	25	17	19	57
90%ile	30	23	27	69
95%ile	35	27	33	83
98%ile	39	33	40	101
99%ile	42	36	44	106
99.5%ile	47	41	48	122

Estimated values

Closing comments

There shouldn’t be an overemphasis on CAT among students. CAT is not the end of the world, and you need to prepare for it intensely, but you shouldn’t let it stress you out. Stay calm, and be yourself. Ideally, it should not take you more than 6 months to cover all topics, you can utilize the extra time honing your problem-solving skills. Remember –

1. Make sure accuracy doesn’t come at the expense of quantity. Regardless of how many times you attempt, maintain an accuracy of 85-100% to see a significant improvement in your score.
2. To pass the DI-LR section, select the sets that you feel you will solve within the first seven to eight minutes of the section. By doing so, you will maximize your score! You can easily reach a 99+ percentile score in this section even by completing 3-4 sets or 16 questions in total. A detailed guide to cracking the DI-LR section of the CAT.
3. If you’re having difficulty with the VA-RC section, make sure you read a variety of sources. In addition to improving comprehension, this will also improve your reading speed! 
4. How confident you are during the actual exam is directly proportional to how many mock tests you take. Review each mock test by comparing the amount of time you spend on each question with that of the top scorers. Using a timer, answer the questions that were not attempted and incorrectly answered.

In addition to academic knowledge, the CAT tests your time management skills and prioritization skills. Prepare yourself for your CAT 2022 exam by developing a tailored exam-taking strategy beforehand.