Simple Things You Can Do to Ace the CAT

One of the biggest obstacles that prospective business school students have to overcome is the CAT examination, which is the entrance exam conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management to determine who can gain entry into highly exclusive management programs. The two-and-a-half hour test can unsurprisingly be daunting for some students, but with the employment of certain study techniques (and avoiding others!) you can be assured of CAT success.

Begin studying well ahead of time. Studying for the CAT is just like studying for another examination.  It needs to be done at a steady pace so that you can truly absorb and comprehend the materials. You can begin studying for the CAT months before you take it in order to prepare, though several weeks should be sufficient as well. Though the CAT mainly covers concepts that you are already familiar with, it is beneficial to relearn these concepts so that you truly master them.

In addition, studying well ahead of time helps your brain to store the information you are learning as “long-term memories,” whereas studying materials in a limited time span will only store that information as “short-term memories.” Long-term memories are more easily recalled and less liable to become confused or muddled, which is the type of memory you want to store your CAT testing information in. On the other hand, short-term memory is unreliable. It may only last for a few hours or days, and can disappear with the onslaught of stress. That is something no test-taker wants, because taking the CAT is stressful, so having your studying efforts disappear due to anxiety is never a good thing. For these reasons, strive to begin studying for the exam well ahead of time.

Although studying is important, be sure to still get plenty of sleep. It may be tempting to stay up late and study for the CAT instead of going to sleep, but this will actually prevent you from properly learning. Every day, your brain processes numerous tidbits of information from the moment you wake up until you go to sleep. Like a computer, your brain must “clear its cache” each night in order to allow more information to be absorbed the next day. It does so while you are sleeping, which is why getting a full seven to eight hours of sleep each night is imperative for academic success. While you sleep, your mind will sift through the information it acquired during the day and toss out irrelevant information and file away relevant information, just like emptying your computer’s recycle bin and defragging the hard drive. It also mulls over the problems you faced during the day, matching up correlating pieces of information. This is why sometimes you can suddenly find a solution to a problem that had perplexed you the day before. Without adequate sleep, your brain can become too bogged down with the day’s data and work slower. New information is also less likely to stick. Therefore, it is better to get plenty of rest than to attempt to trudge through sleepless nights of studying.

Finally, eat healthy and get your exercise. Having a healthy body means having a healthy mind. When you are feeling well, you are more likely to have successful study sessions than if you are feeling sick. In addition, eating healthy and partaking in regular physical activity will also lower your chances of falling ill around examination time, as well as lower your stress levels so that you can concentrate better.

These small things can all add up to make your CAT studying experience much more effective. And when it comes to doing well on the examination so that you may have a fighting chance to enter into a prestigious management program, every bit of effort counts.

About the author

This guest post is contributed by Lauren Bailey, who writes on the topics of online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: blauren99 @gmail.com.

How to write letters and email effectively?

The purpose of this article is to help professionals and future managers in email and letter writing process. Please mail us your feedback, suggestions, requests at info@fireup.co.in

If you want a book on writing effective emails (my favorite) – click here

How to give your written communication an extra punch?

Some pointers to help you write hard-hitting business or personal documents:

• Time spent on planning your communications will pay dividends. Make a rough draft of what you want to write or say, so that you can experiment with various versions. Remember that language is important because the words you choose convey your attitudes as well as information.
• Get to the point from the beginning. Cut the small talk and make a good impression by being crisp and business-like. Documents that do not do this waste the readers’ time and may end up in the waste bin or ‘Recycle Bin’.
• Use straightforward language rather than jargon. People prefer to be treated as human beings, not computers! Technical language has its place, but it is impersonal and should be used only when necessary.
• Use sentences that are short and to the point, not sentences that ramble on and cannot quite decide what they want to say or how to say it – like this one!
• Steer clear of the passive voice, since it is an indirect way of speaking and creates distance between you and your audience or reader. For example, if you say, “We will attend to your order promptly,” that promotes more confidence than if you say, “Your order will be attended to soonest.” This lacks the personal touch and may give the impression that you do not want to accept responsibility for your work.
• It is very important that you think about the audience you are writing or speaking to and make a real effort to communicate with them.
• A basic issue that business people sometimes ignore is spelling. Incorrect spelling makes a poor impression. If you are unsure about the spelling of any words you have used it is worth the trouble of running a spell check on your computer. However, computer dictionaries are often limited and therefore many technical terms may still need to be checked manually.
• Correct grammar is as important as spelling. Some word processors now have grammar checkers that operate in the same way as spell checkers.
• Finally, always read carefully through a talk or letter to check for typographical and other errors. Are the facts and dates accurate? Reading aloud is a good idea, because you can hear how the communication sounds: the ear provides a cross-check for what the eye may have missed.

For improving your written communication you can consider ordering the book titled – The Business Letter Handbook (How to Write Effective Letters & Memos For Every Business Situation)

Click on the above link to get discount on MRP and free home delivery. I generally use this website to order books.

Author: Vineet Patawari

SMS Channel – Free CAT Preparation

FireUp SMS Channel

This post is to introduce you all to a very useful and 100% free service provided by FireUp to all its users- the all new FireUp SMS Channel.

Now you can get various information, tips and tricks related to your CAT preparation directly on your mobile through SMS.

We will send you -

1)      English words with their meanings daily. How is it beneficial?

• 5 Words daily means : 5×30= 150 words per month and 150×12=1800 words an year. (approx.)
• You can revise them in your free time

2)     Quick calculation tricks which will surely make you a master at tackling data interpretation questions.

3)      Information about important events and dates related to CAT and other examinations.

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Fast Reading for Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension – Fast Reading

We keep on getting requests from FireUp patrons (both paid and unpaid users) to publish various tips which could help them in their preparation for CAT or other MBA entrance examinations.

Good News for You!!

There’s good news for all of you. Now onwards FireUp’s Free CAT Prep section will feature exclusive CAT prep tips. We hope all of you will make full use of FireUp’s new initiative. We can make it successful only with your participation. So write to us your suggestions, requests, and feedbacks. Email id is info@fireup.co.in

Here’s our first post under this initiative

Biggest hindrance to speed reading and its solution

Subvocalization limits your reading to the speed of normal speech to about 200-300 wpm only. It is the tendency to pronounce words as they are read. Activating parts of the brain related to pronouncing limits the reading speed to 250 wpm only. This common flaw is what limits performance of average readers.

Eliminating Subvocalization to Increase Reading Speed

So how can we get rid of the “inner voice” that reduces our reading speed? Here are a number of ways to speed-read by eliminating subvocalization:

Simply the Process

As discussed earlier in Speed Reading post, below-average readers are slowed down when they read word for word. From this, they either verbally or mentally hear themselves voice each word before finally comprehending the meaning of each word. However, there is a better way. The faster way eliminates the practice of hearing your own voice reading each word – you glance at the word and go directly to understanding its meaning.

Adjust the Speed

This actually reinforces initial efforts to shortcut the process as stated above. Step up eye movements across the page to prevent the inner voice from actually verbally or mentally saying the text you are reading. Pick-up the pace of the finger, hand, pen, or card movements as you go over the material. The objective here is to distract you and skip the subvocalization process in order to speed up the reading process.

Consider the reading material in entirety

When reading, people have the tendency to focus on the word or blocks of words only, paying no attention to the whole thought and idea expressed in the sentence, paragraph, and reading material as a whole. Shift the focus on the entire idea expressed in the book, article, or any reading material you are holding.

Constant practice with these techniques increases the number of words read at each eye stop and picks up your pace in reading.

Buy FireUp Reading Comprehension module for detailed description of various techniques like the one discussed above and for thousands of practice questions and tests.

CAT 2010

CAT 2010

A big hello to all CAT 2010 aspirants,

CAT 2009 Examinations are over and lots of students suffered from enormous problem while facing the CAT online exam from server failure and other technical glitches, shift of exam dates, etc.

But now, as CAT 2009 exam is over most of the students are getting to prepare for CAT 2010 Exam.  So FireUp is presenting started new batches for CAT 2010.

To hit bulls eye and to bell the cat in CAT 2010, start now. Early bird catches the worm they say and indeed it’s true. Start preparing now for cat 2010 and you will have plenty of time to familiarize yourself with possible intricacies of CAT 2010 and to improve yourself . We at FireUp will assist you with the unmatched quality of original content, IIM Alumni as faculty to support you all time. FireUp is also taking reasonable care of students who are regular follower by providing free e-books, Mock CAT Tests, daily CAT level questions, games, EMAIL and SMS Preparation. Hope you are benefited from this.

Great news for all you guys!!

At FireUp, we have decided to present our long term Online CAT Preparation program  at the cheapest prices for our flagship e-CAT Tests and e-CAT Prep Materials

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Mode of payment

We believe in keeping things simple yet efficient. That is evident from the way we have named our Online CAT Study Material and Online Mock CAT Test Series.

Same simplicity is there in the mode of payment for buying any product listed on www.fireup.co.in. Before buying anything you need to register/sign-up on www.fireup.co.in. On receipt of the payment the registered Usernames will be given access to the product bought. Each time you can access the product by using same user name and password.

Find below the various mode of payments accepted and some simple instruction related to them.

CREDIT CARD/DEBIT CARD/NET BANKING

You can pay by credit card, debit card, net banking by using the payment gateway on the Product Page.

Steps to pay by the above methods.

Step 1. – First register/sign up yourself on www.fireup.co.in .

Step 2. Sign in using your username and password.

Step 3. – After signing in, go to the product page. There you will find the SHOPPING CART. Add the items you want to purchase and click on “Add to shopping cart” button at the bottom of the product list.

Step 4. Fill your personal information and credit card/debit card/ net banking details.

After the completion of above steps, you will get the access to the required product automatically.

HDFC BANK ACCOUNT

You can directly deposit the amount to our HDFC Bank Account. Fund transfer is also accepted.

Account Holder Name: Preksha Consultancy Private Limited
Account No. 06932560000842

Inform us over phone (+91)44-3914-8134, 0-98450-25819, or email -info@fireup.co.in about the product you want to buy and the amount you have deposited in the bank. We will give you the access to the required product.

If you still have any query please feel free to  call us.

Interview Tips

Interview Tips:

Using your body language

You can tell a huge amount about what goes on inside a person’s head by how they use their body language. For example, playing with a ring or repeatedly touching your hair are often interpreted as signs of nervousness. A slouched posture or drumming fingers on a table can be construed as a lack of interest. Follow these tips to project the right kind of image:

• Stand and sit up straight: Lengthen your body and hold your spine erect. Maintain a straight posture during an interview. Don’t let tiredness or nerves allow your shoulders to hunch forwards.

• Stop any fidgeting: Don’t give away any hint of nerves by moving around in a restless fashion. Keep your hands clasped lightly in your lap or rest them gently on the table.

• Use your hands to emphasise key points: Hand gestures can make people seem more sincere or credible. So use your hands occasionally to underscore key points to make yourself visually more engaging – for example, by turning your palms up and spreading your fingers to indicate sincerity or counting points off on your fingers.

• Avoid crossing your arms: Some interviewers read crossing your arms as being a sign of defensiveness. So don’t do it. However, contrary to popular opinion, you can cross your legs – so long as you don’t cross your arms across your chest as well.

• Keep your legs still: Avoid crossing or uncrossing your legs or tapping your feet. Such fidgeting can be unnerving.

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CAT 2009 will not be a Computer Adaptive Test

FireUp prepares you for the exact test format of CAT as clarified by IIM Ahmadabad.

CAT 2009: Frequently Asked Questions (1 July 2009)

Q1: I hear that CAT will be held online. Is that correct?

A1: CAT is going to be a computer based test (CBT) and not internet based test (IBT). I.e. Candidate does not take the test on an internet site. Instead of reading the questions in a paper booklet and darkening the ovals on the answer-sheet, a candidate will read the questions on a computer terminal and choose an answer by clicking on the correct option.

Q2: I hear that CAT will be a computer adaptive test. Is that correct?

A2: No, CAT is not going to be a computer adaptive test.

Q3: Will the format of the test change?

A3: The format of the test will remain more or less the same except that a candidate reads question on a computer terminal and clicks on the correct answer.

Q4: Can I take the test from any computer?

A4: No. A candidate will take the test only at designated test venues in about 25 cities across India. Detailed information will be provided in the CAT 2009 advertisement.

Q5: But how do I do rough-work and calculations while arriving at the answers?

A5: At the test venue, each candidate will be seated at a desk with a computer terminal and he/she will be provided with a writing pad with numbered pages for calculations. After the test, candidate must leave the pad including all the pages in it at the desk. Rough-work cannot be done on any other paper/sheet as nothing will be allowed to be taken inside the test hall.

Q6: Can you give more details on taking test in a CBT format?

A6: We will be giving more details at a later stage.

Q7: But when is the CAT 2009 advertisement going to appear in newspapers?

A7: Advertisement for CAT 2009 will appear during the later part of August 2009.

Q8: How much is the test fee for CAT 2009 and how do I pay?

A8: Candidate Testing Fee is Rs. 1400 (Rs. 700 for SC/ST candidates). A prospective candidate buys a CAT 2009 Voucher from designated locations/bank branches after advertisement appears in newspapers. Sufficient time will be given for purchasing the voucher. More details will be available on our websites after the advertisement appears in newspapers.

Q9: How do I register for CAT 2009?

A9. The Voucher bought by the candidate gives instructions on how to register for CAT 2009. At this time, it would suffice to say that candidates are expected visit CAT website to register for CAT 2009. Sufficient amount of time will be given to register online. More details will be given in the advertisement and the voucher.

Q10: How do I get my admit card for the test?

A10: After you fill-in, review, and submit the registration information during online registration, you will receive an email containing your Admit Card.

Q11. Does that mean I need to have an E-mail account?

A11. Yes, you must have a valid E-mail account throughout the selection process.

Q12: What do I need to bring at the time of test?

A12: You must bring the printed copy of the admit card, one picture ID, and any other ID not necessarily with a picture. Do not bring any other material and personal belongings with you, for no personal belongings and materials will be allowed in test-hall. More details will be provided later.

Q13: Can you please tell me when will the CAT 2009 be conducted?

A13: CAT 2009 will be conducted during a ten-day window starting at the end of November 2009. Exact dates will be mentioned in the advertisement.

Q14: Can I take CAT more than once during the testing window?

A14: No, a candidate can register to take test only once during the CAT 2009 testing window. Admit cards and picture ids of the candidates will be checked, and candidate pictures and biometric information will also be captured at the test venue.

Q15: When are CAT 2009 result expected to be declared?

A15: CAT 2009 results are expected to be declared by the end of January 2010. Exact date of result declaration will be informed at a later stage.

Q16: When will we get more updates?

A16: Any important developments may be posted on IIM sites and CAT website about a month later.

Click here for the source

FireUp is the brain child of an IIM alumni

FireUp is the brain child of an IIM alumni Mr.Vineet Patawari, who has followed his heart to make a paradigm shift in the entire education system and brought www.fireup.co.in into existence. It started as an online portal and soon earned the honour of the “Most comprehensive CAT coaching portal” on the web. Keeping track with its incipient popularity, FireUp is moving towards wider horizons with activities in offline front as well considering the fact that unavailability of resources like Computer and internet connection may restrict some young aspirants from online preparation.

The online portal www.fireup.co.in tops the high value services list currently provided by team Fire Up . A user friendly site aimed at the ignition of inner spark of all the CAT aspirants. Uses of AJAX,PHP,WEB 2 colours and Applications makes it a highly technical one. Rich and meticulous content, Online Test series, Interactive Games, sectional tests on each module, and details of user performance analysis surely make the site unique.

Encouraged by the success of the startup venture, Mr. Patawari decided not to restrict the ambit of FireUp only within the CAT coaching. He decided to empower young students with faster calculation techniques and magical mathematical tricks that is in use since the age of “Veda”. Today FireUp organizes “Vedic MathsSeminars” under it’s own brand in premium schools and colleges of India.

FireUp’s “Soft Skill Builder” is one of the most interesting and awaited upcoming venture which is aimed at not only improving the Soft skills of the student , but also designed to make them accustomed to Real time Group Discussion, Extempore, Role Play and other soft skills builder techniques.

Definition of Financial Terms

Financial Terminology is very important for MBA aspirants.As future managers you are expected to know the meanings of terms related to finance, accounts, economics, etc. irrespective of the stream of education you belong to.

These definitions could really help you in your interviews.

Tags: CAT interview, Definition of Financial terms, Finance, financial terms, IIM, MBA