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The two most important and quantifiable factors that can help you manage time and stress effectively in those two hours are: -

1. Accuracy

2. Speed

The two parameters mentioned above are paramount, and acumen in these parameters decides one's success in CAT. The general notion is that speed is more important than accuracy but both speed and accuracy are equally important and an aspirant should not build upon his speed blindly without fortifying his accuracy. It takes time to build upon accuracy and once an aspirant knows his basic fundamentals well, he can start on building his speed. Fundamentals also include basic concepts of personality enhancement. Personality enhancement is equally important and should be given same priority as your written test but most of the aspirants put it in abeyance and start improving upon their personality once they start receiving the call letters from the B-school. But by then the crucial time has already been lost and the writing is on the wall. Failure in second phase of MBA entrance test, which includes Group Discussions and Personal Interviews, puts all your hard work in vain. Even if an aspirant has got good communication skills but 2 months are still not sufficient. The reason is that there are many parameters on which B-schools assess the candidates and a slapdash preparation compressed over 8 weeks cannot do justice to this vital assessment criterion.

Students starting early have a big psychological advantage over others. When you know most of your competitors have started their preparation in the last few months, the advantage becomes all the more prominent. Students who start at the right time put themselves under mock CAT conditions so many times that real CAT is another mock for them and a mockery for the others.

Concluded.

* Contributed by -
Brijesh Singh is an alumnus of Mumbai's Jamnalal Bajaj institute of Management Studies (Class of 2002). He has written regularly on MBA preparation. He is now Project Head, Top Careers and You (www.tcyonline.com), the leaders in MBA, MCA, GRE & GMAT preparation in Punjab.