The Common Admission Test, or CAT, is known to be one of the most difficult tests one needs to pass or crack to get admission to India’s most prominent and prestigious business schools. The starting point for that admission is proper preparation, as it is essential to crack the exam in the first place, and it also increases the chances of success while applying for these prestigious business schools. This year, 2,95,000 candidates registered and almost 2,60,000 have appeared for the exam. The competition is going to be tough and that’s where CAT online coaching comes into play.
Due to the extremely high cut-off rates and the high competition level, only a few number of candidates are actually selected to be students at and attend their preferred institute or college. These tests are very challenging for every candidate however, the candidates who have an academic background in mathematics or who are familiar with the subject may have more ease than the others.
CAT Online Coaching Options Comparison
As we have seen before how tough the CAT examination is, it is even more crucial to prepare for the exam effectively and efficiently. It happens when students are overwhelmed or they lack structured thinking. Here, the CAT online or offline coaching comes into play to guide those students in the entirety of their preparation journey. There are various CAT coaching institutes available in India for the students. They can select what suits them the best.
Let's look at the parameters that one can consider while choosing a CAT online or offline coaching
● Faculty members and teaching: The quality of faculty members present at the coaching institute is a very big parameter that can make the difference. The CAT faculty members are not the usual tuition faculty. These are the people who have attempted CAT in the past and have a strong test prep experience because of that. Usually it is advised to check for: their teaching experience (5+ years), alumni background (members from IIM or MBA is preferred but are not compulsory), how do they explain the concepts, the demo classes, etc.
● Result background of the institute: While selecting the coaching institute, one must check for the result obtained by the students of that institute. Check for how many students made it to the top IIMs in the last two - three years. Do not look at the flashy banner, instead get in touch with the toppers or the students from that coaching institute to get authentic knowledge. However, a good coaching institute would not mind showing information such as: detailed result sheets, verified scores, and the real students testimonials.
● Mock tests: The coaching institutes almost always pays attention to the mock tests no matter, its an online or offline coaching. Mock tests are a lot more important than the classroom learning itself. While selecting the CAT online coaching look for: number of mock, post mock analysis system, their similarity with real CAT simulation and difficulty level. Note that, some coaching charges separately for mocks while the others may include that in their package itself.
● Doubt solving: Generally, all the CAT coaching institutes have doubt solving class or online doubt solving support for their students. While selecting the CAT online coaching look at : is doubt solving live or chat based? Is there a personal mentor or teacher to access? How fast do the doubts get resolved?. A good coaching institute has daily doubt solving sessions.
● Flexibility and schedule: This parameter is an important factor for working professionals who want to prepare for CAT while working their jobs as working professionals need schedule flexibility. For online CAT coaching look for : recorded lectures, revision class access, freedom to rewatch lectures. For offline CAT coaching look for : manageable class timing, catch up class options, no rigid schedule that increases stress (like coaching during office hours), etc.
Given below is the comparison between three coaching institutes:
Parameters | Cracku | Career Launcher (CL) | T.I.M.E |
Faculty members and teaching | It has a strong focus on video lectures made by IIT-IIM alumni. They take regular live classes and are quick at doubt solving. | It is a well known brand and is established as well. It has physical centres and hence the faculty may vary depending on the location. | It is also a long standing brand and has a strong legacy to uphold as well. They emphasise on concept building, workshops. |
Result background | Cracku always publishes its success stories. For example, in CAT 2024 more than 520 students scored 99 percentile with mock tests and structured learning. | They advertise their large number of IIM calls. For example, CL Kolkata once claimed to get 11000+ IIM calls over three years. | TIME has also showcased their students testimonials with high percentile selections. |
Mock tests | It has a very good mock test series. They are close to an actual test with detailed analysis and video solutions by CAT 100 Percentiler. | Their mocks test series are good as well. They have a mock analysis which is AI driven. They also have video solutions of the mocks. | They have strong all india mock series with strong reviews. |
Doubt solving | It is good for online. As they have live sessions, playlists and daily practice. | It offers self paced and hybrid classes both. | They claim to have personal doubt sessions, mentoring and even PI and WAT prep. |
Flexibility and schedule | It is very flexible as they are online and can be accessed any time. | It is moderate in this. As it offers both online and offline and self paced programs. | They have the traditional offline structure so it can be less flexible than that of online classes. |
Is CAT Online Coaching Necessary for Engineers?
Joining a CAT online coaching is a personal choice. It is not compulsory for engineers to join online coaching although it could be helpful if they did as it is good for structured preparations. Engineers generally have an advantage in Quants sections. But CAT is much more than just Quants. It has other sections as well which are not formula based at all. Many engineers may score low even with being good at quants but due to underestimating RC sections and mock analysis. Hence, if a candidate wants a disciplined or structured way of learning all the sections, they should consider online coaching. It is not mandatory but it provides directions and consistency in preparation.
How to Balance CAT Coaching with a Full-time Job?
Balancing between a full time job and CAT preparation can be a big challenge but it is not impossible. There are many working professionals who have scored 98 to 99 percentile while balancing between their jobs as well as their study.
Given below are some practical points that one can use to manage the both:
● Pick up a coaching institute that offers flexibility while learning. In order to do that, go to an online coaching institute and look through their programs.
● Focus on what you do on weekends. Typically one must utilize the weekends most efficiently by - taking full length mock tests, deep LRDI set solving, VARC reading practice, or revisions. It could be anything.
● Break your weekday study sessions into microslots to prevent feeling overwhelmed and to focus on one thing at a time. This will give structure.
● Set weekly goals and build a timetable actually to achieve those goals. This will give a feel of accomplishment to you.
CAT Online Coaching - FAQs
1. Is online coaching enough to crack CAT?
Yes, there are many people who have crack and even scored high percentile through online coaching and self study. All it requires is consistency and discipline.
2. How much does CAT online coaching cost?
The cost of CAT online coaching can vary a lot depending on the platform you choose. However, generally for a full course it could be around 10000 to 45000. Test series may have their own cost as well.
3. Which is the best online coaching platform for CAT?
You cannot define the best. What may work for one, may not work for another. To identify the best suitable for you check the parameters given above. Also, look for their fee structure and demo classes.
4. Is online coaching better than offline for CAT?
Not necessarily, offline classes may be given a peer group but it could be difficult for working professionals to join. Also, online classes are more flexible and low cost with recorded lectures. Some students can’t learn through screens as well. So, it depends on how you prefer.
(The views, opinions, and claims in this article are solely those of the author’s and do not represent the editorial stance of The Assam Tribune)