SimCAT 4 Experts’ Take

SimCAT 4: The Experts’ Take

TEST OVERVIEW

Section Cut‐off
Verbal Ability-Reading Comprehension 50
Data Interpretation-Logical Reasoning 24
Quantitative Ability 29
Overall 128

SimCAT-4 was marked by an eaiser VA-RC section and DI-LR and QA sections at similar levels of
difficulty as in SimCAT-3. Accordingly, the cut-off for VA section has seen a jump in SimCAT-3,
while the cut-offs of the other two sections are more or less the same as in SimCAT-3.
One heartening fact of this SimCAT was that the cut-offs as well as the marks required to score
different percentiles were similar to the ones observed in actual CAT-2015 and CAT-2016. The
following table shows the marks required for scoring different percentiles.

Percentile Score VA-RC Score DI-LR Score QA Overall Score

99% 71 43 52 143
95% 61 33 40 120
90% 55 28 33 107
80% 47 22 25 87
70% 41 17 20 74

Overall analysis
As we pointed out in the previous experts’ take, our aim while designing the SimCATs is to make
you familiar with different possibilities that you may come across in the actual CAT. As a part of
that effort, we made VA-RC section slightly easier in this test. And, we kept the DI-LR sets more or
less at the same difficulty level as they were in SimCAT-3.
As we have mentioned in our earlier experts’ takes, the key to getting a high percentile in CAT is
to identify and solve the easy questions before proceeding with more difficult questions in the
sets. As a part of preparing you for that, we deliberatly planted some difficult questions at
different places in the QA section. For example, Q. 5 and 12 were difficult, which were rightly
avoided by majority of the students.

Verbal Ability- Reading Comprehension

SimCAT 4 Experts’ Take

1. After the somewhat disappointing scores in SimCAT 3, SimCAT 4 gave all of you a great
opportunity not only to score well, but also to maximize your score in the verbal
Section. So we find a higher cut off (50% of the marks), and very high scores of the
toppers.
2. Several factors made SimCAT 4 Verbal easy and scoring.
3. The first of these factors was the number of Reading Comprehension questions. SimCAT
4 had only 16 questions in Reading Comprehension in 4 passages. Also, there were no
abstract passages. This allowed a serious candidate to attempt all the passages in this
test, unlike in the 5-passage-and-24-question tests. Added to this was the comfort of 4
easy passages. Though there were a few difficult questions, the abundance of easy
questions boosted the confidence of test takers and they attempted the difficult
questions also correctly. In fact, questions 1, 7, 9, 13, and 14 were not as easy as the
others. This is an important lesson for you. If your confidence is high, even the difficult
questions become easy.
4. The second factor was the pattern of TITA questions. Grammar in which one generally
invites negative marks was in TITA. Paragraph Jumbles and Incorrect word-usage and
Odd sentence questions were also in TITA. Students generally loose marks in Grammar,
incorrect word usage, and Odd sentence questions. This time they could attempt the
questions without worrying about the negative scores. This improved the number of
attempts as well as minimized the negative marks, and helped to boost the scores
overall.
5. The third factor was the easy questions in Odd sentence, Confusing words, and
Sentence Completion.
6. With so many easy questions and a student-friendly format, it is no surprise that you
pushed the cut-off up to 50 % of the total marks. This is almost unprecedented!
However, the most heartening aspect of this test is that most you took the test well and
employed an effective strategy.
7. To enhance your learning experience from this test, let us see how you could have
maximized your score in Verbal in SimCAT4.
8. Attempt all the short questions first. 3 incorrect-word usage questions, 3 Sentence
Completion questions, 2 Confusing word questions. This would give you 8 attempts in the
first 10 minutes or so in the test. Out of the 6 longer questions, (3 Odd sentence and 3 last
sentence questions) you could attempt the easy ones in the next 5 or 10 minutes, taking the
attempts to 13 in the first 15 to 20 minutes.
9. Spend 20 to 30 minutes on RC. All passages to be scanned and maximum questions to be
attempted so that you did not miss out any easy question. You could attempt at least 12 of
the 16 questions in this time.
10. Move on to the remaining Odd sentence and the Paragraph jumbles towards the end of the
exam. You could attempt 3 to 4 questions in this phase. A serious candidate, thus, could
attempt around 28 to 30 questions in this test. With just 70 percent accuracy to you
attempts, and with the negative marks factored in some of the questions, you are scoring
anywhere in the 70 to 80 range, to reach to the 99 percentile mark.
11. To conclude, SimCAT 4 Verbal Section was easy. If you haven’t met the cut-off, or if you
have failed to maximize your score in this section, you have some serious introspection to
SimCAT 4 Experts’ Take

do! That introspection should be less about the resolve to study or practice better, but
more about your strategy in the tests, and about the complete application of the mind in
the test.

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning

The level of difficulty of DI-LR section in SimCAT-4 was more or less similar to that of SimCAT-3.
However, we are rather disappointed to note that students have not performed as well as
expected in some DI sets.
For example, first DI set (on four families buying different products) involved rather simple
calculations. In couple of questions, students were required to figure out the different
possibilities to arrive at the overall expenditure. However that was also not as challenging a task
as solving a really complicated DI-LR set. We are even more disappointed to see the performance
of students in the 2nd DI set (ranks of 12 students). This set was attempted by about 15% of all
students and about 21% of top 10 percentilers. At this point, we suggest students to have a fresh
look at these sets. You will realize that it was not as complicated and shouldn’t have been missed.
In LR, first (Q.17 to 20) and the last sets (Q.29 to 32) were somewhat complicated. However the
students who could figure out the logic fast were able to get the questions right. Many times, the
questions that appear complicated may not necessarily be complicated. We suggest that you go
through all the sets for a second time, with fresh mind, and refer to the explanatory answers. It
would be great learmning for you. You will realize that the set was not as complicated as it
appeared!

Quantitative Ability
The difficulty level of the QA section in SimCAT-4 was of similar to the previous SimCATs. In the
Experts’ Take on the previous SimCAT, we had highlighted that students need to treat individual
sections as different tests and should not let the performance in one section affect the
performance in the following section. Unfortunately in SimCAT-4, like in SimCAT-3, the
performance of students in QA section seems to have been affected due to somewhat difficult DI-
LR section.

In our opinion, the performance of students as seen in the QA section of SimCAT-4 is not the true
reflection of the ability of most students. Believe us, majority of students are capable of
performing much better. We suggest you to solve all the questions in the QA section again. We
are sure that you will realize that the section was not very difficult, and that you could have
scored better.
If there is one message we wish to drive home, it is that you should ‘dehyphenate’ (or disconnect)
the different sections in CAT. You need to internalize this, and make it the natural way you take
the test. You should carry the psychological burden of one section to another and for that matter,
of one question to another!
SimCAT 4 Experts’ Take

Selection of questions
In order to clear the cut-off for section 1 comfortably, about 24 questions could have been
solved with 80% accuracy. To do the same for section 2, about 13 questions could have been
solved with 80% accuracy. To do the same for section 3, about 13 questions could have been
solved with 80% accuracy.In order to clear the overall cut-off, you would have to solve about 12
more questions with 80% accuracy. Given below are the questions you should have solved.
Sec. Must‐Solve Questions* Potential Score Improvers** Total Qs
VA-RC 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,11,20,23,24,30,31,32, 1,10,13,14,16,17,19,21,22,29,34 27
33
DI-LR 1,9,10,11,12,21,26,27,28,29 13,14,15,16,22,23,24,25 18
QA 2,4,6,8,10,14,15,17,20,23,25,28,29,3 16, 18, 26 17
1
* Questions that have been attempted by a majority of the top 10 %ile students, with an
accuracy of at least 80%.
**Questions that have been attempted by a majority of the top 10 %ile students, with an
accuracy of 50-80%.

LEARNINGS

Every SimCAT offers you some learnings. These learnings can help you focus your preparation in
a better way so that you will be best prepared on the D-day and clear the cut-offs of top b-
schools.

Learning 1: Be prepared to see surprises

Before we elaborate on our intentions while designing SimCAT-4, it would be interesting to see
how CAT has unfolded over the years.

Year QA Section DI-LR section VA-RC Section

2011 Medium Moderate Moderate to Difficult

2012 Difficult Difficult Moderate to Difficult

2013 Medium to Moderate to Difficult (DI sets were Difficult

Difficult more calculation intensive)

2014 Easy Difficult (DI sets had mix of Difficult

calculation intensive and logical DI)

2015 Easy Difficult (DI sets were more logical) Moderate to Difficult
SimCAT 4 Experts’ Take

2016 Easy to Medium to Difficult Difficult

Medium

2017 ??? ??? ???

Of course it is important to note that up-to 2014, DI-LR was not a separate section but DI was
combined with QA section while LR was combined with VA-RC section.
As you can see, there has been a variety in terms of level of difficulty of different sections in CAT
over the years.
It is also important to note that so far, CAT has varied the level of difficulty after every 2-3 years.
CAT-2015 and CAT-2016 were at similar level of difficulty. Going by the pattern of CAT over the
years, CAT-2017 may not conform to the same level of difficulty.
So the important learning is that you should be prepared for in SimCATs. It is always better to
experience the surprises in SimCATs so that even if actual CAT throws up a surprise, you will be
better prepared to handle it.

Learning 2: Know the nature of percentiles in SimCATs: high percentile is actually closer to you
than it appears
Following graph shows the relation between percentiles (on y-axis) and total marks (on x-axis).

100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%
-40 -20 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200
SimCAT 4 Experts’ Take

It turns out to be an S-shaped curve as we can see above. We, at IMS have observed this nature
of the relation between percentiles and marks in the SimCATs over several years.
We can see that an overall score of 74 would fetch around 70 percentile in SimCAT-4. However if
you get additional 5 questions correct, your percentile will cross 80!! If you get 5 or more
questions incorrect due to a silly mistake or a minor oversight, realize that fixing these errors will
help you take a significant jump in your percentile.
You have seen this on the rear-view mirrors of cars—objects in the mirror are closer than they
appear. Similarly a higher percentile is actually closer to you than it appears, provided you find
out the mistakes you committed in this SimCAT and understand why. Analyze each and every
question in this SimCAT (or every single question that you solve in any test). If you have made a
mistake, find out whether the mistake was a silly error, or whether it was because you did not
know the concepts. If the mistake was because you did not know the concepts, it is the time to go
back to the BRMs and brush up your concepts. If it was a silly mistake, make sure that you do not
repeat the same mistake. These are still early days in the SimCAT season. It is perfectly normal to
make mistakes now. Make mistakes now but learn from every mistake and never repeat the
same mistake. You will, then, automatically avoid those mistakes on the D-day.

SimCAT-4 is over. What next?

We hope that you are on track to completing all the BRMs and class sheets. If you are falling
behind the curve, we suggest that you buck up and complete this task no later than July 31, 2017.
If you have not read the expert take on the previous SimCATs, make sure that you refer to it now.
All the Best for SimCAT-5!