Let me cut to the chase: preparing for CAT while holding down a full-time job is hard. Not impossible, but definitely not easy either. If you’re someone clocking in 9+ hours a day and still trying to figure out what the hell a permutation or para-jumble is—trust me, you’re not alone.
I was in the same boat.
Two years ago, I was in an operations role at a startup. Long hours, late evenings, a hyperactive boss, and zero idea about how I’d prepare for CAT. But I still wanted to give it a serious shot. So here’s my story, my strategy, and all the little lessons I picked up on the way. Hopefully, it helps you too.
This is not a generic post. If you’re searching for a CAT preparation strategy for working professionals that’s actually been tried, failed, and finally worked—you’re in the right place.
First: Don’t Compare Yourself to Full-Time Students
Seriously, just don’t. They have time you don’t. They’re probably sitting at home solving 10 RCs a day while you’re answering emails and handling clients. If you keep comparing, you’ll feel like you’re constantly behind—and that just ruins your momentum.
Instead, I treated CAT prep like brushing my teeth. A non-negotiable part of my day. Some days it was 1 hour, some days 2. Rarely more. But I stuck to it.
How I Structured My Day
Mornings (7:00–8:00 AM)
Quick revision. Maybe a couple of Quant questions. Sometimes I’d solve an RC passage with coffee. Honestly, most days I’d just read the newspaper.
Evenings (9:00–11:00 PM)
This was my “serious” study time. No phones, no scrolling. I’d pick one topic—Quant, DILR, or Verbal—and focus. Just one topic a day. That’s it.
Weekends
This is where I did the heavy lifting. One full mock every Saturday morning. Sunday was for analyzing that mock (which, by the way, is more important than taking it).
If you’re crafting your own CAT preparation strategy as a working professional, having a fixed study rhythm (however small) goes a long way.
Section-Wise Stuff I Did (And What Worked)
📘 VARC
This section is underrated. Everyone focuses on Quant, but VARC can be your saviour if you’re consistent.
- Read every single day. Hindu editorial. Mint opinion pieces. Random philosophy blogs. I didn’t even care if I understood them fully—I just read.
- Practiced RCs 3-4 times a week. Didn’t worry about speed early on. First, I focused on accuracy.
- Made a habit of summarizing what I read in 2-3 lines. This helped with tone/inference questions a lot.
🔢 Quant
Oh boy. I sucked at this in the beginning. Couldn’t solve simple ratio problems.
- I started from scratch—like Class 8, 9 NCERT-level scratch.
- Arithmetic first. Then Algebra. Then Geometry. Left Probability and PnC for last because they stressed me out.
- Used YouTube for everything. Takshzila and Rodha were my go-to.
- Made a “cheat sheet” of formulas I kept next to my laptop.
📊 DILR
This one’s brutal but manageable with practice.
- Solved 2 sets every alternate day.
- Didn’t care about time initially—just wanted to get the logic.
- Once I got the hang of it, I started timing myself. Stopwatch + a notepad = game changer.
The Real Game-Changer: Mocks
I started taking mocks a bit late (around July), and I wish I had started earlier.
- Took 1 mock every Saturday without fail. Check Learncrew for Mocks & Preparation
- Didn’t skip mock analysis. I’d go question-by-question, figure out what I did wrong and why.
- Had a notebook where I wrote down “stupid mistakes”—so I didn’t repeat them.
Mock scores were horrible at first. 48 percentile. Then 62. Then 70. Then one day, I hit 88. That felt like a win. Not because of the number, but because I saw progress.
How I Stayed Sane
Look, burnout is real. If you try to “hustle” every day, you’ll crash. I’ve been there.
Here’s what helped me:
- Took one full day off per week. No CAT, no work. Just Netflix or hanging out.
- Didn’t talk about CAT all the time. My friends didn’t even know I was preparing.
- Had a small circle—just 2 other friends also working + preparing. We kept each other accountable.
That human element is a big part of any sustainable CAT preparation strategy for working professionals. You need support, not isolation.
Mistakes I Made
- Bought way too many books. You don’t need 6 different Quant books. Pick one and finish it.
- Kept postponing mocks. I thought I should “prepare fully” first. Wrong approach.
- Tried to study late nights after terrible workdays. Wasn’t productive. If you’re tired, just rest.
Final Thoughts (The Truth Nobody Tells You)
You can crack CAT while working—but you need to be okay with slow progress. Some days, you’ll score badly. Some days, work will ruin your plan. And that’s okay.
The point is to not stop. To not give up because someone else is ahead.
I didn’t top CAT. I didn’t get 99.9. But I got a call from IIM-L and joined a top 20 B-school. That’s more than I dreamed of when I started.
So here’s my final piece of advice:
Forget perfect. Aim for progress. And just keep showing up.
This might not be the typical “topper’s blog,” but if you were looking for a grounded, real-life CAT preparation strategy for working professionals, I hope this helps.
You’ve got this.
