What is a good CAT score? Top universities to enroll

What is a good CAT score? Top universities to enroll

Do you intend to take the CAT exam 2022, which is scheduled for November 27?

To be admitted to a top business school, you must have a general idea of a good CAT score and how to achieve it. CAT scores between 201 and 180 are considered good. The raw scores are then converted into percentile to obtain the final results. A good CAT score, however, differs for each institute.

The acceptance scores for each institution are rising due to the tough competition, thus resulting in candidates scoring 99.9% of the time or higher. The CAT exam is one of the most competitive MBA entrance exams. Each university that accepts CAT scores releases its respective cutoff list for the year 2022. Candidates need a good CAT score to pass the cutoff and a high sectional percentile to be accepted into one of the top B-schools.

This article will cover what constitutes a good CAT score, the top universities to enroll in, and hints and tactics for gaining good CAT scores.

Table of Contents

What is the CAT score?

How to Calculate CAT score?

What is a good CAT score?

Good CAT score for all tiers of B-schools

Tips to Achieve a Good Score in CAT

Top Universities to Enroll with Good CAT Scores

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the CAT score?

A candidate’s performance on the entrance exam determines the CAT score. Several factors determine the CAT score. The exam carries 198 total points, and candidates must pass all three portions. Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), Quantitative Aptitude (QA), and Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) each have 20 questions.

Additionally, candidates receive three marks for each accurate response, while a wrong answer loses one mark. Since there is no marking for the unknown questions, it is appropriate to leave them unanswered.

This formula will help you calculate the CAT score:

CAT Score = (Number of Correct Answers) * 3 - (Number of Incorrect Answers).

How to Calculate CAT score?

The percentile gets converted into CAT results to summarize the final merit list. The relative score also takes into account the CAT percentile. The conducting authority instituted this procedure to promote equality. Because the IIMs administer the exam in many slots, and each slot’s difficulty level varies.

The CAT percentile is calculated by comparing other candidates’ marks. The following list includes the percentile calculation formula.

P = (R/N) * 100,

where P is the percentile score,

R is the candidate’s rank as determined by the scaled CAT score or the total number of candidates who score below you,

and N is the number of candidates who attempted the CAT exam (all three sessions).

Suppose 1,000 people attempt the CAT exam, and you receive the top rank; 999 candidates score lower than you. Your CAT percentile will be (999/1000 * 100) = 99.9.

What is a good CAT score?

Since each B-school has a distinct cutoff for selecting candidates for shortlisting rounds, the definition of a good CAT score will vary from institute to institute.

For example, IIMs require a minimum 95 percentile to get accepted. However, other B-schools such as IIFT, IITs, FMS Delhi, and SPJIMR admit CAT scores below the 95 percentile. Comparatively speaking to IIMs, third-tier B-schools may select applicants with slightly lower than average CAT scores.

The table below lists the range of overall and sectional scores.

Overall CAT score

Min. score in QA

Min. score in DILR

Min. score in VARC

Overall percentile

201

85

57

81

99.9

180

84

54

79

99

140

58

41

50

95

110-120

51

32

47

90

94-107

44

27

35

85

91

36

21

33

80

Good CAT score for all tiers of B-schools

A good CAT score will differ for each institute, as previously discussed. However, you might benefit from obtaining a genuine CAT score. Although several management institutions and elite B-schools accept a decent CAT score, the cutoffs for IIMs are high. Now let’s look at the range of grades for the three tiers of colleges.

Tier

Min. CAT score

Min. Sectional score

Top Tier

200

80-85

Middle Tier

120

40-50

Low Tier

100

30-40

B-schools accepting low CAT scores are an excellent choice for candidates who do not qualify for any of the categories above. Or they can take part in other national admission tests, such as the well-known CMAT, XAT, SNAP, and others approved by many top B-schools.

Tips to Achieve a Good Score in CAT

Aim high, and you’ll succeed high. After stating that, we’ll provide tips on improving your CAT score. These are the essential requirements for exam success.

Keeping an Eye on the Sectional-Marks Division

Three main areas- QA, DILR, and VARC are the foundation for the CAT questions. Learning the precise making and question division for each segment is vital. This table will better help you to know:

Section

Total no. of questions

Time Duration for all categories

Time Duration for PwD category

Quantitative Ability (QA)

26 questions

40 minutes

53 minutes 20 seconds

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)

24 questions

40 minutes

53 minutes 20 seconds

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

26 questions

40 minutes

53 minutes 20 seconds

Total

76 questions

120 minutes

159 minutes 60 seconds

Self-Assessment

You must be aware of your skills and shortcomings while you study for the CAT exam. You will be better prepared and grasp things more clearly. Furthermore, you may focus most of your effort on addressing the shortcomings once you have covered all your areas of strength. It is one of the best strategies for acing the test.

Use the Previous Questions as Practice

To step up your game, use the CAT previous year’s question papers. The weighting of the themes and the division of the sectional marks can be verified using the previous question papers. Additionally, you can improve your time management skills by using them as models. You can use your methods to improvise and develop.

Enroll in Sample Tests

For ambitious CAT aspirants, numerous online platforms and websites offer to practice exams. You can register for the test at any of the centers. Examine your development and focus on the areas where you can improve. If your first effort didn’t result in a score of 90%, don’t be discouraged. Maintain your practice and keep enrolling for the CAT mock tests.

Use Online Platforms

to Engage in worthwhile CAT material in the internet age. You can use online platforms like Physics Wallah. Keep your social media away and focus on creating a solid foundation for the future. When the right solution video appears, attempt to understand the issues and get your questions solved by searching for the subjects you are uncertain about.

Top Universities to Enroll with Good CAT Scores

More than 600 business schools accept the CAT cutoffs and scores. After completing the CAT exam, the registration procedure will be underway at many CAT 2022 participating institutes. The relevant administrators of B-schools decide who gets admitted to the MBA program based on the candidate’s percentile on the CAT 2022.

See the table below for a list of the top business schools that accept CAT scores, cutoffs, and percentiles:

Name of the Institute

CAT Cutoff in Percentile

Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad

98.75

Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore

90

Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta

90

Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode

90

Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi

98

Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow

90

Shailesh J Mehta School of Management, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay

99

Indian Institute of Management, Indore

90

National Institute of Industrial Engineering, Mumbai

97

Vinod Gupta School of Management, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur

90

Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras

96

Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee

94

Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi, Delhi

98.54

Rajiv Gandhi Indian Institute of Management, Shillong

86.57

Management Development Institute, Gurgaon

94

SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai

85

Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur

94

Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

90

Indian Institute of Management, Raipur

96

KJ Somaiya Institute of Management

85

TA Pai Management Institute, Manipal

85

Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai

95

Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar

91

Indian Institute of Management, Trichy

96

International Management Institute, Delhi

90

FORE School of Management, Delhi

85

Institute of Management and Technology, Ghaziabad

96

Institute of Management Studies, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi

85

Institute of Rural Management, Anand

96

Shri Dharamsthala Manjunatheshwara Institute of Management and Development, Mysore

75

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q) Is the CAT exam challenging?

Ans: This exam has a high degree of competitiveness, which raises the difficulty of the test. The three most important aspects you need to know are the eligibility requirements, question format, and curriculum. But if you are well-prepared, passing the CAT Exam is not difficult.

Q) Do IIMs and prestigious MBA schools publish their admission cutoffs online?

Ans: No, the IIMs and top MBA schools in India don’t post their admission requirements on their official websites or any other open forum. The CAT cutoffs are predicted using data made available for admission over the years.

Q) What are the admission and selection standards for IIM?

Ans: Several factors determine admission to IIM. The CAT score, the Written Ability Test (WAT), the Group Discussion (GD), the Personal Interview (PI), the academic record, the work experience, the extracurricular activities, and diversity are all taken into consideration (gender and educational).