Starting your CAT early preparation is surely the best thing to get a high percentile. CAT being one of the toughest MBA entrance exams in India and with increased test takers every year, it is getting even more challenging. Hence, to perform well in CAT, you should have a focused, well-rounded and consistent plan to actually ace the exam. The Quant section particularly can be challenging to a few of you, especially if you did not have a quant-heavy undergraduate degree. This article will help you formulate CAT Quant Strategy 2025 so that you are always on track, finish the syllabus and have ample time to revise along with taking mocks.
Phase 1: Jan 2025 to March 2025 – Covering the Syllabus
Objective: The objective here will be to build a solid foundation by covering almost all the important topics in the QA section under the CAT Quant Strategy 2025. In this phase pick-up slowly and focus on understanding rather than rushing it through. Given that one has a stretched timeline, it is better to utilise it fully.
CAT Quant Strategy 2025 – January 2024:
Key Focus: Start with the easiest and most basic yet high-weightage topics.
- Start with Arithmetic. It purely forms the backbone of many CAT questions, rather almost 45 – 50% of the entire QA section is from Arithmetic only. It includes topics like Percentages, Profit and Loss, Time & Work, Time, Speed & Distance and Averages to name a few.
- Dedicate ample time for each of the subtopics here. Do not skip any type of question. Take things slow but make sure you cover most of it.
- Maintain a formula notebook for quick reference later. For every topic you study, write down important formulas, shortcuts and concepts you find tricky or useful.
CAT 2025 Daily Study Routine:
- Spend at least 2-3 hours daily, focusing on theory for 70% of your study time and practicing problems for the remaining time. Remember the goal is to have the wider coverage.
- After studying each topic, solve 10-15 practice problems to have a concrete understanding.
End-of-Month Goal: By the end of January, you should have a strong hold of Arithmetic topics and be comfortable solving basic to medium-level (L2) questions.
February 2025:
Key Focus: Will focus on covering Algebra and Number Systems.
- Algebra and Number Systems are second-most critical topics for CAT. Best is to start with equations (linear and quadratic both), then understand inequalities and then move on to progressions (AP, GP, HP) and logarithms.
- For Number Systems, remember to cover important topics like prime factorization, divisibility rules, remainders, and modulus. These topics have been repeated many times in CAT and are very peculiar in nature.
CAT 2025 Daily Study Routine:
- Continue with allocating 2-3 hours daily. Focus on learning new topics as you move gradually but also try to practice a variety of questions from the topics covered.
- Every weekend, try to revise the topics you focused on throughout the week. Keep maintaining the formula notebook and keep adding new things.
End-of-Month Goal for CAT 2025 Quant Section: By the end of February 2025, you should have completed Algebra and Number Systems, at least have a basic to medium-level problem-solving ability.
CAT Quants Preparation Strategy 2025 – March:
Key Focus: Moving on to Geometry, Mensuration, and Coordinate Geometry.
- Start with easy topics of shapes including triangles, circles, polygons, and other related theorems. Then slowly move to perimeters, area and volumes of 3D figures.
- For Coordinate Geometry, cover the basics of slopes, distance between points, equations of lines, and intersections. This is a fairly easy topic and can expect a maximum of one question.
CAT 2025 Daily Study Routine:
- Now you should be focusing on practicing more questions. Given that you are now on the verge of completion of your syllabus. Shift your gears.
- Increase the number of sources for more variety of questions.
End-of-Phase Goal: By end of March 2025, you should have a strong command over Geometry and Coordinate Geometry. Additionally, do not forget to revise topics from Arithmetic and Algebra so that you still remember them.
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CAT Quanta Preparation Strategy – Phase 2: April 2025 to June 2025 – Advanced Topics and Practice
Objective: In this phase try to complete the remaining advanced topics under the CAT Quant Strategy 2025 while increasing the numbers of questions solved.
CAT Quant Strategy April 2025:
Key Focus: Covering difficult topics like Permutation & Combination and Probability.
- These are tricky for many, especially for those who are little away from Maths. Start with basics such as counting techniques and combinations before moving to more complex problems.
- Start with Probability problems after P&C as these two topics often go hand in hand and might require you to use concepts collectively.
CAT 2025 Daily Study Routine:
- Dedicate 3-4 hours daily. The focus should be on problem-solving rather than learning new concepts now.
End-of-Month Goal: By the end of April, you should have completed advanced and should be ideally completing the entire Quants syllabus of CAT 2025.
CAT Quant Strategy 2025 – May – June:
Key Focus: Gear up problem-solving, focus on weak areas and start timed practice sessions.
- Focus on allocating more time on areas where you feel less comfortable. For some, it could be Algebra, for others, maybe P&C.
- You can also start measuring time you take to solve a set of questions. This will give you a fair idea of your speed.
CAT 2025 Daily Study Routine:
- Continue spending 3-4 hours daily, focusing on solving problems in a timed setting.
- You should also focus on learning new solving techniques here. Even though you might be correct but do not hesitate to learn new tricks and shortcuts.
End-of-Phase Goal: As you have already completed the syllabus and have solved a fairly good number of questions, you should be more comfortable in all level of questions.
CAT 2025 Quant Strategy Phase 3: July to September – Revision and Mock Tests
Objective: As the mock season starts, focus on revising topics and start taking mock tests as per the CAT Quant Strategy 2025.
CAT Quants Strategy – July 2025:
Key Focus: Start your revision phase.
- Begin revisiting each and every topic, especially focusing on the weaker areas. Revise the formula notebook daily and ideally by now, you should remember the shortcuts on your fingertips.
- Continue solving problems but of an increased level of difficulty.
CAT 2025 Daily Study Routine:
- Spend 3-4 hours on daily revision and start taking sectional CAT mock tests.
- Start taking weekly full-length mock tests but have a focus on Quant as well. These mock tests will simulate the CAT environment, helping you learn how to manage both time and pressure.
CAT 2025 Mock Test Strategy:
- Analyze every mock test in very detailed manner. Do not look for solutions right away, try to solve questions yourself which went wrong in the test. Only then look for solutions and adapt any solving techniques if shown.
CAT 2025 Quant Strategy – August 2025:
Key Focus: Intensive mock tests and revising weak areas.
- Increase the frequency of full-length mock tests to two per week.
- Continue revising tricky topics, but do not try to aim for perfectionism. It is all about getting a certain number of questions right which will fetch you your desired percentile.
CAT 2025 Daily Study Routine:
- Spend 4 hours daily, with a focus on both revision and taking mock tests.
- You can continue taking sectional and topic-based mock tests every day. This will help you in remembering things.
Quant Strategy for CAT 2025 – September
Key Focus: Consistency in performance and final revisions.
- Take 3-4 full-length mocks per week. Do not worry much about the scores. Few might go very well, a few might be a bit poor. Focus on analyzing the questions rather than focusing on your scores.
End-of-Phase Goal: By the end of September, you should have completed a good number of full-length mocks and should be able to see a noticeable improvement in both speed and accuracy.
CAT Quants Strategy 2025 – Phase 4: October to November – Final Preparation and Exam Strategy
Objective: Fine-tune or tweak your strategy if needed and focus on maximizing your score in the final weeks.
CAT Quant Strategy 2025 – October
Key Focus: Revision and polishing your test-taking strategy.
- Continue taking 2-3 mock tests per week but reduce the intensity slightly to avoid burnout. Do not overdo things which can hamper your D-day.
- Focus on accuracy. It is better to attempt fewer questions and get them right. Do not get carried away by guessing answers for more than the required number of questions.
- Revise important formulas and shortcut techniques. This will ensure that you solve questions correctly within a few seconds.
CAT 2025 Daily Study Routine:
- Spend a few hours daily on revision and analyzing mock tests.
- If you feel burnt-out, you can start attempting shorter tests instead of full-length mocks.
CAT 2025 Quant Strategy – November 2025:
Key Focus: Final touch-ups and stress management.
- In the last two weeks leading up to CAT, focus on maintaining confidence and mental clarity. Do not get into solving newer concepts and questions.
- You can take one final mock test a week before the exam. Stop right there after that. Just revise, chill and have some mental peace.
End-of-Phase Goal: Enter the exam with a clear strategy, focusing on accuracy, avoid getting stuck on tough questions, and maintain your calm throughout.