Starting your CAT 2025 preparation in November 2024 gives you ample time to cover the entire Quantitative Aptitude (QA) syllabus thoroughly, followed by revision, practice, and extensive mock tests. The Quant section can be challenging, but with a structured, month-by-month approach, you can build a solid foundation, refine your skills, and eventually master even the toughest questions. Here is a comprehensive article that shows How to Prepare for CAT 2025 Quant by explaining how to cover the syllabus, strategically revise, and consistently take mock tests to prepare you for CAT 2025.
Phase 1: November 2024 to March 2025 – Syllabus Coverage and Concept Clarity
Objective: The first answer to the question of How to Prepare for CAT 2025 Quant is to build a solid foundation by covering all important topics in the Quant section. Focus on understanding concepts rather than rushing through the syllabus.
November 2024 – December 2024:
Key Focus: Laying the foundation by starting with basic, high-weightage topics.
- Start with Arithmetic. It forms the backbone of many CAT questions and includes topics like Percentages, Profit & Loss, Time & Work, Time, Speed & Distance, and Averages.
- Dedicate time to understanding the concepts behind each topic. Avoid jumping straight to difficult problems. The goal in this phase is to ensure complete clarity.
- Maintain a formula notebook for quick reference later. For each topic, write down important formulas, shortcuts, and concepts you find tricky.
Daily Study Routine:
- Spend 2-3 hours daily, focusing on theory for 60% of your study time and practicing problems for the remaining 40%.
- After studying each topic, solve 10-15 practice problems to solidify your understanding.
End-of-Month Goal: By the end of December, you should have a strong grasp of Arithmetic topics and be comfortable solving basic to medium-level questions.
If you are an iQuanta CAT 2025 student, you can watch the Non Engineers’ QA videos (NCERT 6th to 10th level Math for those weak in Quant)
January 2025 – February 2025:
Key Focus: Covering Algebra and Number Systems.
- Algebra and Number Systems are critical for CAT. Start with linear and quadratic equations, then move on to progressions (AP, GP, HP), logarithms, and inequalities.
- For Number Systems, cover topics like prime factorization, divisibility rules, remainders, and modulus. These topics tend to feature in trickier CAT questions, so a solid understanding is crucial.
Daily Study Routine:
- Continue with 2-3 hours daily. Divide your time between concept-building and practice problems, gradually increasing the number of problems you solve each day.
- Every weekend, revise the topics you studied during the week. Revisit the formula notebook and practice problem sets.
End-of-Month Goal: By the end of February, you should have completed Algebra and Number Systems, and your grasp on foundational concepts should be strong.
March 2025:
Key Focus: Moving on to Geometry, Mensuration, and Coordinate Geometry.
- Focus on essential topics like triangles, circles, polygons, and theorems. Also, practice area and volume calculations for different shapes.
- For Coordinate Geometry, cover the basics of slopes, distance between points, equations of lines, and intersections.
Daily Study Routine:
- Maintain the routine of 2-3 hours per day, but begin practicing more questions (up to 20-25 per day) to boost problem-solving speed.
- Start solving questions from past CAT papers to get an idea of how these concepts are applied in the exam.
End-of-Month Goal: By March-end, you should have a strong command over Geometry and Coordinate Geometry. This is also a good time to revisit Arithmetic and Algebra briefly to ensure nothing is forgotten.
Phase 2: April 2025 to June 2025 – Advanced Topics and Practice
Objective: The step to your How to Prepare for CAT 2025 Quant is to complete the remaining advanced topics while increasing problem-solving speed and accuracy.
April 2025:
Key Focus: Covering advanced topics like Permutation & Combination and Probability.
- These are tricky but often appear in CAT. Start with basic principles, such as counting techniques and combinations, before moving to more complex problems.
- Tackle Probability problems after P&C, as these two topics often go hand in hand.
Daily Study Routine:
- Dedicate 3-4 hours daily, spending 60% of your time practicing. Advanced topics require more hands-on problem-solving to build confidence.
End-of-Month Goal: By the end of April, you should have completed advanced topics and feel comfortable solving medium-to-advanced level questions.
May 2025 – June 2025:
Key Focus: Intensive problem-solving, strengthening weak areas, and starting timed practice sessions.
- Focus on building more strength on areas where you feel less comfortable. For some, it could be Algebra, for others, maybe P&C.
- Start solving problems under timed conditions. Time yourself when solving sets of 10-20 problems, which will improve your speed and decision-making ability.
Daily Study Routine:
- Spend 3-4 hours daily, focusing heavily on solving problems in a timed setting.
- Analyze every set of problems you solve. Identify mistakes, learn the correct approach, and avoid similar errors in future problems.
End-of-Phase Goal: By the end of June, you should have completed the entire Quant syllabus at least once. You should be comfortable with both basic and advanced topics, and your problem-solving speed should be improving.
Phase 3: July 2025 to September 2025 – Revision and Mock Tests
Objective: To keep up the answer to your How to Prepare for CAT 2025 Quant is to revise thoroughly and integrate your knowledge through full-length mock tests.
July 2025:
Key Focus: Start your revision phase.
- Begin revisiting each topic, focusing on weak areas. Revise the formula notebook daily and make sure you have every formula and concept at your fingertips.
- Continue solving problems but increase the difficulty level gradually.
Daily Study Routine:
- Spend 3-4 hours daily revising concepts and solving sectional tests.
- Start taking weekly full-length mock tests focusing on Quant. These mocks will simulate the CAT environment, helping you learn how to manage time and pressure.
Mock Test Strategy:
- After every mock test, spend time analyzing it thoroughly. Look at the questions you got wrong and try to figure out why. Was it because of a conceptual error or a calculation mistake? This analysis is crucial for improving your score.
August 2025:
Key Focus: Intensive mock tests and revising weak areas.
- Increase the frequency of full-length mock tests to two per week. The goal is to condition yourself for the full 3-hour exam.
- Continue revising tricky topics, but avoid getting bogged down by perfectionism. It’s essential to balance speed with accuracy at this stage.
Daily Study Routine:
- Spend 4-5 hours daily, with a combination of revision and taking mock tests.
- Analyze every mock thoroughly. Track your progress and create a list of areas that consistently pose problems. Focus on improving those weak points.
End-of-Phase Goal: By the end of August, you should have completed around 6-8 full-length mocks and seen a noticeable improvement in both speed and accuracy.
September 2025:
Key Focus: How to Prepare for CAT 2025 Quant ? Have Consistency in performance and final revisions. Do not let go your months of preparation
- Take 3-4 full-length mocks per week. These should now be real exam simulations, taken at the same time of day as the actual CAT exam to get your mind used to that routine.
- Spend the rest of your time revising essential concepts and practicing questions from weak areas.
End-of-Month Goal: By the end of September, you should be scoring consistently well in mock tests. Your goal should be to identify and quickly solve easy-to-moderate problems during the test while allocating time for the more challenging questions.
Phase 4: October 2025 to November 2025 – Final Preparation and Exam Strategy
Objective: The last leg of How to Prepare for CAT 2025 Quant is to fine-tune your strategy and focus on maximizing your score in the final weeks.
October 2025:
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.
- Focus on accuracy. It’s better to attempt fewer questions and get them right than to attempt too many and make careless mistakes.
- Revise important formulas, concepts, and shortcut techniques. This will give you the edge when solving problems under time pressure.
Daily Study Routine:
- Spend 3-4 hours daily on revision and analyzing mock tests.
- Practice short, timed quizzes (30-40 minutes) to stay sharp.
November 2025:
- In the last two weeks leading up to CAT, focus on maintaining confidence and mental clarity. Avoid overloading yourself with too many new problems.
- Take one final mock test a week before the exam. After that, focus entirely on revision and maintaining a calm, composed mindset.
End-of-Phase Goal: Enter the exam with a clear strategy—focus on accuracy, avoid getting stuck on tough questions, and maintain your composure.
Conclusion
Starting your preparation in November 2024 gives you ample time to systematically cover the Quant syllabus, revise thoroughly, and practice extensively through mock tests. By dividing your preparation into phases—covering concepts, practicing intensively, revising, and finally perfecting your test strategy—you will be well-prepared to tackle the CAT 2025 Quantitative Aptitude section confidently.
