There is no magic wand available to undo all the wrongs (read lack of preparation) of the last few months. However, it is clear that now you really want to get it over and done with. This is a sneak preview of what can happen on November 18 as well as a look at what you should be ready with today in order to tackle the seemingly tricky and difficult CAT paper.
 
Here, an attempt is made to look at the positives of writing one of the most challenging exams that one can encounter.

To start with, this animal can be tamed! Yes, CAT is not as difficult as it appears to be at first glance. All that you have to realise is that the paper has a set of basic questions on English, Quant, Logic and DI.

• How to handle the stress and anxiety

Will the paper pattern be same as it was given last year?
Well, there is nothing to suggest that it is going to be a similar paper. Similarly, there is nothing to suggest that it will be different either. What is important to note is that there are going to be questions in the above given areas (in three sections).

There are going to be 150 minutes for this paper (this is certain) and hence you just have to divide the time according to the number of questions in each section and the expected minimum marks required for the paper. Well, one last word on this. There will be some surprise or the other. Do you expect anything different?

What are the expected minimum marks in each section in CAT paper?
Hazarding a guess for this would be suicidal. The paper is yet to be seen on the 18th. However, the IIMs A and C have revealed their minimum cutoffs for each of the sections. For IIMA, the cutoffs in each section are 25% of the marks in them. For IIMC, the cutoff for English is 10% of the marks and for DI/Logic and QA, the cutoffs are 20% of the score in each of the section.

For other IIMs and institutes which take the CAT scores, we can safely predict that the cutoff could only be lower.

I know all about keeping cool and handling pressure et al, but I am still tense. What should I do?
First things first, you are just one among the 2.3 lakh people who are going to write the exam and are in tension. Yes, just about everyone who is taking CAT seriously is in the same state. That means those who can start looking at it as just another exam and not let the pressure tell on them, are going to be cool in the exam and crack it. Believe in yourself!. You have put in all the hard work in the run up to CAT. The only thing that separates you from the being a winner is your confidence in yourself.

What are the last minute preparations I should do before the exam?
One day prior to the exam on 18th, you should check the exam centre you have been allotted. Find out ways and means to go there and the estimated time for the same.

Make arrangements for at least 3 to 4 HB pencils(sharpened), an eraser, a sharpener, your hall ticket (admit card) and a watch that works.

• Final checklist for CAT 2007

Also, make sure you do not have a heavy dinner on the previous night. Go light on your tummy. If you can't get sleep, don't worry, call your friend and the odds are that he/she too would be awake. You can play 'what's the good word' in the dead of the night and then get bored and sleep.

Basically, don't make heavy weather of CAT. It is ok. It's just another exam. Do what you want and there are no proscriptions and prescriptions!

What should I do on D Day?
Plan to reach the venue by 9:15 a.m. Even if you get delayed, you would be there before 10:00 a.m. (after which no one is allowed inside the exam hall). Make sure that you carry your hall ticket and other things like pencils and erasers. Do not talk to the hordes of people who are going to be there too. Don't panic at the number of people writing the exam. If you have prepared well enough there is no need to worry about the rest. Also, there would be rumours going thick and strong. Don't believe them. If 10 people start rumours on how many questions per section the paper is going to have, one of them may be right. But wasting your time on that is avoidable.

The OMR sheet will be given to you by 10:10 a.m. itself. You would have about 15 minutes to fill the OMR sheet. Carefully fill the same and wait for the Question Booklet. There are normally four sets of question booklets. The Question booklet is expected to be distributed at 10: 15 a.m.

The Question Booklet will have clear instructions on how many questions are there, how many sections, how many questions per section and the marks per question. Carefully note the same and follow the instructions that are going to be announced while filling the OMR sheet.

Decide on a game plan for spending the two and half hours depending on how many questions are there per section. Make sure that you keep a buffer of about 15 minutes to be able to come back to a particular section that you may have done badly or the 15 minutes could be used to maximize the score (in attempting your strength area).

Do not ask questions to the invigilators. They would know nothing about the CAT paper. Even if there are mistakes in the paper, just ignore them and move on. It is a waste of time arguing with the invigilators.

What should I do after the exam?
Well, the ordeal is over! Now there are so many people who keep claiming what their marks are going to be (even before checking their answers with the key!). Don't fall prey to rumours. Almost all institutes coaching for CAT will come out with some cutoffs or the other. It is going to be difficult to believe one institute over the other. However, you can easily see from the trend of the past two years and decide whom to believe.

T.I.M.E. would be uploading on our website, the comprehensive analysis of the CAT paper along with the cutoffs, at 7 PM on 18th November. Also, the key to the CAT paper (according to the series) will be put up on our website www.time4education.com by 10 PM on 18th. The solutions to the CAT 2007 paper will also be put up on the website by 19th November.

Wish you all the best!

We will also be publishing the answer keys, analysis and chats with experts all through Sunday, Nov 18, right here on rediff.com.