Mock Test 1 – The Freefall

This was around the time I had just started scoring decently. I’d hit a couple of 90 percentiles, so I thought I was finally getting the hang of it. Then came this mock.

• My VARC score tanked to a level that made me wonder if I even knew English.
• I got stuck on an LRDI set for 25 minutes and didn’t attempt anything else in that section.
• My overall percentile dropped to a pathetic low 60s.

That evening, I sat staring at my analysis, thinking – What was the point of all this effort if I could fall so badly?

What I Learnt

Mocks are designed to test you, not to validate you. This mock exposed a weakness – I didn’t move on when stuck. If it hadn’t shown me that, I would have carried the same habit to the actual CAT

Mock Test 2 – The Confidence Killer

This one was about two months before the exam. I was already feeling burnt out.

• I walked in feeling tired.
• My QA section was a disaster because I misread two easy questions and got flustered.
• The moment I checked my score, a single thought echoed in my head – Maybe I’m just not cut out for CAT.

What I Learnt

Mocks are just simulations. They are not the final exam. My poor score wasn’t because I was dumb; it was because I hadn’t slept well and let panic control me. From then on, I made sure to take mocks only when I was mentally ready.

Mock Test 3 – The Breaking Point

This was two weeks before CAT.

• My scores had been fluctuating wildly.
• This particular mock gave me my lowest score in QA in months.
• I remember sitting at my desk thinking, I have wasted an entire year. I should just skip the exam.

Why I Didn’t Quit

After an hour of feeling defeated, I opened my older mock analyses. I realised my scores had improved dramatically since the start, despite fluctuations.  I called a senior who told me something that stayed with me, “The exam doesn’t care how bad your mocks were. It only cares about your mindset that day.”

What These Mocks Taught Me

• A bad mock is not the end; it’s just data.
• Your percentile on CAT day is independent of your last mock score.
• Consistency in learning matters more than consistent mock scores.
• It’s okay to feel like quitting. What matters is whether you do.

Final Thoughts

If you’re reading this after a bad mock, trust me – I’ve been there. The only reason I ended up with a good percentile was because I showed up despite those mocks that almost broke me.

So, take your time. Feel defeated if you have to. But after that? Get up, analyse, adjust, and try again.

Because at the end of the day, CAT doesn’t reward perfection. It rewards perseverance.