This is a question that we get asked frequently, more so this year given last year’s tough DI-LR section. One place where you can get more SimCAT-level questions whose level of difficulty is quantified is in a book called CAT 500.

This is a book that we publish every year with new questions across all areas and classifed topic-wise. The USP of this book is that the questions are selected based on actual SimCAT data.

The questions in the book are classified into two categories:

Score Enhancers: Questions that have been attempted correctly by a majority of the test-takers who scored above a 90 percentile, making them must-solve questions to break the 90-percentile barrier.

Score Maximisers: Questions that have been solved incorrectly by a majority of the test-takers who scored above a 90 percentile, making them the kind of questions you would need to reach the high 99s.

These questions will thus give you a precise idea of the kind of questions or the level of diffuculty you should be able to crack to cross particular percentile barriers.

All IMS students can purchase the book at their respective centres. For Chennai, we have ordered 100 copies of the book that we will receive late next week. Test-takers  can call up 9500122125, give their IMS PIN and pre-book a copy. Non-IMS students can also call up to book a copy.

One of the things to keep in mind is that the pressure of a test often amplifies level of difficulty of a question or a set of questions, especially when they seem to be unqiue or unfamiliar. So a question of above-moderate level of difficulty when taken in a test-setting will always seem more difficult (say 20-25%)than it actually is . This is one of the reasons why test-takers are usually able to solve questions they couldn’t solve during a test when they review a test.

So these questions can be used as a good tool to practice those unique questions and sets so that when you encounter such questions on D-day or upcoming SimCATs you are not overwhelmed by them.