Urgent Help Needed: CAT 2026 Mock Scores Stuck Below 30 With Just 35 Days Left

Hi Shweta Di,

I've been preparing for CAT for quite some time. When the batch started, I was studying alongside students who were preparing for CAT 2025, and I was later shifted CAT 2026 batch. I had to take a break in October–November due to health issues, so CAT 2026 is going to be my first attempt.

Earlier, I used to perform better in VARC, but my accuracy has suddenly dropped. With LRDI, I can solve sets reasonably well in sectionals or PYQs when practising independently, but my scores in mocks are often between 5 and 12. The same thing happens with Quant. I perform better when solving questions independently, but during mocks, I either forget formulas or struggle to figure out how to approach a question.

I've been trying to understand what's going wrong, and I think several factors might be contributing to it: the pressure I put on myself because I've been preparing for so long, timer anxiety, an inconsistent study routine, fatigue during the two-hour mock, and the way I tie my preparation level and self-worth to my mock scores. I even consulted a teacher about the fatigue, and they suggested taking back-to-back sectionals to build stamina.

My overall mock scores are still below 30. I've attempted 19 mocks since January, but I've only independently analysed five of them, starting last month. Three others were analysed in coaching. Even after starting to analyse my mocks, though, I'm struggling to translate those insights into improvements in my next attempt.

With around 35 days left, I'm feeling increasingly stressed. My goal is to get into IIM Ahmedabad or IIM Bangalore, and conversations with fellow aspirants about their preparation and scores sometimes send me into a spiral of questioning where I've gone wrong.

The strategy that works for me in VARC sectionals seems to backfire in full-length mocks. In LRDI, I often end up selecting the wrong set first. In Quant, even when I identify the right questions, I sometimes get stuck midway and cannot figure out the next step.

**Could you please help me understand what I should change in my preparation and test-taking strategy over the next 35 days?** I want to understand how to bridge the gap between what I can solve independently and what I can actually execute under mock conditions. I know I can do better than what my current scores reflect, but the repeated scores below 30 are affecting my confidence, and I'm struggling to figure out how to break this cycle.

P.S. To anyone else reading this: please don't feel pressured by how long someone has been preparing. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend starting too early without a sustainable routine, because in my experience, it led to prolonged emotional and physical exhaustion, stress, and constant comparison. Please find a pace that works for you and protects your well-being, too.