What to Do After the CAT Exam? Step-by-Step Score Analysis & Next Steps

Download & Analyse Your CAT Response Sheet

The first step in what to do after the CAT exam is downloading and analysing your official CAT response sheet from iimcat.ac.in.

Follow this path:

Login → Candidate Response Tab → Download Response Sheet

Now use the official marking scheme:

• +3 for every correct MCQ
• –1 for every incorrect MCQ
• No negative marking for TITA questions

To make your analysis easier, enter your responses into the CAT 2025 Score Calculator – Predict Percentile Before Results [Free Tool]. It automatically reads your responses, applies the marking scheme, and generates a raw score breakdown.

Use this table if doing a manual evaluation:

Section	Correct	Incorrect	TITA	Raw Score
VARC
DILR
QA

Because CAT has 68 questions and 204 marks, a section-wise breakdown helps you understand your strengths and weaknesses—making percentile prediction more accurate.

Calculate Your Raw Score & Estimate Your Scaled Score

The next step in what to do after the CAT exam is calculating your raw score, then estimating your scaled score.

Raw Score = (Correct × 3) – (Wrong MCQs × 1)—with no negative marking for TITA questions.

However, this is NOT your final score. CAT uses slot-wise normalisation, so your raw marks will increase or decrease depending on the difficulty level of your slot.

Tarkashastra CAT 2025 Score Calculator already incorporates normalization data from past years. For example:

• 55 raw → 62 scaled in a difficult slot
• 55 raw → 50 scaled in an easier slot

Using this free tool eliminates guesswork and instantly gives you:

•  Scaled score
•  Slot-adjusted score prediction
•  Sectional performance insights

This ensures your percentile estimation is realistic and reliable.

Predict Your CAT Percentile Accurately

Once your raw and scaled scores are ready, the next step in what to do after the CAT exam is predicting your CAT percentile.

CAT percentiles are calculated using the formula:

Percentile = [(Total Candidates – Your Rank) / Total Candidates] × 100

Based on recent trends:

• 103.97+ scaled ≈ 99.5+ percentile
• 78–80 scaled ≈ 97+ percentile
• 90 raw marks ≈ 93–96 percentile (post-normalisation)

Since CAT 2025 is expected to cross 3.5 lakh candidates, accurate percentile prediction becomes even more important.

This is where the CAT 2025 Score Calculator becomes extremely valuable. It uses slot-wise difficulty patterns and historical data to give percentile predictions with high accuracy.

With a predicted percentile in hand, you can immediately start shortlisting B-schools and preparing for interviews.

Decide Your B-School Targets Based on Your Predicted Percentile

A major part of what to do after the CAT exam is deciding which B-schools you should target based on your predicted percentile.

The CAT 2025 Score Calculator – Predict Percentile Before Results [Free Tool] also shows your IIM call probability, helping you shortlist colleges smartly.

Here’s a quick reference:

Percentile Range	Target B-Schools
98–99+	IIM A/B/C (with strong profile), FMS, SPJIMR
95–98	New IIMs, MDI Gurgaon, NITIE, IMI, IMT
90–95	SIBM Pune, SCMHRD, TAPMI, FORE, GIM
Below 90	BIMTECH, Welingkar, Great Lakes + backup exams

Shortlisting now will help you:

• Prepare profile-based interview answers
• Align career goals with institute values
• Avoid confusion once actual results arrive

The score calculator’s call prediction feature makes this process even more accurate.

Start Your WAT–GD–PI Preparation Early

A crucial part of what to do after the CAT exam is beginning your WAT–GD–PI preparation immediately. Many candidates score well but fail to convert top calls because they start preparing too late.

Note that only 8–12% of shortlisted candidates convert top IIM calls—making early preparation essential.

So start working on:

1. Personal Story

Build narratives around academics, internships, work experience, achievements, and goals.

2. Current Affairs

Read daily editorials from The Hindu, Mint, or Indian Express.

3. Resume Enhancement

Use the STAR format (Situation–Task–Action–Result).

4. Mock Interviews

Take 2–3 initial mocks to uncover weaknesses in communication or clarity.

5. Academic & Work Revision

Interviewers often test conceptual knowledge from your background.

6. Timeline Awareness

• CAT results: January
• WAT–PI rounds: February–April

Early preparation dramatically increases your chances of converting calls.

You can also use insights from the CAT 2025 Score Calculator to tailor your prep based on your expected percentile.

Track All Important CAT Dates & Official Announcements

A key part of what to do after the CAT exam is keeping track of all upcoming CAT-related dates so you never miss important updates. 

As per the official timeline pattern, CAT publishes its answer key in December, followed by results in the first week of January. After that, IIMs and other top B-schools release their shortlists between January and February, and WAT–PI rounds begin from February to April.

Regularly check iimcat.ac.in and your target B-school websites to stay updated on shortlists, interview calls, and document requirements.

Explore Other MBA Entrance Exams as Backup Options

Another smart step in what to do after the CAT exam is securing your admissions journey by exploring alternative MBA entrance exams. 

Many top B-schools accept scores from exams like 

• XAT (January)
• NMAT
• SNAP
• CMAT
• MAH MBA CET

Since their syllabi heavily overlap with CAT—especially in Quant, Verbal, and Reasoning—the preparation you’ve already done continues to benefit you.

Attempting 2–3 additional exams increases your chances of converting a top-tier program without putting all your hopes on a single result.

Conclusion

Now that you know exactly what to do after the CAT exam, use this window wisely to analyse your score, predict your percentile, prepare for WAT–PI, and build a strong B-school strategy. Early clarity leads to higher conversions.