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CAT RevisionStudy PlanLast Week

CAT Last 7 Days: What to Do and What to Avoid

PrepTest Hub Team •Edited by BITS Pilani and IIM alumni •October 22, 2026

Key takeaways

  • Do not start new topics in the last week. Revise what you already know and fix recurring mistakes.
  • Take your last full mock 5 to 7 days before the exam, then only short sectional practice.
  • Spend each day on one section's revision plus short timed practice in the other two.
  • Sleep and a stable routine are worth more than an extra three hours of study.

The last week before CAT is not the time to learn new things. It is the time to make what you know reliable. Most aspirants lose marks to careless errors, poor section timing and tiredness, not to a missing formula. Use this plan, adjust it to your own weak areas, and keep it light enough that you reach exam day rested. If you still have more time, our 45 day plan covers the weeks before this one.

The principle for the final week

  • Consolidate, do not expand. Revise topics you have already practised.
  • Practise under time. Short timed sets keep your speed without exhausting you.
  • Review mistakes. Your error log is more valuable than a new question bank.

Day by day

  1. Day 7: take your last full-length mock in your exam slot's time of day. Review it the same evening using our guide to analysing a mock test.
  2. Day 6: finish the mock analysis. List the five mistakes you repeat most and write the fix for each in one line.
  3. Day 5: Quant revision. Read the formula sheet, then do a 40 minute Quant sectional.
  4. Day 4: VARC revision. Practise two reading passages and a set of para-jumbles. Review why wrong options were wrong.
  5. Day 3: DILR revision. Do two sets under time and practise choosing which sets to attempt.
  6. Day 2: light revision only. Go through the flashcards and your error log. Stop studying by evening.
  7. Day 1: rest. Check documents, route and kit. Go to bed early.

What to avoid

  • New study material, new coaching tests or new tricks you have not practised.
  • Taking three mocks in a row. Fatigue lowers your performance and your confidence.
  • Comparing scores in group chats, which usually raises anxiety without adding information.
  • Changing your section strategy at the last minute.
  • Late-night study. Memory consolidation needs sleep.

If you only have time for three things

  1. One last full mock, analysed properly.
  2. One page of your own mistakes, read twice.
  3. Seven hours of sleep for the last three nights.

Exam day morning

Eat a normal breakfast, carry your documents and leave early. Our CAT exam day checklist covers what to carry and what happens at the centre.

This plan is a general study aid. Adjust it to your own strengths and the guidance of your mentors.

Ready to put this into practice?

Take a CAT Practice Test → Revise with CAT Flashcards →

Related guides

CAT Preparation in the Last 45 Days: A Week by Week Plan With about six weeks to CAT, focus on mocks, analysis and repair. A weekly rhythm, a taper plan and the mistakes to avoid before exam day. CAT DILR Strategy: How to Pick the Right Sets in 40 Minutes DILR is won by choosing sets well, not by solving everything. Learn a repeatable 5 minute scan, how to spot a good set, when to abandon one and how to practise. How Many CAT Mock Tests Should You Take? A Month by Month Plan There is no magic number of CAT mocks. See a month by month schedule, how to take each mock properly and how to turn the analysis into marks. CAT Time Management: A Section by Section Plan for the Exam CAT sections are timed separately and cannot be revisited. See a two pass plan for VARC, DILR and Quant, with suggested time blocks and how to practise it in mocks.