ShortCuts.. Part Deux

To continue the discussion, CAT as an exam too has evolved over the last decade.
Earlier students had to attempt 150 questions in 120 minutes (40 Sec per question) In such a scenario, the focus was inevitably of the speed of calculations.
However, today's avatar of the CAT has 60 Questions and 2 hrs 20 min to answer them. (2+ min per question)
The focus has unequivocally shifted from speed to knowledge.
It is up to the aspirants to decide what they want from their preparation - short cuts or knowledge.

Short cuts & the rule of thumb

We have seen a lot of people teaching shortcuts for standardized examinations. There are demo classes that intend to bamboozle their students with short cuts and rule(s) of thumb to bowl them over and get them enrolled. If writing competitive exams were about these short cuts, we could expect people who learn these short cuts to be at the top. But we rarely see this.

We have nothing against these short cuts, but blindly learning these can lead to wrong results without us realizing it. The most important part of learning the short cuts is not to just learn where it is applicable, but also where it doesn't apply.

Secondly, knowing the shortcut invariably leads to situations where we have still not understood the concept fully. The number of situations in which we can use shortcuts are few, but we can use concepts to solve all problems. A good conceptual base is essential to do well in any of these examinations. Of course, there is an aptitude level which is essential, but this aptitude is not something that cannot be built by some hard work!

Hard work revolved around building a strong conceptual base is what helps people pass these tests in flying colours(or colors depending on which side of the Atlantic Ocean you are inclined to).