Topper in School, But Struggling in CAT? Here’s Why

If all through school, you wore the “topper” badge with pride, this one is for you. Scoring above 95% in both 10th and 12th, one of the teacher's favorites, relatives bragged about, and some might have secretly competed.
A perfect scorer who everyone used to say, “Whatever you touch, you will get it.” Someone who has enjoyed good academic success in their school life might get swept away in the competitive exam. It gets worse for those who have been the easy study toppers, who studied two days before the exams and still managed to land in the top 3.
The shift is definitely not an easy one; you have to unlearn a lot of your habits and restructure your study schedule. When you started preparing for the CAT, did you think it wouldn’t be a tough nut to crack?
But when you gave the first mock test, it was like a thunderbolt, or probably you realized it is in fact a tough nut to crack. One of the common problems OG toppers face is that they feel many of the questions they encounter are ones they have seen before; the answers seem to be floating before their eyes, but they just can’t grasp them.
That’s when you realized—being a topper in school and doing well in CAT are not the same. They are two completely different games. And you never learned to play that game.
Why Do School Toppers Stumble in CAT?
In school, we don’t face much of a challenge. The question paper comes with topics that we have just been taught in the last few months. Even only by memorizing notes, you can get good marks—well, the right kind of notes from the right tuition teacher. Jokes apart, the goal is clear in school: memorize, understand, and reproduce.
The syllabus is predictable, the questions follow a pattern, and if you’ve worked hard (or smart), the marks reflect your effort. Intelligence is measured by how accurately you follow the rules. You always followed the rules. You answered all the questions correctly and moved carefully.
But CAT is different.
Here the question paper is unpredictable. Time is short. You have to keep your head cool.
If you spend too much time on the wrong questions, you will miss the entire section. Here, "perfection" is not important, but "decision" is.
Those of us who worked carefully in school overthink in CAT. We get stuck on one question. CAT does not like that.
You will understand—you will progress slowly and succeed in school. But CAT wants the ability to think quickly and give up quickly. In school, you were rewarded for staying with a tough problem until you cracked it. In CAT, that habit can tank your entire section.
First Mock Test – The Wake-Up Call
You followed the routine well for the first three months. Quant, Verbal, DILR—everything.
Then you gave the first mock. You had in mind that even if it is less, it will be 95 percentile CAT exam mock test.
The score came out—72 percentile.
You could not finish a single set in the DILR section. You had spent so much time on RC, You did not even read the last two passages.
Your head was spinning. felt like, “Am I that stupid?”
That day, you stood in front of the mirror and wondered, —Am I that school topper? But the problem isn’t your ability. It’s your mindset.
What You Have to Unlearn from Schooling? 
In school, if you didn't understand a question, you would sit for a long time. you wouldn't leave until you did.
That habit can trick you in CAT exam 2025 from the beginning.
If you waste time on one question, you can't reach the rest of the easy questions. And your score will decrease.
You were taught in school that not making mistakes is the smart thing to do. So you didn't guess in CAT. But here, without a sample or elimination technique, you can't get a good score.
You thought that high marks mean intelligence. But CAT taught that strategy is a big thing.
"Don't be afraid of making mistakes in questions. Don't get stuck on one question. Move forward."
How Can You Rewire Your Prep Mindset?
Shift from “perfection” to “optimization”: Aim to maximize your score, not get every answer right.
Practice decision-making under pressure: Use a timer, simulate real test conditions, and force yourself to move on after 2–3 minutes per question.
Post-mock analysis over mock score: Don’t obsess over percentiles. Instead, focus on:
Where you spent too much time.
Which questions you should’ve skipped.
Patterns in your mistakes.
Maintain a mistake tracker notebook:

You can start slowly, but the thing is practice does make you perfect. Gradually, the mistakes will decrease. You will make some friends who were not toppers like you. But they were doing well in CAT. You learned strategies from them.
The lesson is "You understand this is not a game for toppers. This is a game for smart players." 

Tired of feeling smart but stuck? Stop mugging and start cracking with Rodha’s R7 Batch – Your CAT journey starts here, with the right guidance, the right mocks, and the right teaching.
Get 12 physical booklets
Access 9,000+ practice questions with solutions
Complete CAT Booster starting September
30 full mocks, 105 sectional tests, NMAT, SNAP, XAT support
From Zero to Zenith – we’ve got your back

Lessons Fellow Toppers Need to Know
It is good to be a topper. But in CAT, that is not the only ticket. 
CAT is a new game. The old rules do not apply here.
Don't blame yourself if you make a mistake.
Skipping a question is also a courage.
It is also normal not to know the answers to all the questions.
A bad score does not identify you.
And remember:
CAT syllabus 25 is not just Quant, VARC, and DILR. It’s also confidence, time management, and emotional control.
Today, ask yourself these questions:
Can I skip a question?
Can I stand up again even after a bad mock test?
Am I just following the trail of being a topper, or am I trying to learn on my own?
Conclusion
School rank teaches a lot, but CAT shapes you differently. It makes you humble, teaches patience,  and to accept failure. School taught you discipline, memory, and hard work. But CAT will teach you versatility, adaptability, and smart strategy.