P5 easier than P4??…

Hello Rich Lee,

Hopefully, I will try to provide an objective set of opinions on both papers. Most students made the common mistake of choosing a Professional-level paper based on their ‘level of difficulty’ or follow peer-popularity.

1) Are you fundamentally strong in your F5 Management Accounting knowledge? Are you also confident with your brought-forward knowledge from F9 Financial Management knowledge? Did you struggle in either Fundamental paper?

2) Would you like to expand on what you learn from your P3 Business Analysis paper? Paper P5 APM is a very value-adding subject because you will learn top-management strategies, learning intrinsic knowledge on managing the company’s direction.

3) What is your ambition? Would you like to work as a strategic/ management consultant? Or an investment banker? What is your career direction?

4) I would lie if I say either P4 or P5 is easier over one another. Both papers have their unique challenges, and both also have new examiners (P4 – Shishir Malde, and P5 – Alex Watt) who set really challenging questions for the exams. Both papers have low average world pass rates.

5) You will need a very deep grasp of financial knowledge like complex financial formulaes and you must be able to interpret your calculations in P4. For Paper P5, examiner Alex Watt has strongly emphasized for students to train themselves to look at the bigger picture, hence his question requirements merely require you to look at any deficiencies of a performance report, and suggest recommendations. You are not given any indication on what model you should use, especially in Question 1.

6) If you haven’t cultivate your habit to read the financial press, I highly recommend you should. The latest questions often test the latest highlights in the economy – Paper P4 with the European debt crisis (Technical Article) and Paper P5 having tested in June 2012 exam; a question on the flailing airlines industry.

In the end, I can recommend, if you are having difficulty choosing either P4 or P5, why not consider the combination of both? Both papers actually complement very well. If you put your heart into studying and discussing with your friends or tutors on any questions you find difficult, then you assure yourself of passing your ACCA exam paper with ease.

Cheers!

Hi Guys
I have been passing ACCA papers well but P4 has proved to be challenging, who can assist me with ho i can pass this paper.
challenges:
It appears the study guides, in particular BPP, according to me is failing to adquately cover the exam requirements, or on the other way round, the examiner does not consider the study guide in setting exams.

With other professionalpapers, like P7, P3, P1 I have seen the study guides BPP, being very useful, but on P4 its a different story, who can help, which material should I use?????????
Worried

howdy guys
I do have several questions about P4 & P5, and id be extremely glad if anyone could give me some advice or suggestions!
First, im not from an English speaking conutry, so it’s my weakness to read and understand materials in another language/
Second, im still a college student, so im lacking of real experience and practical skills. Will this affect my studying effectiveness and efficiency, and to what extent will it affect?
Last, but not least, is there any quick and effective ways to fill this gap for me?

Justin -from Shanghai

thanks guys for the heads-up

There’s no secret really, it’s just methodical consistent hard work by practising a wide bank of PYQ many times, making sure you read every page of your text book (strictly not your lecturer’s notes because they’re dangerously incomplete) and expanding your knowledge base. Alex Watt expects us to flexibly apply what we learnt to different discursive-styled case scenarios, so rote memory wouldn’t just guarantee a pass.

As again, the advice of “Understanding the question requirement” has been constantly reminded year after year. 🙂