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I no longer know how we are supposed to answer questions in APM exam. I used a countdown timer to write non-stop for 45mins copying out the tutorial answer word by word and I always came to the conclusion that I would only make it to 50-60% of the answer of the exam kit. That means the answers they produce are much much longer (not just a little bit) than what you actually need to write in the exam. Trouble is that it’s difficult to make our answers shorter because if we don’t explain our points deeply enough, that’s why we will lose marks. Equally we lose marks by wasting time if our points are too lengthy. You can’t win with this paper…………
I really don’t know if I should continue with ACCA because I am going to relocate to the US and over there they don’t really acknowledge ACCA even though it’s meant to be international.
I failed for a 5th time. 34%, 34%, 34%, 27% and now 38% despite the fact I was extremely ill overnight just hours before sitting this exam – I didn’t even know if I would make it to the bus stop, let alone to the exam hall I was so ill. Just got diagnosed with primary (genetic) lactose intolerance so I will certainly not mess up another exam with eating pizza or anything else with diary in it the evening before an exam. Suprised that I gained my highest mark with what I have gone through and how dehydrated I was.
@Charan I did the same, by performance measurement system I mainly evaluated the report itself. There were many things to criticise about it.
This was my 5th attempt. I won’t discuss my answers and I won’t say how I feel the exam went – no point because often people feel they did well and they will definitely pass but get a slap in the face with a fail mark, sometimes it’s the other way around. It’s not about how you feel how the exam went, it’s down to luck sometimes. I covered the whole syllabus but it was impossible to practise every single question multiple times from the BPP book.
As per my discussion with my chartered tax adviser friend, we need to keep studying, keep practising even after sitting the exam all the way until the results get published. Then if you passed, you stop studying but if you failed at least you didn’t waste 6 weeks and it will be easier to pass next time around. I personally forget a lot of things if I don’t study until the results day so this is my new technique. Hopefully it will work. I will also study (again) for SBR to not waste any time.
Keep going, keep studying until you past. Nothing else you can do. 🙂
@jamessalisbury said:
@ds3ce:I remember your results from last time as I also got 34% in June. I cannot say specifically what you can do to get that final 20% to the pass mark. All I can really say is that when I failed at the same level, I had a very strong knowledge of the subject area but severally lacked any exam practice.
It is really important to read over the Examiner’s Report for the exam which unfortunately was a fail. I felt this helped me to see that you have to be very specific with your answer, really make sure you know what the examiner is asking. If the question points you to what a CEO has asked in the scenario then read it a few times to make sure you answer what has been asked. In line with this, it is almost not worth wasting time explaining a model or trying to make a model fit when it isn’t required. If a model is mentioned in the scenario, stick to it as closely as possible, if one isn’t mentioned then unless if fits absolutely perfectly, don’t use it and instead approach it from a common sense perspective. Often the questions are a financial professional explaining something to the board so it doesn’t need to be filled with jargon terms. Whatever you do though, explaining any model in detail isn’t required and as the examiner says, the history is important but irrelevant.
Other people say exam practice and that is a personal choice, I can’t stand it so don’t do any. Yes possibly a mistake to some, however in the absence of exam practice, i read through 2 or 3 exams to make sure I knew what sort of answer was required. It seemed to be that the more concise the answer the better, it is worth taking time to plan you answer if even just for a minute.
Finally on that planning point, as soon as we were allowed to write in the exam, I went through and calculated the time to move from one question to the next, down to the exact minute for every mark. It took maybe 2 or 3 minutes to do. Try to stick to it as closely as possible only deviating if you know it’s worth spending an extra minute if you are making a good point. The first 50% of marks in a question are the easiest to get so make sure you get them, try to not miss a single question. If it’s for 10 marks and you really don;t know what to say, just spend 15 minutes and get some points down using common sense and the information in the scenario, you may just get 3 or 4 marks. Remember that the 4 professional marks are there too, use that for creating your introduction to the report to management and think of some subheadings ready to use based on what the question requirement is.
Only you will know what you did or didn’t do right on the day but I strongly believe that to get >30% shows you have the knowledge and applying it is the problem.
@James And a big congratulations for finally passing P5 🙂 Well done.Thank you so much for the lengthy answer and explanation. I will take your points on board. Do you think I can pass by myself? I can’t really afford to pay for any tuition provider and don’t have the time to attend revision classes either as a single mum with no help from the other parent hence why I self study online.
I think you are spot on, I do have the knowledge,my issue lies somewhere in the application or non-application of the theory. English only being my second language doesn’t help either and the fact I hate essay style writing. I have never been good at writing long answers and essays etc , even at uni it was a struggle.
How shall I practise past papers? Bullet point answers and then trying to expand on them? Shall I copy some answers word by word to “get the hang of it”?
Are 6weeks enough to prepare evenings and weekends with a full time job and pass in December?
@nadz24: What are minute factors and minute details? What do you mean by them?
Thank you.
Failed at 4th attempt:
1st attempt : 34%
2nd attempt: 34%
3rd attempt: 34%
4th attempt: 27%I am not sure I want to bother with ACCA any more , I am genuinely sick and tired of this paper. Also, ACCA is meant to be international but it’s not even accepted in the USA. I ask myself why am I wasting my time and money.
If you ever want to work in the USA, they don’t really accept the ACCA qualification over there. You would still have to pass 4 exams to become CPA (chartered public accountant). If you want to become a CMA (chartered management accountant), you will have to sit 2 exams. People with ACCA qualification do not get any exemptions annoyingly. ACCA isn’t that international afterall but if you want to work in the UK or commonwealth countries, ACCA is more accepted there.
To be fair it’s hard to say if you would have advantage or any disadvantage regardless of which version you decide to sit (UK vs international), they tend to look at the actual qualification when it comes to working in another country. If you have a specific country in mind, I suggest you start researching now.
Can you guys give those of us who are yet to attempt the new SBR exam any advice now that you sat the exam for the first time? Anything to be aware of? Any study/preparation tips? What to do, what not to do?
Based on the poll it looks like this paper was a disaster. Not very reassuring for those of us yet to sit this exam. I failed P2 in June but won’t sit SBR until March as I am struggling with APM at the moment.
When I studied for F6 tax with a child and a full time job on the side, I did not watch any TV and did not go anywhere for 3 months. I studied every evening from 8pm after I put my child to bed until midnight, 1am, sometimes just 10-11pm as often my eyes got inflammed, red, watery and I was unable to keep them open. I studied every weekend nearly all day, even when I took my child to the park and I only passed F6 tax with 50% but of course, you may be luckier and may quickly pick things up. Quicker than I did. 🙂
I would not recommend you to sit 2 papers in December especially with a full time job and if you have not already started studying for them.
I thought I can do 2 in one go, I sat 2 professional level exams, Advanced Corporate Reporting and Advanced Performance Management and failed both in June 2018….. I also have a full time job, very demanding position. But I also have a child to raise.
Hope this helps.
I am also done with 11 out of 14 papers but I now have nearly 8 years of professional services (6years of Big4 and 2 years of other professional firm) experience so I am done with the 36 months of work experience and already completed all my PER objectives, they are all signed off in the system.
Don’t just focus on exams, focus on getting your PER objectives ticked. You don’t want to end up finishing all exams and not being able to apply for membership for x years because you don’t have any or much experience to get them signed off etc. Work experience is often even more important than paperwork.
If you can, join PwC. Looks good on your CV though not the best company to work for on the long run. Amazing stepping stone though.
@kolobingo said:
I didn’t do anything differently.I think ACCA uses certain papers such as P5 to meet their budget numbers.
I passed by the grace of God that’s all !!!
I find it hard to believe I failed 3 times and each time I failed with the exact same percentage: 34%. Twice I would say it is a co-incidence but how would it be a co-incidence 3times in a row? 34% in Dec 2017, 34% in Mar 2018, 34% in June 2018. It’s not even funny. 🙁
@kolobingo said:
To God be the glory. Jesus is Lord.I have prevailed over the forces of evil and powers of the kingdom of darkness.
Psssed ACCA P5 at my 13 th attempt. I have really suffered and have been oppressed for more than 5 years. Jesus is Lord.
I have suffered shame, disgrace and pain in my life but God in His mercy has looked upon my affliction and had compassion on me.
Glory be to God who is all poerful.
Wow you passed at 13th attempt? Wow wow wow. What did you do differently to finally pass?
@mona1111 said:
Come on, most people who fail dont share , so dont believe every body are passing and you are the worse one. I failed in my 3rd attempt.So fed up but hard to give up when I look at all the money and time I spent on ACCA.Very true Mona, you are right. Hopefully in September I will succeed. I booked my resit, another £132 gone. I will only practise under timed conditions going forward and hopefully that will force my brain to not get bogged down with details too much and to see the overall picture quicker and draft up answer plans quicker.
@michelmichel said:
I can understand your frustration at the exam that took so much of your time and efforts. Funny as it may seem, but I went through an identical scenario with three papers – P1, P3 and P5. The material they all covered seemed so likeable and simple, yet I could not pass any of them at first attempt. And every time I was getting angry enough to resit without any revision or additional study. And it did work for all of these papers! At the resittings I could hardly remember the recommended analytical models, so I was just writing in a carefree manner whatever was popping up in my head. These are funny exams, really.. Thank God I am an affiliate now..!Is that how you passed your resits then? Without studying for them? You are lucky!
@jax4671 said:
I did the B question which I was the strongest on, then A then B, but stuck to the allocated times on each.Thank you and congrats on becoming an affiliate.