[Cathal]

“versus the fact I’ve worked very hard to get qualified, as have the other members on the team, why should this person gain the benefits of qualification having not achieved it.”

It’s interesting for sure. However depending on where you are based, an accountant may or may not be a protected profession. For example, there is no legal or otherwise requirement to be part of an accounting body in order to to practice accounting or describe oneself as “an accountant” in numerous EU states (UK (well EU till recenlty!), Ireland, many others I believe). So unless the person in question lied to get their role, or puts letters to signify membership of a body etc after their name without actual membership, they may not be doing anything wrong, and as such any flagging may prove at most merely embarrassing for the person, as opposed to inflicting any greater damage. And from the sounds of it, your employer may already know.

[Cathal]

@awogbod2 said:
Hi Cathal I’m so happy for you. You don’t have to sit ATX. The gamble was worth it. Best of luck on your career

Many thanks Deborah! It’s funny I had a post here in January where I had decided to give up APM for ATX despite being enrolled in APM classes – well I’m happy I didn’t now!!

Delighted to see you got there too – it’s that bit sweeter when you stick with it and persevere, well done! And best wishes for your career too, it’s now we will both get lift off with these exams down!

[Cathal]

passed 4th attempt, 62%. Up from 41% last time. The difference? Tuition. Learning how much to write per point (2 sentences), and how to pull numerous different albeit maybe similar or related points out of the scenario … a real skill. And that verb “evaluate” – bring in pros AND cons AND a conclusion/recommendation. Gives a framework for producing ideas and points. Also brief definitions of terms or descriptions of theory for 1-2 marks (only where the terms have not already been described in the scenario) – ONLY BRIEF! But easy 1 or 2 marks so make sure to get them..

I advise anyone who failed to do tuition – I used platinum school Accountancyschool. Wherever you choose, make sure you choose a reputed and experienced tutor, who you can get answers corrected to exam standard with feedback. I self-studied almost all papers, but for APM and SBL (similar to APM) I needed tuition.

[Cathal]

APM 62% & finished. Don’t have the elation I’d expected finishing, but I guess that will come when normality returns to life in some months.

For anyone failing APM or considering doing it, please take tuition, platinum school if possible. I went from 3 fails with highest of 41%, to now 62% by taking classes.

Anyone disappointed tonight don’t worry, if I made it in the end (with many bumps on the road), so will you 🙂

[Cathal]

People training in accounting practices in UK & Ireland will often do ACA/ICAEW. In industry, often ACCA. Exceptions exist in both however. ACA perhaps held in higher esteem in UK & Ireland, but less well known beyond that. ACCA has a good rep worldwide.

[Cathal]

@aeronstone it has a slightly worse pass rate.. only v slightly

AFM may be easier to pass in the sense that much of it is “right or wrong” – if you know the calculations, you get the marks. c. 50% of the AFM exam is typically calculations. What’s more, the narrative/qualitiative 50% is typically related to the calculations or similar and is again more “right or wrong” or “true or false” in nature

APM meanwhile is more high-level and wide-ranging. Similar to SBL. Some will breeze it with little study, others will fail it many times with all the study in the world, which shouldn’t be the case for AFM.

If you were good at F9/FM you’ll probably find AFM easier than APM. If FM was a nightmare, APM may be better.

[Cathal]

Just over 90 mins to go guys :/

Awaiting APM as many are I can see. Worried that CBE could have caught me with poor spelling and editing typing in such a rush without spellcheckers etc, but otherwise hopeful.

Fingers crossed for everyone!!

[Cathal]

I think ACCA have wisened to the previous theories of figuring out results prior to issuing. I suggest people don’t waste their and others time speculating/ trying to read into small interface changes which mean nothing.

Best of luck to all on Sunday/Monday

[Cathal]

As in do ACCA consider each students work experience while correcting their exam papers? No definitely not – would make the exam marking highly subjective and lacking any rigor or quality standards! For purpose of exams, all students are just a number (student number) on a page. Opportunities people get for work experience are very varying and unequal worldwide – exams attempt to counter this by trying to give everyone a level playing field (in so much as anything is “level”). We all have 3+ hours in a room to show what we can do.

Best of luck for next week 🙂

[Cathal]

Also waiting on a final result – APM. Very lucky I am as I very nearly waited to do Tax in June instead which of course is no more now! I changed my mind on which subject a hundred times, but got myself together to do APM, and thankful I did.

Quietly confident of passing too.. though I know APM can and does surprise people in a bad way. Plus CBE was strange – I’d imagine I have 500 spelling mistakes, just hope not so bad that answers are not understandable. I took platinum tuition which helped hugely in such a jargon-full subject. I strongly recommend anyone considering APM to do likewise – it’s not like a quantitative subject where you can self-correct answers and learn mistakes, it’s more a general approach, exam technique and time management test.

Looking forward to result but given the current situ, it certainly won’t be the elation I had expected should I pull it off. I’m sure it will be the same for all of us – some relief and short joy, before the return of the present stresses in this new world! We have all found things in a new perspective recently, and exam success will be another item on that list. But wishing everyone the best to have some welcome good news in these trying times 🙂

[Cathal]

I suspect good chance your April course will be moved to July or similar. No guarantee but would be odd to me if school insist on proceeding when there’s no June exam any longer.

It does give you the opportunity to do a second subject, be it a repeat or new one if you pass in a few weeks. I’d say take that opportunity only if your other life balances (work, family) allow you to – you’ll still have December exams so no need to rush either. Certainly doing a repeat with a new one is workable – but taking on 2 new ones in a single session is difficult, no matter how long you have to study for them.

I’m waiting on a final result so hope not to have to do any – will have the longer wait to next exam session if so!

[Cathal]

I think the advice above to start with SBR is smart, and immediately then AAA if you intend to do that option.

However I caution against doing SBL after APM – they have crossovers, but SBL is easier and has to be completed one way or another, so I advise to do SBL first. Its purely application based answers approach will serve well in APM. This was my experience anyway.

The other 2 options, Tax or AFM, are such specialist areas that no advantage or disadvantage taking them before or after SBR/SBL

Best of luck

[Cathal]

I think SBR then immediately AAA (if youre doing that option) is sensible.

However, if taking APM, I recommend SBL before APM – some crossover of material, but SBL is easier and will give you confidence for APM, it certainly helped mine. Plus have to do SBL, so may as well lead with obligatory paper.

If doing other options (Tax, AFM) makes no difference whether done before/after SBL/SBR.

[Cathal]

BPP have turned most Study Texts into Workbooks, so if this is what you refer to then yes.

The workbooks are a huge improvement in my opinion – shorter yet more than sufficient, more exam focused, questions as you progress through it etc..

[Cathal]

Certain to cause some disruption, can only speculate how much. Given some had to be canceled in March fairly last minute, wouldn’t surprise me if they made large scale cancellations and early to avoid losing costs on location bookings, etc. Plus the economies of scale they lose by fewer venues/locations (student fees) .
Watch this space…

[Cathal]

Also EVA of zero ha, was kind of like it must be right because would be toooo weird a coincidence (… Probably wrong actually ?)

Tough but fair paper. VBM part a, I doubt I had enough real matter to get anywhere near the marks on offer.. Plus Burns and Scappens:,Had some general waffle but lacked integration points I reckon.

Alas its done…. at least until next time ?

[Cathal]

It really depends where you are starting each subject from. Do you have good FR and FM knowledge from recent previous studies or work? They are both v large syllabuses and very different areas too.. Will take minimum 2 weeks to study each course full time (7/8 hours everyday). Then question practice and past papers etc. It’s doable as you only need 50% but even with no other commitments still a big ask in only 6 weeks, and I would base a decision on how comfortable you already are with the fundamentals of both subjects.

[Cathal]

Hi Awogbod,

Thanks for the above.

I think I’m going to go with Tax in June – I had half an idea to do “both” – APM in March then, if I fail, tax in June but the sheer volume of ATX means this is madness and not doable. So I’ll go for Tax – I’m desperate to qualify and the thought of waiting till December is too much. In the worst scenario I fail in June, I can try APM in September.. but not thinking of that..:)

Just out of interest, would your work colleagues have gone to Julie @ AccountancySchool? She does c. 100 hours tuition, phenomenal… It’ll be tough and I don’t love the subject, but I will grow to like it with repetition (and love it if I pass :))

Best of luck with APM!

[Cathal]

Honestly leaving a page or 2 between start of questions is very common practice (even encouraged). If you left 5 or 6 pages (for some strange reason) in between there would be some tiny small chance they didn’t see it, but even then they are very stringent in their corrections and especially if it was a whole question left unanswered they would surely make sure you hadn’t attempted it somewhere.

Unlucky about the mark, APM is a b**ch, I failed it 3 times..

[Cathal]

Yep the stress is bad. Annoying that the results used to come on Friday nights which I think we would all agree was much better – didn’t linger over you all weekend, and didn’t ruin the start of your next week if bad news arrives!

[Cathal]

Just read AFM Examiner’s Report from December – bloodbath incoming! Lower average scores than recent sittings. Was 50:50 before reading it… may have to get the notes out this weekend!!

[Cathal]

To update on the above, for anyone in Dublin/Ireland doing CBEs:

– The venue in question is “The Exam Centre”.
– They have confirmed to me via email all their screens are a whopping 22″ with 1980×1080 resolution
– The bad news: despite initially appearing as an option for me, when checking availability they then appear to not be running March Session CBE. They do on-demand all year, so I can only guess they appeared initially as an option by default. Pity, would really have struck gold, but no cigar.

[Cathal]

Hi Kim,

Thanks for the above – the linked pdf will prove useful no doubt.

I emailed much of the above qs to ACCA and they gave me a small vague one-liner (followed by a paragraph on how my fees are overdue!).

I understand there are standards applied to CBE exams but these are by their nature minimum standards – I’m interested in the unlikely scenario anyone has specific experiences to compare different exam centres against in Ireland.

For example I have found an exam centre here in Dublin that state they provide 19″ screens (2″ above minimum required 17″) and so I will likely go with them – even though the location is less convenient than another centre on whom I have no screen size info on.

[Cathal]

Hey all,

Thanks for your thoughts here. Very helpful!

With one week until results, I’ll be making a decision very shortly on whether to do CBE or paper in March (APM, maybe also AFM if have to repeat)

I feel more confident about the CBE – the above advantages seem to outweigh the manageable disadvantages.

However if anyone with CBE experience could answer some or all of the following questions, would further clear things up for me (and others new to CBE :))

1. If used multiple CBE exam centres, were all screen sizes roughly the same, little variation?
2. Was the chair a good quality computer/office chair? Or just basic chairs from exam halls of written papers?
3. Did you find computer smooth and fast(no lagging), mouse worked well, etc?
4. Did all workstations have partitions giving good space & privacy between students?
5. Do you have to arrive 1 full hour before start of exam? Think I read this somewhere, sounds like a pain to be hanging around so long.
6. I believe they provide paper & pen to do rough work on – is this the case and if so is it unlimited (within reason of course – just don’t want it to be limited to a couple of pages per student etc)

Lastly, if anyone has done CBE in Dublin Ireland, any recommendations on an exam centre to pick/avoid?

Thanks all 🙂 And best of luck to all receiving results in less than a week now 🙂

[Cathal]

Hi all

I am not based in London (Dublin, Ireland) but am due to sit CBE for first time and have the dilemma of choosing between a few different test centres. I contacted one location to ask for screen size but they told me they do not know, as they said ACCA will be providing the computers in March for the week, and the location will only be providing the room (and maybe chairs, etc). I am going to email ACCA and ask a few qs (eg whether they have data on screen sizes in each location in Dublin, whether all workstations have to have partitions between them, etc) but I am wondering can anyone tell me from their CBE experience (esp if used more than one CBE centre):

1. Were all screen sizes roughly the same, little variation? (seems to be the case from above users comment)
2. Was the chair a good quality computer/office chair? Or just basic chairs from exam halls of written papers?
3. Did you find computer smooth and fast(no lagging), mouse worked well, etc?
4. Did all workstations have partitions giving good space & privacy between students?
5. Do you have to arrive 1 full hour before start of exam? Think I read this somewhere, sounds like a pain to be hanging around so long.
6. I believe they provide paper & pen to do rough work on – is this the case and if so is it unlimited (within reason of course – just don’t want it to be limited to a couple of pages per student etc)

Still can’t work out whether move to CBE is a good or bad thing, but having reassurances on some of the above would help comfort the move 🙂

[Author]

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