Interview with Jiaming, Genius Hunt winner in Paper P5

Interview with Jiaming, Genius Hunt winner in Paper P5, who scored 75 marks in the June 2014 exam.

Please tell us in which country you live, and what work you do.

I live in Malaysia, but I am working as an account assistant in Singapore. My job is mainly about preparing financial statements for small and medium enterprises in Singapore.

If you are working, then do you get support from your firm?

My employer is very considerate and she allows me to work part time while studying full time. She also grants me unpaid leave for one month before exam so that I can fully focus on the exam.

Which study resources did you use?

I have attended P5 tuition course in LSBF Singapore. Besides LSBF lecture notes, I also use both BPP revision kit and Opentuition notes.

Having scored such high marks, many students are asking – what approach did you use to your studying?

P5 is a highly application module. You need to have good knowledge and good exam skill to pass this paper. I try to finish the whole syllabus once before start to attempt past year questions. As many topics of P5 overlaps with P3, I took both exam together and these 2 subjects actually complement each other and save time in revision. I also revise concepts from F5 as I took this paper many sittings ago and this actually helps in one of the question regarding planning and operational vaiance in the P5 exams. My conclusion is comprehensive coverage of the syllabus is very important.

How much time each week did you spend studying?

As P5 content is not huge compared to my another paper in the same sitting (P3), I only spend around 3 hours per week  for self studying excluding the time going to tuition (3.5 hours per week).

How important do you regard the practicing of past exam questions?

For P5, practicing past year paper by the current examiner is very important to pass this paper as you can get a feel on the examiner’s style.

How did you find out about OpenTuition, and which OpenResources helped you towards your success?

Opentuition provide a clear and concise notes and video lectures that help me to reinforce on important areas that are necessary for passing the exam. Learning make easier with opentuition.

Do you have any advice to students who failed this paper more than once?

1. Do revise F5 well as most people would have forgotten knowledge learn in F5 by the time they attempt P5. Knowledge from F5 is useful in answering some questions.
2. Content wise P5 is not huge but it test mainly on application of knowledge. Try to maximise information given in scenario and try to apply them when answering. When answering question, try to quote the case name in scenario even that you are just writing a general point. Keep your answer concise as time is always an enemy in the P5 exam.
3. Do not over-rely on exam tips as this can contribute to exam failure.
4. Never give up. Perserverance is important in all ACCA exams.

And finally, what would you say was the most important factor in achieving your success?

I would say studying hard is the most important factor. My P5 lecturer guidance on ways to answer P5 exam questions do contribute to achieving the success as well.