ACCA with open tuition (self study)

Good Day All,

I want to thank open by heart for the support I got and would like to share my story for that. I’m not good in creative writing so readers please have this in your mind while reading.

I started pursuing ACCA when I was in my 1st year of college ( regular college, not distance learning). I decided to do self-study and followed it throughout my qualification. I used Kaplan study text and Kit for all my exams.

I started my ACCA Qualification with F3(FA) as I had a very good basics in the subject accountancy. I dint have to learn anything else than consolidation to study in that paper and it took me 2 days to go through the text and kit and I passed with 81%. That was when I gained confidence and I took the qualification seriously. I set a target of completing my ACCA Qualification before my bachelor’s degree.

Then I took FR as I had good basics it took me not more than 2 weeks to prepare for the paper. To be honest I did not complete the portions nor did I do the exam kit fully. It was majorly common sense that helped me in this exam (and the confidence and self belief my brother gave me when I was crying on the day before the exam in fear to absent myself for the exam). With god’s grace I passed with 64%.

All the accountancy papers were over in the F level which means it was time I have to learn a new subject where I don’t have a foundation from prior studies. I decided to take FM. It was an interesting subject ( as I love math the working capital and investment appraisal chapters were complete joy for me). But I wasted a long time having fun with maths and doing unnecessary derivations for the formulas which would be given in the formula sheet (which only helped in wasting the already short time I had). I did not understand forex and business valuations very well and unfortunately failed the exam with 47.

After that I decided to take MA (f2) from which I started using open tuition. I saw most of the lectures from open tuition and dint study the text book. I went through the kit and as I was on my semester holidays, it only took me 7 days to complete this paper and I passed the paper with 78%. Thankyou John Moffat sir for helping me pass this paper as your lectures were the major reason I passed it in a very short time.

Then I decided to take PM(f5) and with the MA knowledge PM was very much easier to handle. I passed with a 59%. I did the study text and section A and section B from the exam kit (I did not have time for doing the section C questions but I strongly recommend as it is essential. I suffered structuring the section C answers in the exam which would have not been the case if I had done the kit).

Then after that I had to retake FM. This time I used open tuition for foreign exchange and business valuations chapter. Thanks again to John Moffat sir. Something to note here is though I was good in concepts I did not have time to solve the kit. I did not even see through the kit but fortunately passed with a 51%. To get a comfortable pass, the exam kit is crucial is what I learnt.

Then I took AA(f8) for which I learnt all the concepts and I learned the process of audit end to end from my brother (he is an ACCA too). I studied the risk and ethics chapter and went through some of the other chapters but dint study the text fully. But this time I spent a lot of time with the exam kit as I was preparing for the paper in less than 3 weeks. Fortunately passed the exam with 64 marks. (practice kit is key to pass this exam).

I was left with Taxation and I choose international taxation( I don’t have any reasons for this choice honestly). This is the ACCA exam that took me longest to prepare. I took notes completely for all the lessons and did 75% of the exam kit. It took me 50 days to prepare for this paper. As what you work for pays you, this is the subject I scored the highest in skill level exams. I passed with 78% ( but also this is my least favourite subject as I was praying to get through this). I decided not to choose ATX no matter what.

Long story short, after that I took SBR and passed with a 50% (yeah dot pass! Praise the lord). I understood all the concepts well but I did not do my exam well due to poor time management. I only attended for 65 marks in the exam.

While waiting for my SBR results, I decided to take corporate law (f4) exam. I solely used open tuition for this paper. Thank you Mike sir for helping me pass this exam! (@Mike sir – I still remember some of the examples you gave in you lecture for a few concepts. It was very engaging to learn from you though law is not a subject I like). It was his lectures that I used and I studied the exam kit selectively. I prepared for this exam in one week and I passed with 64%.

after that I took AAA and I used the free resources in you tube of sir Kashif Kamran. I passed the exam with 55 marks. Again, I was able to only attend for 75 marks in the due to poor time management. The key to pass this is exam is getting your brain trained to read big questions and be clear on what the question is asking. The exam kit helps for this.
While waiting for AAA results I studied for AB (f1) and took the exam. believe me or not, though it is the exam with the highest pass percentage in the knowledge level, it took me the longest to study (among the knowledge level exams) as it was full of theory and things have to be remembered.
Lastly, I decided to take SBL and AFM in one sitting and I dint have much preparation time. I was initially in a dilemma whether I can do it but I went for it though I just had 40 days in total to study for both from scratch.
For SBL I used Hassan Dossani sir’s free resources on you tube and his notes. I used all the resources from the ACCA website to know what the professional skills are , and how it is marked and also to understand how to approach the exam and what mistakes students commonly make. I did not use the study text or the exam KIT. I read and attempted the Past exam questions. For SBL preparing your mind to read long texts and draw conclusions or outcomes from that by connecting 2 dots is crucial as the questions are usually big and it is difficult to answer the questions without deviating from the “asked” question.

For AFM I completely saw all the lectures of open tuition and read only selective chapters from the text book. I did selective questions from the kit as I did not have the time to solve it in full. I would have covered 50% of the exam kit roughly.
I can’t thank John Moffat sir enough by any way.

I was not able to complete both the exams for 100 marks. I attended SBL for 80 marks (im not talking about the technical marks, I left a 15 mark question unanswered) and I attended AFM for 65 – 70 marks approximately.

With the blessing of all my loved ones and with god’s grace, I passed both the exams. I got 53 in AFM and 55 in SBL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH TEAM OPEN TUITION

Not only your lectures but forums helped me stay motivated and have a community to share thoughts with.
Today I can proudly say I have accomplished my dream of becoming an ACCA affiliate before completing my bachelor’s degree and I’m a professionally qualified at 20 yrs of age.
I did not go to any tuition classes as my brother believed I’m capable of doing self-study and motivated me. But my choice of doing self-study would not have been possible without open tuition team and other free resources in you tube and ACCA’s prepare to pass webinars.

Thanks again!