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Ever so often a member will ask the question: “Can I self study for my exams?” The simple answer is YES, but I will delve a little further
ACCAs perspective
ACCA provides students with all the tools necessary for preparing for examinations.
1. Each subject has a comprehensive syllabus to guide students in what needs to be learned and in knowing where the examiner is going to go.
2. Recommended textbooks, provided by Approved Learning Partners. These books are reviewed by ACCA to ensure the content required for the subject is covered sufficiently so that candidates may gain a grasp of the relevant knowledge required.
3. Access to past examinations papers, with the exception of F1 – F3 (since these are multiple choice and the questions form part of an exam databank). In addition to the past papers, the suggested answers are also presented for students to use as part of the preparation.
These tools if used sufficiently well by students should be sufficient to allow students to self study. For my part that’s what I did, as I only went to tuition for 4 courses so that I would form the necessary contacts in the accounting profession for when I decided to make the transition.Additional Resources
Some persons may identify that they will not be able to self study for various reasons, including but not limited to
i. a difficulty in grasping the material without assistance
ii. not having the perseverance, drive or discipline to self study
iii. trying to ensure they utilise all avenues available to improve the chances of obtaining passes
iv. not being able to set aside time otherwise for preparation
Where this is the case, there are additional resources available to assist in preparing for examinations
1. Kits: many learning providers make available exam preparation kits which contain questions and answers (past examination questions as well as questions specifically written to reinforce a topic). These are useful tools if used correctly to assist in preparation under exam conditions and to apply concepts which have been presented in texts
2. Audio cds: these bring the textbook information into an abridged audio format, enabling students to learn on the go.
3. Interactive cds: presenting questions for students to answer and providing immediate feedback. This can be useful especially where material needs to be reinforced using short questions.
4. Flash cards: just liek the audio cds, these provide the relevant content in an abridged form so that one can study on the go.
Tuition
Many individuals and entities may offer classes to ACCA students. While some have been found to be quite good, great care must be taken in the choice of tuition/content providers. Tuition may be taken in several ways and these are some of the most popular:
1. Face to face contact: weekly contact with students over the course of approximately 3 to 4 months with a tutor providing syllabus coverage
2. Workshops: some content providers offer courses that last a few sessions. These tend to be intensive all day sessions with much content being covered in a short period of time
3. Revision classes: these tend to be held closer to examinations and are sued to reinforce information the student is supposed to have learned during the period. Much like the workshops, they are intensive but will have less of a teaching element as the focus is generally on exam preparation
4. Online/distance learning: several tuition providers offer online and distance learning solutions for students. These tend to allow the student the feel of a classroom setting whenever and wherever they want, especially with the advent of tablet pcs.Summary
In summary then, it is possible to self study for all examinations in ACCA. The choice a student makes will depend on several factors (listed above but not exhaustive). My motto has always been that “others have done it and so can I. No one is smarter than me” and based on this philosophy I have managed quite well.About me
My first degree is in Chemistry. I had never studied accounting or any other business subject before attempting ACCA. I had no exemptions when I started and at the time I was pursuing a graduate degree in chemistry as well as holding several science teaching posts. My days were long, but I still made time to study consistently, after all, I could not be encouraging my students to do the same with their science studies while not living what I preached.
I self studied for all 14 examinations. Although I did tuition for F6, F7, F8 and P7, these were merely done for networking purposes as I knew no one in the accounting field. I ensured I was always ahead of the teacher.
I am now an ACCA member and looking to conquer other challenges.Truely inspiring story alkemist and a much needed motivating thing for the students intending to do self study and thank you for sharing your experience
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I cannot add to what you have said. I am also doing self study even though I wish I attended classes but circumstances do not allow. Its not easy though and requires dedication and sacrifice, but I think its worth it all the same.
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A very thorough and encouraging answer to a question that is asked often. I am self-studying myself and have completed up to P1.
Having now completed all your exams (congratulations!), looking back, which do you think was the hardest?
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Very encouraging words, i wanted to give up but u have helped me to continue.
Thank you so much and Congratulations for achieving your set goalWow!!!! I am SO impressed with you! Thanks for sharing that with us. It is very inspiring for me and you sound very hard working, determined and intelligent. Good luck for the future (though you don’t need that).
A very inspiring story that in some areas I can myself relate to.
I have self-studied ACCA since 2010 – From the age of 37 years old, and I am now into my last four ‘P’ exams (I have worked in Accounts and Audit since 17 years old!)
At June 2013 sitting, I sat my first ‘P’ exams, and I thought I was confident in ‘P1’ so sort of drifted away from this subject at the latter stages of revision to concentrate on ‘P2’, a subject I was struggling with.
When results came in August, I passed P2 with flying colours and failed P1 with 44!!
So my only additional advice (going from my own experience) would be to say never assume you are too confident with a subject, and give equal time to all of them.
Very best of luck to all of us!I have self studied all the way except for one attempt at BPP tuition that I felt was very poor
I get a BPP study text, question book, then use the net, same approach for each exam I have passed, I am now at the final paper stage
I think self studying you tend to LEARN how to be an accountant, you have no idea what might be in the exam, and shouldnt be worrying, you should concern yourself with understanding the theories that an accountant needs to know for a successful career
Taught tuition (BPP, Kaplan) teaches you how to pass exams. They tell you what “will” be in the exam, and what “wont”, of course they dont really know, its just reasoned guesses, and quite a dangerous technique
this is my opinion of course
I got qualified long time back and I did 75% of my ACCA on self study. All other qualification, I gained after that, I got it through self study. You don’t need classes for everything.
I too am now self studying. Yes, there are questions from the past exams and their respective answers that are freely available. So most of the ACCA exams can be seen as to be set in a similar pattern and therefore yes you can self study. You really don’t need to have a tutor for ACCA. I say sometimes that students just go to universities and colleges not neccessarily to learn but to find friends and socialize.
I also recommend that if you can’t do self study alone maybe because you aren’t determined or don’t have the “drive” then you can find a few similar friends who sit the same papers as you and do GROUP self study. It really helps
For those who self study, how do you plan it? I’ll be taking 3 papers F5, F7 and F9 for June 2014 sitting.
I’m going to self study with BPP book and kit and OT Notes + lectures. How do you guys do it?Like watch lectures and read notes first, then read book and work past papers or read book first, then watch lectures and work past papers…?? Would be nice to have an idea of what most students do 🙂
Well done alkemist.
I don’t have an academic background and probably the I.Q of a haggis, in fact I’m a carer for disabled folks in Northern Scotland. I need a change as i’m 42 years old and previously never had the confidence to train for any other work due to illness all through my twenties. Care work was ‘just there’ as it were, plus I was i’ll through my late teens well into my twenties, so any job had to do to pay the mortgage and fill my belly, as it were.
I found this site a few minutes ago and upon reading the testimonials, was very pleasantly surprised to read that many folks have studied on this site and not bothered with BPP/ Kaplan ( Kaplan ACCA-which I was about to sign up to).
As you say alkemist, other people have passed so why not me. They say there is a 1:6 chance of dying whilst climbing Everest, but many folks are ‘dying’ to get there. I think with hard work, there is a better chance of passing ACCA and without the cost or frostbite for survivors !
Look forward to speaking to other ‘intrepid explorers’ in a similar situation. ATBI self study and it has been an amazing but also a horrible experience.
Amazing – to learn and study a great qualification, which is well respected. Learning how to learn now I find picking things up a lot easier. The money saved has been huge. Typical taught and revision class is £1,000 over 14 exams this is £14,000
Horrible – to find out how important exam technique is (e.g writing small sentences can mean you pass/fail) putting in the hours and then failing on small things like the way you present your answer.
The additional time taken to learn and having to make up your own rules and techniques. Having to start a month earlier to take time to make your own notes.
I taught myself all the way up to my final 2 exams P5 and P6 if I pass these in February then I am fully qualified. So in short It is possible to teach yourself but it will be more painful, but the techniques you will learn a long the way, discipline, reduced risk of paying for poor teacher will serve you well for the rest of your life!
excellent. can i please have your personal email id which you can send to my id chella99@gmail.com so that i can converse with you please ??
thanks in advance..
chellamani
I have done all subjects by self-study with the exception of one (which ended up being my lowest mark)…so yes you can definitely do it yourself but you must be self-disciplined! 🙂 Good luck to everyone!
That is definitely an encouraging post! Thanks so much for sharing such an educational experience.
I am trying to… May I know probably where you all get the textbook, notes, etc for self study?
I am inspired and challenged at the same time with your story. It is indeed a piece of the art showing how could someone conquer its ambition thru and perhaps by self motivation, dicipline, dedication and hardworks.
Just a quick question to anybody from this friendly community. Does it possible to pass the exam with just having opentuition helpful materials alone as your source of study? Or did anyone had passed the exam already with the help of open tuition only? I am at point of confusion right now whether to buy my books either from BPP or Kaplan which are very expensive as we all know or to depend entirely with my success with open tuition.
I am in my mid 30 right now, recently registered with acca and opentuition and awarded with 3 exemptions ( f1,f2,f3 ) with 3 children and work fulltime operative job. My finances is realy floating just my belt every single month and its really a big matter to me to handle such expense/extra outgoing like this.
So, with your honest encouragements and advices base on your own personal dealings before this would give me more options or perhaps allowing me to be inspiredly taking the less expensive way to become a qualified acca member in due time, which you have taken already as I supposed.
Your very much welcome to link with me by all means many thanks in advance for your valuable advices and suggestions.
Many thanks,
Jay
Jay
No one in this thread will give you a balanced and reasoned argument, everyone is clearly pro self study.
Sure, like.this thread claims, you can pass acca exams with just self study. But this statement doesn’t help anyone. I have self studied for the first 5 exams but for December 2014 I will attend classes. The content in the remaining F level exams look straightforward and includes content I studied at university, much like the F exams I have completed already. However it’s pretty clear to me that the key to success is exam technique. The exams are fairly time pressured. A lot of people look at the exam paper favourably during the 15 minutes reading time but opinions change quickly one those 3 hours are over. Reading the paper, approaching the question, preparing a plan, efficiently converting plan into an answer and presenting it to the marker in a clear and logical format. This is a skill that can be developed in 2 ways. Trial and error through self study of text book, open tuition lectures and practice questions in the exam kit. People spend hours on this combination yet still fall short when comparing results to effort. The content is there in the material but there is a lack of skill in how to apply it. Trial and error will help develop this skill but without the feedback and engagement of a classroom, it will take an incredibly long time.
Read the study text, attend classes and learn from a qualified tutor, with knowledge and methodologies developed by completing the qualification, working in industry and teaching many students of varying ability. Trial and error still applies but the rate at which you will learn, improve and apply is almost instant compared to only finding out 2 months after sitting the exam. Using an exam kit on its own won’t achieve the same results. How much can you improve comparing practice questions written in exam conditions to a textbook answer that took double the time, using twice as many words? The answer is very little. The answers aren’t geared towards showing the student how to incrementally gain the marks bit rather a blanket, cover all list of possible responses.
It goes without saying that classes aren’t a magic bullet and you still need to put extra hours in covering material independently. Time is being used more efficenctly, less focus on learning the study text, most of which will never be examined, more energy in how to pass the exams.
I find it incredibly amusing that purple here look down on students and approved education providers. Many seem to think self study produces a qualified accountant with better knowledge. All I know for certain is they will take longer to complete their exams and score lower on average than a course attender.
Maybe there are fewer gaps in their knowledge but there is so much material on this qualification you will never ever use in a working environment. Give me the critical thinking skills, methodology in approaching different situations and the ability to communicate effectively with anyone.
Two things that constrain almost everyone when deciding what route to take; time and money. Restricting one in preference of the other will ultimately effect your results and as we all know there are other ways to measure your performance than simply pass or fail.
Thank you guys for your encouraging words.
I decided to start ACCA as self study.
I belong from a different background as I’m a medical doctor…(if I can help, do not hesitate to contact me)
Anyway, I’d wish to give a spin to my career as realise a business project healthcare based for which I find ACCA appropriate.Can I please ASK you what is the best or reccomended texbook?
Is it true Kaplan are the best?
What would you suggest me?
Please help!
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