General ACCACan I self study? The answer is yes

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.