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Dear tutor,
I would like to ask for advice regarding my next move. I just failed P4 for the 5th time (40% fail) All previous attempts I failed at 46-48%. I attended online classes at BPP for the first 2 attempts (learning module as well as revision sessions both times). After that, I continued by myself, since I already had the material and the online resources available from the ACCA website. For this last attempt, I attended the revision course at Kaplan, which I hoped would help me improve my exam technique and clear out any areas I may have troubles with. That did not work either since I failed again.
I think it is pretty clear I have some issues with the subject and I am considering moving onto an area I may be more comfortable with. My initial plan when it came to choosing the options a couple of years ago was to take P5 and P7; however, I ended up taking P5 and P4 instead. I think it may be time to go back to my initial plan but I would like some expert advice before I make my final decision.
All of the other exams I passed the first time except P5, which I failed once, and of course this one.
I work full time with regular 9am-6pm and monthly busy periods for month end and forecasting (so the first 2 weeks of each month tend to be very busy, with late nights etc) but I make sure that does not affect my weekends.
Is it sensible to start over with a new paper or is it better to keep persevering with P4?
If I should go for P7, should I enrol into a full course as I have done for all my other papers? What is the best way to tackle P7?
I think that if I take P7 I should probably start studying soon but I am not likely to be able to sit the exam until either September or December (June is too soon as it clashes with half year at work, September would be ideal but I am worried about the summer holidays and the budgeting period getting the best of me so it may end up being December)Thanks in advance for your help and apologies for the very long message
Regards,
Marta
Oh Marta, what a sorry tale of woe that is 🙁
This sounds to me like a classic examination technique problem! It’s difficult to imagine taking an exam 5 times (particularly after paying for 3 courses) and coming out with a score of 40%
Think seriously about changing course mid-stream … is it the subject matter or is it a technique problem?
If it’s technique, we can work on that.
But if it’s the technical content of the paper, then maybe a switch would be justified
Have you written to John Moffat and asked his advice about where you may be going wrong with P4?
If you have already pretty well made your mind up about switching to P7 then consider this
Dependent upon the time you have available to devote to reading / studying on top of all your work commitments, I wouldn’t necessarily rule out June 2017 … but that depends on motivation and time available
I found, as a student, that when I had exams 18 months into the future I couldn’t get motivated enough “Oh, they’re not until next year – I needn’t start yet. Besides, I will have forgotten all the stuff that I learn now by the time the exam comes along”
If you have a target date for taking the June exam, that could put some ooomph into your approach
Here’s what I recommend to P7 students:
Don’t spend money on a study text!
Open a revision kit / exam kit from a reputable publisher and read it, from start to finish, question, answer, question, answer, question, answer, question, answ…. and keep doing that, reading the book from start to finish
When I say “read” that’s exactly what I mean. Don’t try to learn. Don’t try to memorise. Just read
Pay attention to the way in which the specific question requirement is addressed
Notice how many different points are raised in the answers
Reflect upon the professionalism of the answer
And read too:
examiner’s reports
the last 10 technical articles
my exam technique article on the P7 home page
the exam technique article on the P3 (yes, P3) home page “From a marker’s perspective” – this article repeats the advice from my own article but it may reassure you to know that the advice is not mine alone but is supported by no less a person than a member of the P3 marking team
But, most of all, read that book over and over again and again until 22 May and then post again for the remainder of the advice on how to tackle P7
OK?
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