Marking Scheme

I did P5 in Dec’13 and failed. Of course I remember what I did in the exam and after reading the answers I realized why I failed. About half or marks were allocated on pure theory knowledge where where is no wiggle room. Another half on application of that theory which is again your ideas should be in line with what examiner wants to hear. In my case I could not see any markers discretion and considerations of “tricky questions” on marking my paper. All was marked strictly to ACCA model answer.
Just my opinion of P5 Dec’13 session.

I don’t feel they give any credit where there is any doubt, otherwise how would you explain such shocking pass rates?

You see the issue with ACCA is one of ‘speed’. It is almost impossible to complete the papers because of unrealistic time pressure. And not content with making us grow grey hairs trying to write at breakneck speeds (that would put Usain Bolt in a daze), they make the examiners speed read your answers. I think the whole system is foolish

Think about it? try and read a whole chapter in a book within 5mins and see how much of the information you actually absorb? The answer is very little. And why would you need to? I’ve been working for 3 years in varying Accounting/Finance roles and people in the workplace generally have time to do quality work (unless you are doing junior or administrative roles). Never have I been told, I need you to prepare an NPV appraisal in 5mins. No! In actual fact, you take your time, gather information and research accordingly.

Quality is surely more important than speed, and ACCA ought to know this.

I wholeheartedly agree with a lot of the comments on here.

I think ACCA should make available your exam scripts within MyACCA (even if it didnt allow you to print them out). At least then you would see for yourself exactly what you did (or didnt) do right in the exam.

I have always held the stance that “a pass is a pass” and as long as I pass Im not really bothered whether I score 50% or 99%, but on some of my results I have sometimes thought “I was sure I would have scored higher”. It would just be nice to look over the papers after results are issued, after all, we paid to sit the exam!

And above all else, as long as the results are issued, there surely cant be a security issue with releasing your scripts – the questions and model answers are already published on the internet anyway?

However, rant over, I think we will all just have to put up and shut up, I dont think there’s anything any of us can do to change ACCA’s stance on this 🙂

Very best of luck everyone.

To play devils advocate I think ACCA have their reasons for not releasing scripts;

In an ideal world they would release scripts and this would provided transparency, and everything would be hunky dory. But we all know that wouldn’t be the case! With every other student querying their papers and disputing their results, that would cause mayhem!!!! Think of the administrative burden, and ultimately you and I would have to pay for this (as if being a student isn’t already expensive enough!!!!!!).

No doubt if you’ve put in the time and are truly capable, you should have faith the system will reward you. It is laughable that anyone would ever think that ACCA would conspire against their students. To do so they would be cutting of their nose to spite their face, and I think they are a lot smarter than that!

Also think about the unnecessary pressures that would be exerted on markers if they know they could ultimately be exposed and hounded in this current age of twitter, Facebook, opentuition.lol. Again their premiums would go up, and you and I would foot the bill (as if being a student isn’t already expensive enough!!!!!). In addition,this would also result in them taking a more cautious approach and giving marks where they aren’t fully merited, which would lead to more students passing, and ultimately that would dilute the worth of the qualification.

I’ll be the first to admit the exams are tough, but they are so for a reason. A pass must be merited, and that is only fair. I remember when I failed P7 at the last sitting, I was gutted and wanted to blame everyone but myself. Work didn’t give me the requisite time off!!! That was theeeee hardest sitting in years!!! The paper was impossible to finish in 3 hours!!! Why does the Dec sitting have to be so close to my birthday??? They are all out to get me!!! BLAHDY, BLAHDY, BLAH. Ultimately I had too face the man in the mirror.

Finally, how often do you think that someone has been failed when they didn’t deserve to be in the eyes of the marker? I’d say a fraction of a percentage! And as Accountants a simple cost benefit analysis would illustrate the costs would outweigh the benefits a hundred if not a thousandfold.

ACCA continue in you dictatorial ways (you have my blessing).lol