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Comparing Pass Rates

Forums › ACCA Forums › General ACCA Forums › Comparing Pass Rates

  • This topic has 17 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 4 years ago by sabrina006.
Viewing 18 posts - 1 through 18 (of 18 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • April 20, 2016 at 6:20 pm #311942
    Anonymous
    Inactive
    • Topics: 29
    • Replies: 429
    • ☆☆☆

    Why are ACCA’s pass rates much lower than CIMA and ICAEW?

    ACCA March 2016 exam pass rates: F5 39%; F6 44%; F7 51%; F8 41%; F9 41%; P1 50%; P2 47%; P3 48%; P4 38%; P5 33%; P6 44%; P7 30%

    ICAEW PROFESSIONAL MARCH RESULTS
    Audit & Assurance 80.9%
    FA & Reporting 87.4%
    Tax Compliance 82.8%
    Business Planning Tax 76.2%
    Business Strategy 90.3%
    Financial Management 84.9%

    The CIMA OT overall exam pass rates: E1 87%; P1 65%; F1 83%; E2 92%; P2 68%; F2 69%; E3 77%; P3 72%; F3 71%

    CIMA February case study exam: Operational 62%; Management 64%; Strategic 56%

    What are the reasons for the big difference between the pass rates?

    April 20, 2016 at 6:50 pm #311948
    Duc Hung
    Member
    • Topics: 14
    • Replies: 66
    • ☆☆

    Maybe ACCA is more well-marketed so more students taking exams, especially in emerging markets and so pass rates are lower.

    For other programs, less people probably know them so only elite or committed students taking exams and so pass rates are higher

    That’s one of the possibilities.

    April 20, 2016 at 7:18 pm #311957
    MikeLittle
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 27
    • Replies: 23300
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    Why not address your question to ACCA?

    April 20, 2016 at 7:30 pm #311959
    Anonymous
    Inactive
    • Topics: 29
    • Replies: 429
    • ☆☆☆

    I just did, after your suggestion.
    The discrepancy between the pass rates is immense.
    I am curious.

    April 20, 2016 at 7:43 pm #311961
    Ehsan
    Participant
    • Topics: 43
    • Replies: 420
    • ☆☆☆

    It is obvious why ICAEW’s pass rate is higher…

    ACCA is everywhere almost so there is a great diversity in student capabilities.

    Unlike ACCA, ICAEW student MUST work in APPROVED EMPLOYER and its not easy to find approved employer outside ENGLAND. Most of the Approved employer Requires students NOT to fail one paper so many times, if they fail they will probably lose their job. (Same like ICAP ICAB ICAI you cant find approved employer outside their respective countries) Though you can find ICAEW employer in Middle East but isnt easy.

    ICAEW students you can say are more inclined in passing papers within particular attempt.

    Secondly many students gain exemption either through degre or other qualification like ACCA to enter in CIMA/ACA and they do have proper prior knowledge.

    In ACCA every paper is new for MOST.

    Regards

    April 20, 2016 at 7:45 pm #311962
    Anonymous
    Inactive
    • Topics: 29
    • Replies: 429
    • ☆☆☆

    What about CIMA when compared to ACCA?

    April 20, 2016 at 7:47 pm #311964
    Ehsan
    Participant
    • Topics: 43
    • Replies: 420
    • ☆☆☆

    @suf23 said:
    What about CIMA when compared to ACCA?

    Many studens gain exemption for CIMA on basis of degree or other qualification. They also have enough prior knowledge.

    And again CIMA isnt widely kown as ACCA.

    April 20, 2016 at 7:57 pm #311965
    Anonymous
    Inactive
    • Topics: 29
    • Replies: 429
    • ☆☆☆

    @Ehsan
    thanks for the insight.

    April 20, 2016 at 8:01 pm #311968
    Ehsan
    Participant
    • Topics: 43
    • Replies: 420
    • ☆☆☆

    Welcome.

    There can be many other reason though.
    These are ones I can think of

    Regards

    April 21, 2016 at 7:20 am #312009
    Robert
    Member
    • Topics: 58
    • Replies: 175
    • ☆☆☆

    Cima’s exams are all computer based now

    I expect when accas go to cbe their exam pass rates will improve

    April 21, 2016 at 2:15 pm #312086
    Anonymous
    Inactive
    • Topics: 29
    • Replies: 429
    • ☆☆☆

    @Robert
    so, it’s not that CIMA exams are easier than ACCA exams?

    April 21, 2016 at 3:36 pm #312102
    accaurate stewdent
    Member
    • Topics: 3
    • Replies: 15
    • ☆

    An enlightening revelation – I too would certainly welcome comment from ACCA to rationalise this.

    That said, I feel the letters ‘ACCA’ are hard won, certainly highly respected in the industry and obviously part of that stems from maintaining high standards of knowledge. – whether other accounting bodies do this or not.

    April 21, 2016 at 10:50 pm #312133
    Robert
    Member
    • Topics: 58
    • Replies: 175
    • ☆☆☆

    @suf23 said:

    @Robert

    so, it’s not that CIMA exams are easier than ACCA exams?

    Look what happened to the F4 pass rate when that went computer based

    April 22, 2016 at 5:30 am #312151
    magsila12
    Member
    • Topics: 0
    • Replies: 1
    • ☆

    The ACCA has released the exam results of the first-ever March sitting. In all some 87,300 students entered the sitting, sitting 108,016 papers.

    The March F7 exam stands out with a healthy 51% pass rate. P1 candidates achieved a 50% pass rate too.

    The overall results (see below) show six paper pass rates are up on the December 2015 sitting, five are down and one stays the same.

    While three optional paper pass rates rose (when compared to December) the current rates still mean just over 1 in 3 candidates are passing these papers. Which is ‘terrifying’, according to one PQ.

    Dr Mary Bishop, ACCA’s director of learning, said: “Pass rates in most exams have at least remained steady and we are pleased to see improvements in almost all the Professional level exams.”

    She felt students are still adapting to the rigour of the combined breadth and depth of the skills exam format.
    70-410 Dumps

    April 22, 2016 at 1:53 pm #312211
    Anonymous
    Inactive
    • Topics: 29
    • Replies: 429
    • ☆☆☆

    @Deborah
    Do you think ACCA’s exams are the most challenging out of all the accounting qualifications i.e. CIMA?

    April 2, 2021 at 1:11 am #615718
    GeorgeB169
    Participant
    • Topics: 2
    • Replies: 12
    • ☆

    I’m not sure if I’m buying this.
    The ACA is purportedly more difficult than the ACCA…
    Albeit we see 30-40% pass rates.

    Booking an ACCA exam costs £130 (I’m unsure of the lower/higher levels…)
    I sometimes have a feeling that they’re trying to rip you off.

    Compare it to the CFA pass rates, notoriously know for its demanding syllabus; students spend 300+ hours on it and it is still manage to keep the pass rates from 49%-55%…
    compare that to the ACCA Performance Management or Audit and Assurance; 39%-40% for PM and AA 36%…

    Being demanding and expecting students to know a wide range of topics within one subject is perfectly expected. I no longer take failing an ACCA exam personally, as I am confident in my intelligence levels

    April 3, 2021 at 2:16 pm #615839
    mahimhossain
    Participant
    • Topics: 4
    • Replies: 74
    • ☆☆

    GeorgeB169 wrote:Why are ACCA’s pass rates much lower than CIMA and ICAEW?

    if you think acca pass rate is lower , you will be in a shock when your hear ICAI and ICAB passrates.. those are mostly below 15%.

    April 8, 2021 at 2:35 am #616298
    sabrina006
    Member
    • Topics: 8
    • Replies: 49
    • ☆☆

    and CPA canada has 90% pass rates, CPA USA has almost 70% pass rates.
    Only ACCA has 30-40% pass rates in average

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