I know the tutors on this site will probably slate me for this (stating that the examiner is totally fair and its all the student's fault for not answering his requirements properly) but I have been struggling with P5 for a while and this time around I did a revision course with First Intuition in London. At this revision course 100% of the class were of the opinion that the examiner's question requirements, under exam pressure, can seem completely bewildering and hard to breakdown.
The pass rates have slumped significantly since he took over as examiner, and to be quite fair I am annoyed that he has the gall to say "he's upset with this", pinning the blame on students. Surely it can't be the students fault every single sitting? With the constant deterioration of pass rates? Students study hard for this exam, and the content is interesting, why has the examiner turned this into a nightmare?? Surely an exam should be a test of content and understanding, not how well you can decode the question and demonstrate exam technique??
These are not stupid people sitting this exam and it is having a huge demoralising effect on people, I can definitely say it has on me as it is my final exam.
What does the examiner or the ACCA gain from this? The abysmal pass rates and disheartened current atudents of this exam are going to push students choosing their options to the other papers. Hence resulting in an over subscription to the other papers, then probably resulting in ACCA having to mark them harsher!
I am at the stage where I do not really care if I get told it's my problem and I "just need to study more concisely/improve my exam technique/read the question". Jobs in finance are getting tougher and tougher in terms of hours and its not easy to fit in studying for an ACCA.
This is for all those studying P5, I pretty much guarantee you there's hundreds of others doing this paper that are feeling the same as you do! I personally feel the exam was way better before the examiner took over and do not think he is a just or fair examiner at this level. I have a group of 30 people who feel the same way and will be writing a petition in to the ACCA after the December exam. It's not fair students have to suffer this way,
I have never heard such unanimous dislike for one examiner and similarity of grievance with an ACCA paper
P5 students, your not alone.
ACCA Forums
APMPass Rates & the P5 Examiner
I do not quite understand all the complaining either. I have only taken P5 once, but I thought it was a fair paper and fair marking. The difficult thing in P5 is to answer in correct way, but we have some very good advice threads in OT forum. I am sure I answered a bit off topic in some questions in the exam, but for me the markings seems quite ok, and credit must have been given for sensible answers even if they were not exactly like the model answer.
Icedawn I agree they should not lower the difficulty. However, you have to concede that since this new examiner has been put in place the pass rate has plummeted. Why is this?
Firstly, it is a change in style from being 70% calculations and 30% comment on those calculations to being provided with most of the calculations and expecting to comment. This makes it a words rather than numbers paper and most of the ACCA students are international with English as a second language.
Secondly and more important (I actually agree with the change in style) it is the presentation of the exam in particular the examiner's requirements.
For such complex questions he is not clear and mixes part of the requirements within the scenario (see q1 Dec 2014). In addition he awards marks for things that were not even asked Q4 Dec 2014 so it is very hard to judge how to plan answers particularly under exam conditions.
You should be marked on your knowledge and skills in the subjects involved in this Paper and not how best to understand what the examiner is wanting from you.
Just in case you think my reply is sour grapes for failing. I passed Dec 2014 at my first attempt.
Hi guys I think based on the majority of responses its time to write a letter against the ACCA. The papers at option level are written unrealistically across the board I feel. P5 however is the worst I feel, in terms of the way the questions are asked and material is examined. Please send your membership number and name to my inbox so i can print and attach to a letter to the ACCA.
Wat to do. June 15 would be my 6th attempt with P5. 45+ ALL the time.. twice at 49. Passed 13 papers by 2012.
Hasbi Allah...
11y ago#35CRO14, I feel your pain. However it is possible for you to pass this exam. Fight your technic and approach and you will force yourself into the minority that pass all the time
11y ago#36Student who are sitting for p5 exam surely passed most of ACCA paper's. Either other 15 Examiner's are idiot who allows all ACCA students to pass their paper or P5 Examiner is an idiot who is trying to proof that he is very smart by making it unrealistic for professional paper students.
Either way, students are the victim. I am a victim myself and sympathise with other who is failing the exam only because of in wrong timing.
It's just Hard exam, all Option P papers are at masters level, and have 40% or lower pass rates! I'm glad they're hard, makes the qualification worth it. Btw I passed with 57% last sitting.
11y ago#38you are right i totally agree with you
The examiner is purposely leaving traps and sly wordings for students to trip up on. In Q1 of June 2014 paper he refers to "estimated that half of the marketing spend of $7.638m is building the Cantor brand long term"
He has said estimate so firstly why would we use this as part of capital in the EVA calculation when the requirement doesn't make a reference to "estimated EVA" but just EVA. Students are thinking of exact and actual figures here.
Secondly in the heat of exam pressure "long term brand" isn't going to trigger anything in their minds about capitalisation.
His wording is terrible and leaves the majority of students baffled.
He is a horrible sadistic man
yeah.. failed P5 6 times including a 49... :/
100% agreed
I think ACCA is happy with his performance because the more he fails us the more we register and ACCA gets money.now they have introduced the seven year rule which will help them to keep us on their register and milk us dry.
The p5 examiner must go
Diabolical exam for me. Felt confused on what I was being asked and had major time constraints.
Defo failed, going to do P6 next time even though I have to pay for the material myself.
@seagoat said: Article from PQ magazine - a word from Examiner https://www.pqaccountant.com/pmag-FFFF0050018001D002171957.htmlWhat?
I support this petition 100%..I do not understand what the examiner is testing if he is not testing knowledge and understanding of syllabus content.
ACCA should come out clearly on this.It is demoralizing to keep failing after working so hard and to keep guessing what is being asked.
Do you mean to say that students who have sat for this paper 3 or more times still do not understand the content or have not acquired the knowledge?Most students also have 8-5 jobs and therefore have limited time to decode the examiner's coded language.The examiner should be made to understand that English is not everyone's first language.These cat and mouse games must stop.The ACCA exams are not becoming any cheaper either and it is another financial set back with every fail.I wish to be enjoined to this petition.
business, business, business...
After these years, students still don't get what he wants.
Then he should examine himself that did he tell us properly what he wants?
I'm not alone, we're in the same gang :(
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