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Hello, I have just signed up to this forum as I have quite a few questions I am looking for answers to.
Firstly about me, I am British, currently based in Wellington, New Zealand and looking to study for ACCA as a change in career. I had an established career as a professional geologist but there is no work so I am pursuing a new direction in Accounting.
I ruled out doing the CAT route as this has people starting with no skillset and I think I can go straight for working towards the full ACCA (eventually), although at this stage this is pretty daunting.
So, to my questions:
1) Which is best, free study text, Kaplan or BPP study texts (if so which?), or full learning packages.
My funds are limited, I need a cost effective solution so I have been looking at simply buying the study texts alone. Is this enough, in combination with using ACCA website’s exam guidance papers, for sitting exams? Learning packages seem very expensive, albeit cheaper than going to university.
Looking at study texts, Kaplan only seem to provide relevant material for up to the June 2015 exam sitting, which is pretty close. Would that text still be relevant for sitting the exam in December? If not, how do I get hold of the text that is? Is there a planned release date for more up to date materials?
From their website, I can’t see that BPP provide F1-F3 any longer and only seem to provide F4 onwards, what’s the deal with this?
2) Time frame
I am currently free to study full-time – how long would be reasonable to expect to complete F1-F3. For example, if I started next week, would I be able to sit the first one in June (even though registration is getting late) or would it be better to do all three in December.
3) Work Experience
At what stage can I begin to look for work and gain professional experience. Is this possible right from the start, after F3, or will it take until I have completed the entirety of the Knowledge and Skills modules (F9)? What sort of roles could I look for?
Hello fellow scientist. Let me assure you you are equipped to handle ACCA, so you were correct in foregoing CAT.
To answer your questions:
1. The best method is dependent on how you learn. When I was studying for my degree in Chemistry, I learnt to teach myself so self study was best for me. I used BPP as it was compiled in such a way that my scientific mind was able to wrap around the content. But choice of books is something you will have to experiment with. (I experimented with a Kaplan for what was at the time paper 1.3, current F1 and I got 50% which is my lowest mark at ACCA.)2. With the advent of CBE, timeframe is no longer an issue. You can study one each month and sit the exams one at a time by CBE or you can appear for paper in June or December. When I just started out, I did one paper in December 2006 and then did the next 2 in June 2007, but I was doing research full time as well as numerous teaching assignments. You have the time, so you could be ready by June, August at the latest if you put in the time.
3. You can gain experience right from the start if you are able to find an employer. I know persons who gained all their experience before they sat their first paper, having worked fresh out of high school and only beginning exams in their early 20s.
Hope this helps and I wish you all the best.
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