Cima - Distance Learning

Fee

Hi

Its taken me 6 months to make up my mind but I have finally decided that I will study for CIMA - there goes my social life

I have been looking at FTC Kaplan & BPP for distance learning and they both seem to be quite good distance providers but I have not done any distance learning before and do not know anyone who has studied CIMA.

Has anyone out there used FTC or BPP for CIMA? I know everyones experience will be different but I dont want to just pick one because they had better "blurb" in their brochures :laugh:

Thanks

NeilH

Hi

I did the early part of my CIMA studies by distance learning, but followed the up with revision courses prior to the exam.

Home study can be a very flexible way of learning, but it can also be a little more time consuming since it takes longer to initially cover a subject by reading a book than it does in a classroom. In light of this you would be best starting you studies with plenty of time before the exam. Draw up a study schedule and stick to it.

Any questions, just ask...

Neil

SandyHood

Fee
Good luck with your studies.
I've run taught classes for CIMA in Chichester for almost 10 years.
Occassionally I have revision classes elsewhere, but all the Chichester full-course CIMA classes have 2 (occassionally 3) days revision after the taught sessions.
If you would like to join the class just for the revision days, please contact me. (As our revision days are October or May and Chichester is surrounded by holiday towns, finding local accommodation in Bed and Breakfast is not difficult)

We also run 4-evening courses. These do not cover the whole syllabus for the two units (P4 and P5), but they are popular. Essentially everyone on the course is a distance student working through the text and exercises, but as accountancy students have a natural propensity for numbers and are keen to avoid words, then having to come into college, and talk to other students and having 4 classes on the key topics imposes a discipline onto the studying. Putting the books on one side is more difficult when you have to see other students in a few days time.

Fee

Hi

I have been thinking about a study plan and have decided that although I will register with CIMA this year, I will not take my first exams until May 2009 and plan on taking 2 exams at each sitting - I dont' want to stress myself with 3 exams in the first year:crying: My biggest worry is my lack of discipline when it comes to home study so a plan is a MUST:thumbup: and good tutor support.

I have looked at revision courses available in my area and only have two choices - Edinburgh & Glasgow, which also affects my decision on which company I use for distance learning:confused1:

Fee

Nilesh Mandvia

Lack of discipline

If you lack of discipline, If I were you I would not do distance learning. Distance learning is for people who have good self-discipline. This may cause more stress than class room tution, as ners exam dates, you may try to study hard and try and make up for the lost study time/oppotunity.

It is not enough having good plan. Good plan only works if you implement it and stick to it.

I did my ACCA in a class room tution, while a colleague of mine was doing distance learning, she struggled for a year and then she went to class room.

Good luck whatever decision you make.

Nilesh

NeilH

Fee wrote: »

I will register with CIMA this year, I will not take my first exams until May 2009...

In that case, dont register with CIMA just yet. CIMA charge two fees at your initial registration - a) a one-off registration fee and b) the student subscription for the year. The student subscription applies for Jan to Dec each year and is payable in full whenever you register in the year, if you register now you'll pay a full years subs and be due for another full years in January. Wait until Jan and register then, I think the deadline for registering as a student in order to be able to take exams in May is the end of March - but check!

Fee wrote: »

I have looked at revision courses available in my area and only have two choices - Edinburgh & Glasgow, which also affects my decision on which company I use for distance learning

Your choice of home study provider shouldn't affect where you do your revison course - i.e. you could do home study with Kaplan but the revision with BPP!

Neil