Study Options

Dee26Bee

I've still got 3 exams and the unit 10 project to do and I'm studying by Distance Learning. I'm paying for my own studies.

Since I never actually use most of the elements that the distance learning package includes ( ie I never contact the distance learning tutor ; make us of the marking of mock papers etc) , I was wondering if there is a way that I could entrol at an AAT centre simply to sit my exams? Then all I would need to buy is the text book - which would save me loads of money!

I realise that this wouldn't work for the project Unit 10 - but does anyone know if what I'm suggesting is possible. I feel I'm currently hooked into paying for alot that I dont actually need or use.

Any suggestions?

NeilH

Hi

For the exam units you could just buy the texts and study them. When exam entry time comes around you then choose to take your exam at a centre that takes external candidates (the AAT used to send a list of these out with exam entry forms, not sure if they produce and on-line list for the on-line exam entry). Choosing one of these centres means you wouldn't need to enroll with the college directly. If you wanted to take an exam at a college that doesnt usually take external candidates, you would need to make special arrangements with them.

I used this method for DFS (like you I never used a lot of what came with a distance learning pack and considered it an over expense) though I did also use a revision course out of my own choice.

Neil

Dee26Bee

Hi Neil

Many thanks - that's really helpful - and excellent news for my bank balance!! I'll contact AAT for the list . Just wish I'd thought about this earlier when I took units 8 & 9 in June - could have saved £172!!!

Meanwhile if anyone knows which centres in the London area take external students please let me know.

Dee
:thumbup:

CelticStar

I also did this for BTC and PTC which I sat in June - and passed! :001_smile:

One thing I will say though is that I would advise that you use both the Osborne and BBP books and not just rely on one text book. Although in general I think that the Osborne books are the best text books (and you can buy the tutor packs which give you all the answers directly from Osborne if you are a self-study student) there were a couple of reasons that made me glad I hadn't relied on them completely. In the BTC text book there was an error about something - although the subject never came up in the exam - and in the PTC exam there was a question about redundancy payments which just wasn't covered in the Osborne text book. So I would suggest you buy a couple of text books and the accompanying work books and then use the online previous exams to make sure you know what you are doing.

Hope that helps.
CelticStar

Ps what units do you have left to do. I still have MAC and DFS as well as the project and I'm thinking of using BPP for the project.

Dee26Bee

Hi

Thanks for that point re the books.

I'm doing the NVQ route and so still have DFS and 2 optional units - BTC and PTC - plus the project. I'm doing all this at a snails pace as have very demanding job plus I'm a mature strudent so can only cope with one unit at a time - and even then have had to defer several times!

So I intend to do the project with FTC between now and Christmas and hope to do DFS exam in June.