ICAEW Students, past and present.

AdamR

Hi

Just wondering if there are any current or ex ICAEW students browsing these forums, and if so, do you have any advice you could share with me RE studying, exams, and all the paperwork and training I need to complete.

Speaking of forums, does the Institute run one? I've had a quick look around their site and can't see any mention of one; obvioulsy if there is one lurking somewhere my post would be far better placed on it!

Many thanks

Dean

Hi Adam

The institute don't run any forums of their own.

If you have any specific queries I will try to answer them but all the things you have mentioned are general points best answered by your QPRT.

Regards

Dean

AdamR

Thanks for your reply.:001_smile:

Unfortunately my QPRT only knows a little bit more than me - the practice I work for is actually ACCA registered, but I managed to convince the partners to get authorised to train ACA students.

I would like to speak to someone who has sat the AAT Financial Accounting Top-Up paper recently to see how they found it, as the 1 hour time limit does seem a little ambitious, but without a ICAEW forum I guess I'm stuck there.

Received my first books today, lots of bedtime reading!:crying:

deanshepherd

You might want to take a look here.

mowzer

Hi there

I am an ICAEW student, feeling a bit lonely here on the internet. I think the accountancy students website is great, but unfortunately very few icaew students make use of the forums.

I am also the only person currently studying for aca at my workplace, and studying at kaplan.

I've just started training, so not sure if i can be of much help, but will be sitting FA top up and AA on 9th Dec :eek:

Feel free to pm me if u wanna discuss anything.

:001_smile:

Dean

AdamR wrote: »

Thanks for your reply.:001_smile:

Unfortunately my QPRT only knows a little bit more than me - the practice I work for is actually ACCA registered, but I managed to convince the partners to get authorised to train ACA students.

I would like to speak to someone who has sat the AAT Financial Accounting Top-Up paper recently to see how they found it, as the 1 hour time limit does seem a little ambitious, but without a ICAEW forum I guess I'm stuck there.

Received my first books today, lots of bedtime reading!:crying:

Hi Adam

Sorry for taking so long to reply.

One thing I notice is this: (taken from the training standards required by ICAEW)

Principle 3: The organisation offers students appropriate supervision and support
• If the QPRT is not an ICAEW member, the organisation must nominate an advisor who is an ICAEW member to provide support to the QPRT.
• The QPRT should have a CCAB qualification or an equivalent professional accountancy qualification awarded by a nationally recognised body
• Personnel involved with student supervision should be CPD compliant with their respective professional bodies.

How have you got round this point? I have always thought you need at least one ICAEW qualified within the organisation whether they are your QPRT or not. Presumably, one of the other partners are ICAEW qualified.

I only point this out because you wouldn't want to go down the road of passing exams and being in breach of the by-laws and therefore not entiltled the use of the letters.

Haven't done the top-up paper myself as yet. Be interested to see how you and Mowzer have found it? I think i'm able to do the top-up but as my DFS was passed under the old standards i'll probably do the whole paper, or I might bring my international standards knowledge up to date and do the top-up - haven't decided yet!

Regards

Dean

AdamR

We have an ICAEW member who checks our audit files occasionally and they meet that criteria - as far as I'm aware they don't have to be an employee or partner of the business. The institute signed us up on that understanding anyway! My QPRT is a fellow member of the ACCA, so there's no problems meeting the CCAB and CPD requirements.

As for the Financial Accounting top-up paper, there's a hell of a lot of questions to get through in an hour which is my main concern; I guess I shall find out on the 9th of next month whether I made the right choice or not!

mowzer

Hi Adam

Sorry couldn't reply to your pm because website playing up.

I know the 1 hour time limit seems daunting, but if you keep practising you'll get faster, and remember you only need 55% to pass.

You can pick up marks for silly things as well, like putting a total column in the CSOCE, or putting a line in saying 'attributable to equity hoders of [the parent]' in equity in the CBS.

It's not as easy as AAT in that the exam format and content cannot be predicted, but if you keep practising you should start to feel better.

:001_smile:

AdamR

55% pass mark? You've pre-empted my next question there, thanks! Is that consistent with all of the exams or just that particular one? I can't find a list of them on the website anywhere and it would be nice to know.

I'm hoping I'll be ok but I've still got a couple of chapters from the textbook to get through; the late start hasn't helped. Still, it'll all be over in 3 weeks!:scared:

Dean

AdamR wrote: »

55% pass mark?

That is the pass mark through all papers - however, I think the case study is slightly higher again.

Regards

Dean

deanshepherd

55% for professional stage.
60% for advanced stage.

AdamR

Thanks for that! :thumbup:

mowzer

Actually it's only 50% for the advanced stage, including the case study. I hear that's a reflection of the difficulty though!

deanshepherd

It always used to be 50% but I phoned up ICAEW student services and they told me 60%.

It wouldn't be the first time they have given me incorrect information though!

Dean

Yeah Mowzer is right: http://www.icaew.com/index.cfm/route/159371/icaew_ga/en/Qualifications/Train_for_the_ACA/Exams/Studying_for_the_ACA_exams

Regards

Dean

mowzer

I'm confused!

I'm fairly sure it's currently 50% as one of my colleagues is currently waiting for her advanced stage results and has been consistently told by kapan (and presumably the exam papers she sat) that this is the pass mark.

Is it changing to 60% next year perhaps? It seems unlikely that student services would come up with that mark from nowhere.

:confused1:

deanshepherd

No I'm not, but I was considering it as an option which is what prompted me to call the institute.

The person I spoke to did not seem entirely confident even after I made her consult with a colleague.

mowzer

Lol i never trust anything from the institute.

Just noticed you posting on MIP forum so anwered my question.

Never mind, i won't even be finished prof stage for a year anyway, i'll cross the advanced bridge when i come to it!

:001_smile: