ACCA or CIMA????

Thomasl1

Hiya guys. Ive left this really last minute and im torn trying to decide what to do so any advice would be majorly appreciated.

I finished my AAT this week and I am now a full member. I was planning on beginning studying ACCA in september but now i cant decide if i want to do that or CIMA. I have 6 years experience in a financial background and also work as a voluntary treasurer. However I also would like to become an AAT member in practise and set up a small business part time outside work, but I know the ACCA will only let me provide bookkeeping services. Does the same apply with CIMA?
Any feedback anyone can provide on this would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Steve

slackda

I'm pretty sure that CIMA doesn;t hold any restrictions, however your not allowed to mention that your a member on any paperwork....if someone can confirm that would be great

NeilH

Hi

Yeah, CIMA don't have the same restriction that ACCA has. Also, it is more straightforward to get a CIMA practising certificate when you qualify than it is an ACCA practising certificate.

Neil

Thomasl1

Thanks guys, that certainly has helped me decide to go with CIMA.
I now need to decide whether to study with Kaplan, BPP, or other companies like Premier Training. Anybody have an opinion on this????

Bookworm55

I'm doing CIMA at BPP Cambridge, but won't start any courses until the new year. Also, I'm still waiting to hear what exemptions I've been granted, so don't want to book a course if I don't have to do that exam!

I chose BPP over Kaplan for convenience: Kaplan don't do CIMA taught courses in Cambridge. Also, both of the accounting recruitment agencies I'm using recommend them (but not necessarily exclusively, more "yes, they're good" than "yes, they're the best").

Bluewednesday

Bookworm, if you get Stuart Brown in Cambridge - you will have no problems. He came and did some of our ACCA courses in Milton Keynes and I have to say he is one of the best BPP tutors I have ever met - and that comes as a high recommendation because I never had one that wasn't absolutely fantastic in my whole study with BPP.

slackda

Bookworm, if you AAT Techinician you will have all the certifcates exempt , so ou get to start at p1, obviusly if you have come in via a different route then exemption wil be dependant on your route,

My problem im having is ACCA seem to be more geared up for doing your own practice after completion i.e paper on tax comps.....which is my eventual goal, ive spent the past 7 years in business accounting, but really want to get int practice so one day im my own boss ,
Does anyone know if this is this a viable option with CIMA as i have my exemptions for CIMA from my last employer (that and the redundancy were the best parts of the job lol)
So picking it up and doing a couple of exams in november is certainly an option...well if i can secure a course in the next 10days.. my preference is BPP as i have worked with people that have raved about them and had first time pass's everytime...not really had muhc dealing with kaplan.

Bookworm55

Bookworm, if you AAT Techinician you will have all the certifcates exempt , so ou get to start at p1, obviusly if you have come in via a different route then exemption wil be dependant on your route,

I'm... odd. AAT Technician plus a degree in Accounting and Finance. The syllabus for my degree was designed by one of the people involved in the CIMA 2005 syllabus, so there's a lot of overlap. According to the website, it may be enough for 4 of the 6 P exams. (1,2,7&8) Whatever I get, I'll start out with P4&5 in the new year (or E1&E2 as they'll be known then).

slackda

Bookworm55 wrote: »

I'm... odd. .

Sorry but LOL!.

IMO there is a lot of overlap between the P1 and P7, and AAT technician...my boss didn;t agreewith me..but she never studied AAT and was CIMA certifacte route... any one else feel the same about this?

NeilH

slackda wrote: »

IMO there is a lot of overlap between the P1 and P7, and AAT technician...my boss didn;t agreewith me..but she never studied AAT and was CIMA certifacte route... any one else feel the same about this?

Hi

Yes, I'd definitely agree with this, expecially on P7 - even more so if you did AAT business tax and cash management.

slackda wrote: »

...but really want to get int practice so one day im my own boss ,
Does anyone know if this is this a viable option with CIMA

It is, and there is a CIMA members in practice scheme. It's worth bearing in mind that the ACCA have restsrictions on what their members without the ACCA oractising certificate can provide in self employed capicity. The ACCA require post qualifying experience with an approved employer, for their practising certificate.

Neil

slackda

Cheers Neil,

I did the Business Tax paper at AAT so when others were looking blank when we were reading about defered tax, i was a step ahead. .

and on the other Note looks like CIMA is its

Thomasl1

Thanks to everyone for their feedback. I have chosen to study CIMA with Premier Training and my first exams will be May 2010. I have also signed up as a CIMA student member. Just awaiting my AAT cert before I complete registration.

I have also decided to do a Sage Payroll course to boost my CV. All is good. Gonna be one busy year