i am biting more than i can chew?

Marga

Here is the thing i had planned to finish level 3 (unit 32 and unit 15) by Feb2010 and then sit the simulations on 31/03, then start level 4 and take two exams DFS and MAC in June and the tax exams both in december while starting the Project in June 2010

Now this has not gone according to plan and i believe i have to wait now til june to sit the two simulations unit 32 and unit 15 as there are no CBE's for these.

This means that i will need to push the start of Level 4 til June once i have done the simulations which means that i will need to move everything

now my point is from your experience and i want you to tell me realistically if it is achievable to sit all four exams for Level 4 in one go in December

I would have 6 months to prepare the four exams and i am planning to study 16 hours a week 4 hours saturday morning 4 hours sat evening 4 hour sund morning and 4 hour sund evening

now the above doesnt give me too much social life but i of i go for it my husband is completely supporting me



To give you a bit of background i started Level 2 in Jan 2009 and i am nearly finished with level 3 ,i have been doing the course with HLC and as some of you know that is like doing it on your own and i have passed all exams (3 of them i took in Dec , IAC, FRA and ECR)

I am very study orientated and not to brag or anything but i consider myself to grab things quite easily and i have plenty of determination when it comes to study ( i spent 8 years studying Maths and Stats degree and masters) so i know what it is to take big exams and big pressure



I would like if people do not mind to give me both pros and cons of doing the above

Many thanks and sorry for the long email

Rinske

I say go for it! Although I am a bit confused that you have to wait with the simulations till June, as they tend to be very flexible and you are supposed to be able to do them at any time you want, but well I guess it also depends on the provider!

Doing 4 exams in December I would expect it to be very hard and if I were you, I would make sure you start by focussing on two units and once you got them covered, start studying towards the other two, to be sure you can sit at least two exams in December.

No social life, well, that comes from studying and I think you got it pretty clear how to plan it and what to sacrifice.

In the week itself it will be mostly stressful but if you prepared properly, I am quite sure you can do it, but if possible, try to start on the project yet and do as much as possible on that one before you start studying for the other four.

Does that make sense?

sammyd22

Of course its possible! Ive spoken to a guy in the past who has sat and passed four Cima exams in one sitting which is not something i would attempt! It will be a big push though!

But of course it can be done!

A-Vic

the unit 32 i did without a lession not that it was to easy just common sence. Unit 15 tho isnt to be sneezed at its not as straight forward

jilt

Marga, could you not start studying 2 of the level 4 subjects now and sit them in June and do the simulations after the exams. I sat both tax exams in June 08 and did the sims for the previous level afterwards.

loralu

of course you can do it if you put the work in! i sat 5 level 4 exams in one sitting!

Marga

hi all ...i knew i was doing the right thing coming here....

My problem is i cannot dedicate now (or from now to June) 16 hours a week to attempt two exams from Technician Level in June that is why i am doing unit 15 and unit 32 cause they do not need that much studying and basically there is something happening in May which will prevent me from studying.

Also why it is important to start my project before i sit the exams? can you please advise?

However i am going to check if i can see the syllabus for DFS and MAC and see if i could sit one of them at least in June ....maybe.....


Rinske,
Doing 4 exams in December I would expect it to be very hard and if I were you, I would make sure you start by focussing on two units and once you got them covered, start studying towards the other two, to be sure you can sit at least two exams in December.

That is what i had planned basically one month for each unit going as DFS in June,MAC in July, Personal Tax in Aug , Business Tax in Sep and then October and November to revise and do papers ....



Re: social life...well not planning to go on holidays or anything as we want to save money as well to be able to relocate eventually soon to Spain. Also i am planning on requesting 2 weeks off work as holidays to just study prior to the exams ....


the next step is i will buy the books myself and sit the exams with the AAT directly


Can anyone else advise what other simulations i need to do in Tech level?


Thanks

anniem

You don't need to do any simulations at Technician level - having said that if you're doing MAC then I guess you're on the diploma pathway.

I am just taking the 5 exams (DFS, PEV, PCR, BTC & PTC) and unit 10 project to complete Technician.

Marga

anniem wrote: »

You don't need to do any simulations at Technician level - having said that if you're doing MAC then I guess you're on the diploma pathway.

I am just taking the 5 exams (DFS, PEV, PRC, BTC & PTC) and unit 10 project to complete Technician.

Hi Anna


So basically i dont need to register myself with a provider just buy the books and sit the exams right?


What about the Unit 10 Project? how do i know what i have to do?

anniem

Hi Marga

No, you're right - you only need to register to take unit 10 with someone as it needs ongoing assessments.

anniem

With the examinable units you can just buy the study manuals and download past exam papers from the AAT website and work your way through it all. If you get stuck then post on the forum for help.

It's much cheaper to study that way, but you need to be quite disciplined and it is sometimes harder to understand concepts from reading the book - you also find that you haven't got enough fingers to stick between various pages in the book as you flick back and forth to get your head around an idea.

I've leant my DFS book to Jewels.p, my BTC and PTC books are a couple of years old and I'm studying PEV/PCR at the moment, so I'm afraid I can't send you anything useful, but maybe someone else can???

sammyd22

anniem wrote: »

You don't need to do any simulations at Technician level - having said that if you're doing MAC then I guess you're on the diploma pathway.

I am just taking the 5 exams (DFS, PEV, PCR, BTC & PTC) and unit 10 project to complete Technician.

Hi Annie,
Couple of things..

Firstly - I thought Technician did have a simulation other than the Unit 10 report. Its called Cash Management & Credit Control?

Secondly - You have stated that you are doing both BTC & PTC exams? why is this? AAT only requests that you do one, which one you do is optional. Overall Technician should be 4 external exams only.

Or are you choosing to do both for personal preference?

anniem

Hi Sammyd22

OK-

ON NVQ route;

There are the 5 compulsory units:-

Unit 22 - Health and Safety (I completed this at Intermediate level)
Unit 8 - PEV
Unit 9 - PCR
Unit 10 - MAS Project
Unit 11 - DFS

Then there are 4 OPTIONAL units - of which you need to take 2

Unit 15 - Cash Management/Credit Control (Simulation)
Unit 17 - Implementing Auditing Procedures (Simulation)
Unit 18 - Business Tax (Exam)
Unit 19 - Personal Tax (Exam)

I have not taken unit 15 and 17, as I elected to take the 2 tax options and passed these in the December 08 sitting, hence the old books!

Marga has already stated that she intends to take both tax units, which are optional on the NVQ route.

I don't know if it's essential that you take 15 - CMCC on the Diploma pathway, but I didn't think it was. Perhaps there is someone who has done Technician level on the Diploma pathway that can clarify this?

Hope this makes sense.

Anna

jilt

Yep, unit 15 is compulsory on the Diploma route.

anniem

jilt wrote: »

Yep, unit 15 is compulsory on the Diploma route.

If Marga is doing diploma route, can she just pay to take unit 15 somewhere then?

jilt

anniem wrote: »

If Marga is doing diploma route, can she just pay to take unit 15 somewhere then?

Yes I'm sure she can, I've read others have used Kaplan/BPP etc to do just a sim.

sammyd22

jilt wrote: »

Yep, unit 15 is compulsory on the Diploma route.

anniem wrote: »

If Marga is doing diploma route, can she just pay to take unit 15 somewhere then?

When i took technician i had to take Unit 15 and 4 x external exams and Unit 10!

Exams:
PCR
PEV
DFS
And 1 extra optional either:
PTC or BTC

anniem

It's no wonder people get confused - the rules keep changing and there are two different routes!

Maybe QCF will sort the confusion out, but I haven't looked at QCF as I figured it didn't affect what I'm doing. Perhaps that's the wrong attitude, but it is all quite muddled!

sammyd22

anniem wrote: »

It's no wonder people get confused - the rules keep changing and there are two different routes!

Maybe QCF will sort the confusion out, but I haven't looked at QCF as I figured it didn't affect what I'm doing. Perhaps that's the wrong attitude, but it is all quite muddled!

If you are distance learning its vitally important to get things clarified, you could quite easily end up doing more than you need to.

Marga

Hi all

yes i am doing Diploma

i have done

Level 2 Certificate
Unit 30 - Exam IAC PASSED DEC 09
Unit 31 - Working Skills (basically SAGE) PASSED OCT 09

Level 3 Advance
Unit 5 - Exam FRA PASSED DEC 09
Unit 6 - Exam ECR PASSED DEC 09
Unit 15 - Skills Test Cash Management & Credit Control Studying it now to sit in/before June
Unit 32 - Skills Test Professional Ethics Studying it now to be sit in or before June 09

The below is what i need to do for technician

Level 3 Diploma
Compulsory
Unit 10 - Project
Unit 11 - Exam DFS
Unit 32 - Skills test (ALREADY DONE IN LEVEL 3)
Unit 33 - Exam MAC

PLUS TWO OF THE FOLLOWING 3
Unit 17 - Skills Test Implementing Audit Procedures
Unit 18 - Exam BTC
Unit 19 - Exam PTC

anniem

Marga wrote: »

Hi all

yes i am doing Diploma

i have done

Level 2 Certificate
Unit 30 - Exam IAC PASSED DEC 09
Unit 31 - Working Skills (basically SAGE) PASSED OCT 09

Level 3 Advance
Unit 5 - Exam FRA PASSED DEC 09
Unit 6 - Exam ECR PASSED DEC 09
Unit 15 - Skills Test Cash Management & Credit Control Studying it now to sit in/before June
Unit 32 - Skills Test Professional Ethics Studying it now to be sit in or before June 09

The below is what i need to do for technician

Level 3 Diploma
Compulsory
Unit 10 - Project
Unit 11 - Exam DFS
Unit 32 - Skills test (ALREADY DONE IN LEVEL 3)
Unit 33 - Exam MAC

PLUS TWO OF THE FOLLOWING 3
Unit 17 - Skills Test Implementing Audit Procedures
Unit 18 - Exam BTC
Unit 19 - Exam PTC

Well seems like you have it all sussed and can go it alone except for Unit 10!

Sorry if we were discussing you without your presence, it feels a bit like we've been talking about you behind your back!

Good morning.

Anna

Marga

anniem wrote: »

Well seems like you have it all sussed and can go it alone except for Unit 10!

Sorry if we were discussing you without your presence, it feels a bit like we've been talking about you behind your back!

Good morning.

Anna

oh no, not at all!!!!

it is ok dont get my knickers in a twist that easily lol

I am determined to do it now yes and GOD HELP ME!!!!!

I probably just register myself with Kaplan or so to get Unit 10


Another pressure of doing it this way is that i have my AAT memebrship paid for this year so i basically dont want to drag it another year if i can help it lol!

Marga

oh and GOOD MORNING TO YOU TOO!

A-Vic

Level 2 Certificate
Unit 30 - Exam IAC PASSED
Unit 31 - Working Skills (basically SAGE) PASSED

Level 3 Advance
Unit 5 - Exam FRA PASSED
Unit 6 - Exam ECR PASSED
Unit 15 - Skills Test Cash Management & Credit Control (completed)
Unit 32 - Skills Test Professional Ethics (completed)

Level 3 Diploma
Compulsory
Unit 10 - Project (halfway)
Unit 11 - Exam DFS (completed dec)
Unit 32 - Skills test (ALREADY DONE IN LEVEL 3)
Unit 33 - Exam MAC

PLUS TWO OF THE FOLLOWING 3
Unit 17 - Skills Test Implementing Audit Procedures
Unit 18 - Exam BTC
Unit 19 - Exam PTC(completed dec)

haha did exactly the same way as you

anniem

A-Vic wrote: »

haha did exactly the same way as you

...... and they walked off into the sunset holding hands ...........

Marga

A-Vic wrote: »

Level 2 Certificate
Unit 30 - Exam IAC PASSED
Unit 31 - Working Skills (basically SAGE) PASSED

Level 3 Advance
Unit 5 - Exam FRA PASSED
Unit 6 - Exam ECR PASSED
Unit 15 - Skills Test Cash Management & Credit Control (completed)
Unit 32 - Skills Test Professional Ethics (completed)

Level 3 Diploma
Compulsory
Unit 10 - Project (halfway)
Unit 11 - Exam DFS (completed dec)
Unit 32 - Skills test (ALREADY DONE IN LEVEL 3)
Unit 33 - Exam MAC

PLUS TWO OF THE FOLLOWING 3
Unit 17 - Skills Test Implementing Audit Procedures
Unit 18 - Exam BTC
Unit 19 - Exam PTC(completed dec)

haha did exactly the same way as you

they say great mind think alike!!!!

taskey

http://www.bpp.com/aat/courses/accountancy/default.asp

this link shows exactly what you need to study for NVQ and diploma routes

hope that helps

Tracy

Marga

PEV and PCR vs BTC and PTC


So which ones do you think are easier?

With the diploma pathway, unit 15 OCMC is done at intermediate level but with the NVQ is an optional unit in technician

so i am thinking what if i transfer myself to nvq? then i have to do PEV and PCR and DFS to complete the compulsory units and then choose two out of

OCMC
IAS
PTC
BTC

but as OCMC i would have done it in intermediate level than i would need to do just one of the other three which it would be one of the tax exams


i am very confused!!!!

taskey

who is your learning provider? as i am on NVQ, i phoned to see if i could change over to diploma and they advised not to as i am in work??? so i have stayed on the NVQ route

speak to your training provider and see if you can change and if you do change, would you OCMC still count or would you maybe need to do a top up?

I personally found PEV and PCR quite enjoyable as they ran along the same lines, it did not feel like sitting two different exams, and 2 get 2 passes out of it i was very happy.

I am obviously doing DFS but going to be doing PTC and have not made my mind up yet between the other 3 - do i do once more tax exam or a sim. if i do a sim, i will be qualified earlier as i dont think i will be doing 2 tax exams plus DFS in july - no way

hope that helps

Tracy