Advice Please

toni1978

I have completed the intermediate level, and am about to start the technician level.
The college I have just studied at has now decided it is not going to run the course anymore so I have to move college.
My question is, do you think I should go to college to study ( they are going to charge £1200 + exam fees and do not include any books) or do I do a distance learning course which is half the price?
Any advice on the difference between the two and what distance learning provider would you recommend?
I have done distance learning for a bookkeeping course which I completed in 6 months with a 99% pass rate so know I will study but am concerned as to how big a jump this will be and how well the distance learning books explain each section.
Any advice from people that have been there would be much appreciated.

zara5034

I did distance learning for intermediate level and that was fine. I think if your motivated enough you'll be fine. I would only say avoid the Home Learning College as they are a rip off, I'm going to college for technician as I will get help with costs due to benefits etc, there is also the option of doing it as an apprentiship which halves the cost, you dont qualify for any of this if you use distance learning.

Andypandy

My college has had to start charging full costs from this year also - luckily I've just finished. Personally, I'd give the distance learning a go. Remember that you'll also get support from folks on here, & there are other sites like accountancystudents & opentuition for additional information aswell. I'm doing ACCA by self-study because of the costs involved, so you're not alone.

Esme

I did all levels of AAT by distance learning and found it fine, the support on here is really good.

AndyPandy, who are you doing ACCA with? I've been looking into Kaplan.

Andypandy

I'm having a go alone this time. I'm starting with F5 & F7 though, so I won't have too much time to forget the DFS & PEV stuff.
I'm going to enrol on a 'spring cookery workshop' course at college (£15) so that I can still use the library next year for the ACCA books.That was the librarians' idea, lol.

Esme

Going it alone.. that's very brave of you! Hope you get on ok, think I'll start with two papers and see how I get on. Depending on results tomorrow I'm hoping to start in Sept or Oct.

Haha.. enjoy the cookery workshop, maybe you'll learn some recipes for good revision snack food

aleyandra

I have the same dilemma - my college wants to charge £1,200 and also the technician level is going to be at a different campus, which is nowhere near where I live.

I have decided in favour of distance learing, but I have just signed up for one of the units, not for the whole course. I'll see how I get on with the first one and then decide on the rest of them. It's the course paper which scares me the most i suppose.

toni1978

Thank you for all your replies, it was the project that bothered me the most.
I got my results yesterday morning and went along to the college for some advice, but because of the situation I am in at the moment with benefits etc, the have agreed to pay most of the costs (I paid £150 towards it) which ofcourse is cheaper than the distance learning so it looks like I am back at college for another year.
I now want to find a part time job but because the course is on a Wednesday I seem to be having a little problem at the moment as most people want either a few hours every day or work the first three days of the week or the last three - not going to give up though!
I have lots to offer so will just have to sell myself if I find a job I like so they will adjust the hours for me!