Help - lost motivation

Kitkat82

Afternoon everyone

I've only got 2 exam left to re-sit. I failed business tax and have my re-sit on 20th December and I've failed financial statements twice and haven't booked to re-sit yet.

I just feel so deflated after being ill and hospitalised with viral meningitis and encephalitis earlier in the year and still trying to keep up the studying has been hard. The year doesn't appear to be getting much better for me as my mum is now under going tests for various problems she has got and I'm really struggling to keep up with the study, stresses of work and stresses of home life. I've just about had enough of 2011 and don't have the motivation to carry on :-(

Has anyone got any tips on how to pass these two exam? Any revising suggestions, tips or notes would be appreciated.

I'm torn between giving up and forgetting about the exams or persevering and finally being AAT qualified

HELP

stephleedz

Hi kitkat 82,

Wow you have really had a very challenging year and I really hope that the new year brings you and the family lots of good news and good health.

I felt the same after I failed my professional ethics twice I was so upset, angry and so demotivated I was so close tto throwing It all away when I realised I only had 2 exams left and didn't want to think that the previous 18 months was all for nothing! I knew my family were so proud of me also so wasn't just doing it for me but also for them.

Just think you only have 2 exams until you have fully qualified you have amazingly well so far and don't want god knows how many years to be all for nothing...all those hours you put in! I know it's really crap failing an exam twice and thought of re taking to begin with is so off putting but it will be so worth it in the end.

I have found using flash cards work quite well for me and you can carry them around wherever you are or leave them on your desk at work for a quick glance every now an then. See your actually revising while your writing them out then revising every time you look through them.

I hope some of this helps.

Good luck with everything in the future I hope you recover and all is well with your mums results.

Take care x

reader

Hi Kitkat82

You are obviously capable of completing AAT if you have managed to complete the ICAS project and financial performance; I'm currently struggling with these two subjects and have a lot of respect for people who have complete these two assessments.

The only reason I managed to pass financial statements and business tax was because I went through Kaplan's text books twice and completed all the past papers that I could get my hands on twice. If you keep reading the text books over and over again, and keep doing the same questions over and over again eventually the calculations will sink in.

I know this sounds like a horrid cliche, but just take it one exam at a time, i.e. forget financial statements and just concentrate on business tax for now.

I hope that helps, and good luck!

Kitkat82

Thanks stephleedz and reader, the words of encouragement have helped. I do want the qualification as I have worked so hard towards it, just so deflating that even after all the revision I couldn't pass financial statements.

I enjoy the costing/management side more than the financial and found those exams easier having already done a diploma in cost and management accounting.

I will tackle it one at a time, I've got the Osborne books and BPP passcards and the past papers etc on the AAT website. Is there any other books you would recommend?

It's not the calculations I was getting wrong in the financial statements it was all the theory I failed on. Is there any further reading I can do to help the theory sink in?

Thanks guys :-) x

anniebabe

Try "A Students Guide to International Financial Reporting Standards" by Clare Finch - Kaplan Paperback, I believe it is very good - you can find it on Amazon or on the Kaplan Website.

Kitkat82

thanks anniebabe :-) x

anniebabe

no problemo
I have the book myself but havent started the unit yet.
everyone has been raving about how good it is - so its worth a try.

Makkusu

I'll second Clare Finch's book, part-way through but find myself flicking through different pages to find the right info I need. The study cards at the back are a godsend too.

uknitty

Me three!

It's an excellent book, I used it more than any other book in my preparation for FNST, and I think that I am likely to refer back to it as my studies progress.

Worth every penny.