3 year study break & now new syllabus - can anyone help?

Pinchy

Hi everyone, I found this forum really useful in the past so am hoping someone can help with a few questions I have.

I completed Level 3, 3 years ago (I know - long break!!) and am looking to pick up with Level 4 in September but am nervous about having to do anything extra to make up for such a long gap. I know the syllabus changed in 2010 but I was assured back then by someone at AAT that as I hadn't left in the middle of a level I would be fine to begin a new level under the new syllabus without anything additional needed from me. I just wanted to see what, if anything, people know about this?

I'd also love to get hold of a couple of mock/old exam papers for Level 4 if anyone could email me them? I've not enrolled yet so am not currently a member which means I don't have access to certain areas of the website you see.

Finally I'm a bit nervous of how much work I'll be expected to do outside of my 6 hours at college (I'll be doing a day release but work only allow me 3.5 hrs and the rest I have to make up). Can anyone give me a clue as to how many hours you do at home and/or the increase of this from Level 3.

Sorry for the long post but would really appreciate any help :001_smile:

aaron0121

Hi Pinchy,

As you will be on the new syllabus now maybe you should try a couple of cbts from level 3. Level 4 is
a step up from level 3 but doing the cbts of level 3 will help you get prepared for level 4.
If you can't access this link https://services.aat.org.uk/past_papers/, i'll be happy to email you mock past
papers of level 4 just pm me your email address and the dates you would like
To be honest the amount hours you would need to put in varies for all students. I think it all depends on how
difficult you find the modules. For one module you may only need to study 1-2 hours a day outside of college
but for some you may need to study a lot longer.

janwal

Hi Pinchy

I don't know how different the syllabus's are but we had 1 lady in our class took level 2 10 yrs ago and came back and did level 3.

If you can't go on AAT, try using the Osbourne E-learning will give you some idea of the type of things you need to know

http://www.osbornebooks.co.uk/elearning

Good luck

Jan

jane

:001_smile:

Hi Pinchy

I have just done level 4 at college, having done level 2 and 3 through home study. I also had a huge gap between level 3 and 4 - mine was a 6 year break.
I really wanted to complete AAT and took the plunge and enrolled last September. I am very proud to say that I have passed 6 out of 7 exams first time, I have to resit Financial Performance which I plan on doing in December, so plenty of time for me to get my noggin around this again. All this at the tender age of 47 too. I work full time and attended college on an afternoon/evening basis and didn't get home until about 9 in the evening.
I found that I really had to work hard at all the units and things do not come easily to me, so yes this past year my life has not been my own, every spare moment I had was with my head buried in the books as I was so determined to get through this.
I found the leap from level 3 to 4 quite a big one. I battled to get my head round financial statements and really felt the 6 year gap doing this unit above all the others.
Well done you for wanting to carry on with you qualification and all I can tell you is that it is such a wonderful feeling to have almost completed it after so long.
So I wish you good luck and stay focused and I know you can do it. :thumbup:

Jane

Pinchy

Thank you

Thanks everyone!

Jane - I have considered doing distance learning just so I could do it more at my own pace. I did Level 3 at college so am unsure if I should return to the same method as I passed everything first time before but felt restricted having to go at the speed of the whole class. How did you find the change between the two and what made you change?

There's no way I can spend a minimum of 1-2 hours every single day studying and I did nothing close to this for Level 3 even though it didn't come that easily to me - do you really think that is needed? I was thinking maybe 10 hours on top of the 6 I spend at college.

How is everybody finding it? I've done various course at the same level as Level 3 but never at Level 4 so am worried I won't be able to do it :001_unsure:

Bongo

Hi Pinchy,

I had a 10 year break between level 3 & 4. I started with Financial Statements & Budgeting last year, Financial Performance and Personal Tax this year. As others have stated it's quite a jump between level 3 and 4. My personal experience is that I spent around 1.5 hours per night for financial statement, 30 mins per night for Budgeting, 2 hours a night for financial performance and 30 mins for personal tax. The tutor's often say you will remember this from your studies at level 3.... not me! It was like starting for new. I believe you really need to put the effort into this level.

jane

Hi Pinchy
I decided to do level 4 at college because I really felt like I needed the help, as level 3 especially the costing I found quite a challenge to do on my own. It was a really big shock to me for the pace of college as I was so used to doing my own pace at home study.
I started off with Budgeting and Financial Performance, and decided to do a couple of hours on one unit every other night, so one night I would do budgeting and the next FP, I was doing this whilst finishing off two units at level 3 also.
I did this because I really didn't want to lag behind in class. I took each Thursday night off completely (the day after college) just to give myself a break from it all. I was so scared of lagging behind that I thought this to be the best method of study for me. Everyone is different so you may find that you can go at a different pace to what I did.
Level 4 was like starting fresh for me too, and as it was such a big leap from level 3 to 4, found I had to push myself harder. But as I say that is me, you are a completely different person. I think when you start you will soon find a way that suites you.
YOU CAN DO IT, and this forum is there for your support too, I have found this forum invaluable to say the least.



QUOTE=Pinchy;251368]Thanks everyone!

Jane - I have considered doing distance learning just so I could do it more at my own pace. I did Level 3 at college so am unsure if I should return to the same method as I passed everything first time before but felt restricted having to go at the speed of the whole class. How did you find the change between the two and what made you change?

There's no way I can spend a minimum of 1-2 hours every single day studying and I did nothing close to this for Level 3 even though it didn't come that easily to me - do you really think that is needed? I was thinking maybe 10 hours on top of the 6 I spend at college.

How is everybody finding it? I've done various course at the same level as Level 3 but never at Level 4 so am worried I won't be able to do it :001_unsure:[/QUOTE]