ACCA or CIMA

claire1106

Hi Everyone,

I'm struggling to decide what i want to study after AAT!!

I have been advised that i should do ACCA as this will also cover parts of CIMA. Is this correct? Has anyone else had this problem and how did you make your decision?

Thanks :crying:

wbauk2002

I got the same dilema, but you got to look at your end goal, want to work in business as a managment acccountant?, or do you want to work in practice, or financial accounts in industry

but from what ive heard they are all pretty much the same, but in practice acca would be more helpful

my boss is ACA and hes a management accountant.

I figure i want to stay in industry or start my own business at some point so i think cima is the way forward for me, but my boss told me i could do aca if i wanted, wish he hadnt, makes it so much harder

claire1106

wbauk2002 wrote: »

I got the same dilema, but you got to look at your end goal, want to work in business as a managment acccountant?, or do you want to work in practice, or financial accounts in industry

but from what ive heard they are all pretty much the same, but in practice acca would be more helpful

my boss is ACA and hes a management accountant.

I figure i want to stay in industry or start my own business at some point so i think cima is the way forward for me, but my boss told me i could do aca if i wanted, wish he hadnt, makes it so much harder

Thansk for the advice. I did enjoy doing the financial statements on level 4 more than the financial performance and budgeting. But i do work in industry and i don't intend on moving over into practice.

I have seen jobs advertised for Assistant Accountants in industry which also offers study support for either ACCA or CIMA. So i think when it comes to applying for jobs they are not fussed which one you have or want to study in the future. It's so confusing!!! I think i will have to do some more research before deciding what is best for me.

jenny3549

Hi Claire,

It is a dilemma I know. To add my two penn'orth, I work in industry but am doing ACCA as I prefer the course and think it gives me a better grounding in more areas. Although, like you, I'll probably stick with industry I'm just going for what I find more interesting. There are plenty of CIMA qualifieds in practice and ACCA qualifieds in industry so I really don't think it's a cut and dried choice.

Probably not a lot of help!

claire1106

Thanks Jenny, I think i'm going to go with ACCA.

How are you finding ACCA? Is it a big step up from level 4?

Nps

Hi, I chose ACCA as I wasn't sure which direction I wanted to go in, so preferred the broader scope of ACCA. With regards to if it is a step up from level 4, I would say yes. I found AAT very straightforward and have only sat ACCA F1,2,3 and 6 so far so have only limited knowledge of ACCA. Each syllabus is far bigger than AAT so imagine having to revise the whole of level 4 and then just sitting the one exam covering everything. I have also found that the questions in ACCA exam papers are far more detailed so you can't get away with only partly understanding the topics and you are more likely to be tested on knowledge in a more obscure way. Most 3hr ACCA exams only have around 5 questions so you can see how that would compare to the bite sized questions of AAT exams.

I know this won't be the opinion of many, but I would recommend sitting papers F1-3 of ACCA even though you are officially exempt from them (definitely F2 and F3, perhaps not F1). You depend so much on that knowledge in later papers that you need to be 100% sure that you fully understand it. It also helps to bring all your knowledge together and gives you an idea of how much bigger each section of ACCA is compared to AAT. This is what I did and I found it helpful.

jenny3549

claire1106 wrote: »

Thanks Jenny, I think i'm going to go with ACCA.

How are you finding ACCA? Is it a big step up from level 4?

Can't say from experience yet. I registered in October but knew I'd be too late for the December exams so will be sitting for the first time in June next year. My books arrived today though which is quite exciting so I'm sitting here debating on whether or not to open them now or wait til after Christmas!

From what I know from other users and having looked at a few past papers/syllabuses on the ACCA website I think it is quite a large step up from Level 4. From what I can gather the exams are very, very time pressured and technique really matters. The syllabuses also cover a lot more material for each unit. I think it's much more of a case of needing a really good understanding of each subject since the AAT exams are far more predictable.

This isn't knocking the AAT exams mind, it's just explaining that ACCA is another, higher level of difficulty.

Really looking forward to getting started at the moment - but that could all change when I get stuck in.....

claire1106

I'm going to register today and hopefully sit the June exams. I wanted to do F6 (Tax) first as i have recently finished this on AAT but i come back from holiday the same day of the exam which i'm a bit gutted about.

What have you decided to do first and what books have you bought?

Do you attend college or going it alone?

jenny3549

I kept changing my mind and dithering about!!

Have just got the books for F6 and F7 to start me off. If (and it's a big if) I feel that I'm on top of things by about March I might look at including F4 Law for the June exams but we'll see.

I'm going it alone - just buying the books, making the most of the Open Tuition website (it's really, really good!) and going to see how I get on.

I'm starting with those two as they are my favourite subjects and the ones I feel more comfortable with so hopefully it will ease me in. But, as they say, the best laid plans......

Malcolm Green

Just to let you know we covered Life after the AAT at our Birmingham branch revision workshop last week and looked at the options for CIMA and ACCA.

No easy answer for which route to take all down to where you see your future career going working in business or practice.

A copy of these presentations can be downloaded from the AAT Birmingham branch website:

http://aatbirmingham.org.uk/2012/free-performance-enhancer-revision-workshop-review.html#more-1224

We hope you will find this information a useful starting point when looking at both options

claire1106

What is the website for the Open Tuition?

Also, what books have you bought? Is it the ACCA ones? I have looked on line and Kaplan have books too.

Sorry for bombarding you with all these questions, i'm just starting off and it's all new to me!!:thumbup1:

Nps

I also recommend Open Tuition but I think their own website suggests you use it alongside a recommended study text rather than just using theirs alone.

http://opentuition.com/

I've always used BPP study texts for AAT and ACCA and have always been happy with them. A few mistakes here and there but I think that's the case with all providers. I would suggest you use the revision kits as I've found that even if you know the study text back to front, you don't REALLY know it until you've done lots of exam level questions.

jenny3549

Hi Claire,

Nps has already posted the link to the Open Tuition website so definitely have a look at that.

As for the books, ACCA don't do the books themselves - they have a list of recommended providers which you can find on their website. I use Kaplan study guides and revision kits. I prefer the Kaplan style to the Osborne books (although they are not bad either). I haven't tried BPP before but they are the only Platinum provider for ACCA (Kaplan is gold) so I may well buy some things from them as well if I think I could do with some extra help. Sometimes seeing something phrased in a different way can give you that 'lightbulb moment'.

Don't worry about the questions - that's what the forum is all about!

claire1106

Hi Jenny,

I think i will buy a bit of both too. Do you know if BPP bring out new books each year? The ones i have seen have exams in 2012, haven't seen any for 2013 exams!!

Thanks,
Claire

jenny3549

Hi Claire,

They will bring out new books - especially for Tax as the exams are based on the previous Finance Act. If BPP are anything like Kaplan then they are not necessarily very fast at getting them out. I have the study text for F6 but still waiting for the revision kit and they have only sent me the pocket notes for F7. Just a case of waiting for them to get themselves in gear!

Nps

I've got the 2013 BPP books for F4,5,7,8 and 9 from Foyles and Amazon. I think F4 was the only one Foyles did not have hence I got it from Amazon. Foyles do a 20% discount with the code BPPFOY2 (I think, google BPP Foyles discount if it doesn't work). Foyles were cheaper than Amazon anyway, even before the code, and they do free delivery. The revision kits weren't available when I ordered.

Oh, and they are all valid for exams up to June 2014.

claire1106

Hi Jenny,

Managed to find the new F9 study text from Amazon.

Thanks.

jenny3549

claire1106 wrote: »

Hi Jenny,

Managed to find the new F9 study text from Amazon.

Thanks.

Excellent! Are you starting now or waiting til after Christmas?

I told myself there was no point opening the books til the New Year. Work has been really stressful for the last few months so I could really do with some nice downtime over the holidays. However, unpacked the box the other day, and just couldn't resist a quick peek inside (F6) just to see what the style of writing was like in comparison to the AAT texts. Caught hold of myself three chapters in when stomach started rumbling! Have now hidden book in desk drawer to avoid temptation.

Am I very sad? :blushing:

omega man

How much are these nps1976?

Nps

Omega man, I can't remember off the top of my head as they were all different prices. You'd have to check the websites, but Foyles were consistently cheaper especially if you use the 20% off code.