Get through Guides for ACCA

Andrej

Hi All,

Has anyone used Get through Guides study material for ACCA? How does it compare to BPP and Kaplan?

From reading various forums on the Internet BPP tends to go into too much detail. Kaplan, the information is condense with diagrams. Get through Guides is a combination of BPP and Kaplan.

What are your views?

Thanks

Andrej

Nps

If you're going for the high marks as you said in your last post, I'd say stick with BPP. They are all I've used and I've consistently got high marks, so proof that they cover what they need to (apart from a little blip with F7 which cost me 10% of marks which I've previously posted about - still got 80% though so shows how good their books generally are).

I used some GTG revision notes and I didn't particularly like them, but I've since seen some Kaplan revision notes and I didn't like those either so I think it's more that I don't like that format rather than GTG themselves.

GTG are cheaper than BPP and Kaplan, so I kind of think that if they were as good, many more people would use them, yet they don't seem to. But why not just get one of their packs (I'm sure I had an email the other day offering me their complete sets for £20, so not a hugely expensive risk) and see how you get on with them. As it's your first ACCA exam though, I'd probably buy a BPP book too as if GTG don't cover enough, you'd never be any the wiser. You'd then have a better idea of what to use in your next exams.

Andrej

Thanks. I will purchase the BPP Study Text and Revision Kit.

Just out of interest Nps, how many hours of studying do you put in for each paper? Is this all dependant on the difficulty of the F paper?

Lastly, do you commence your study/preparations for an exam 8 weeks before the sitting?

Nps

I couldn't say how many hours I put in as I have to squeeze it in when I can. First off I basically re-write the text book in my own words, which is what takes the time. I then put the text book away and revise from my own notes which takes no time at all, as it's written in my kind of language and is much more concise (most texts take up between half and a full A4 pad). I then do all the revision kit which includes all the past exam questions too. I update my notes with things I pick up from the question practice. I re-read my notes whenever I get the chance, and also spend a good few hours watching YouTube videos of exam technique tips specific to the exam I'm doing. In the days leading up to the exam, I'll keep re-reading my notes and pick questions at random out of the revision kit.

Time is all dependant on the paper though - eg. Last sitting I spent most time on F7, then F8, and F4 got the short end of the stick. I was much less prepared for F4 than I would have liked to have been and only managed to get it all done as I had 3 full days after f7 and 8 before I had to sit F4. I gave myself the option to not turn up for F4 if I didn't feel ready (one of the perks of self studying!)

8 weeks before the sitting - gosh no! I started the week after the June exams, though have been a bit lax over the past 6 weeks due to job hunting and starting a new job etc. I'm almost ready to sit F5 now and will be starting F9 this week. 8 weeks would be nowhere long enough for me unless I had absolutely no other commitments, but of course, if you're only doing 1 exam and have the time, then I would think you could do it in 8 weeks. Why wait though, just start now and be more relaxed towards the end. As I say, many do only start weeks before the exam, but it's not the way I'd like to do it. I'm sure it's fine if you have some practical experience and are more interested in just passing rather than getting good marks, but I prefer a comfortable safety margin! I've got too much riding on this to risk failing exams!