ACA (ICAEW) - Kaplan vs BPP - Distance Learning Price and Quality comparison

danwilkinson93

I have recently finished AAT (with BPP) and my employer has offered to part fund me for the knowledge module (first level) of ACA, which is 5 modules.

Therefore, I have done some research into the main training providers, Kaplan and BPP. Please see the significant differences in cost below:

Kaplan: £150 per module
BPP: £386 per module

I think one reason for this is because BPP provide pre-recorded lectures for you to watch, whereas i'm not sure Kaplan do. However, as I am self-funding most of this, I am very tempted to go with Kaplan.

Apart from not having the pre-recorded lectures, my only hesitation is that I've heard the Kaplan books aren't very good. I know that BPP are very good because I've been using them for AAT.

Any opinions would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Dan

CeeJaySix

Dan,

You should be exempt from the majority of the six certificate level modules depending on your AAT level 4 options - with both taxes and external audit (I took an extra exam) I only had to sit Law of the six.

Regardless, the standard is much the same as Level 4; therefore if you were comfortable at that level, you should have little difficulty with whichever provider you choose.

For what its worth I've sat my professional level with Kaplan and found both the materials and the classes to be fine; they openly admit their own materials do not cover 100% of the syllabus as unless you're a potential prize-winner, there's just no need (though they do provide the ICAEW textbook as well if you really want to dig into it). I have heard BPP do likewise, but don't quote me on it.

danwilkinson93

Thanks for the reply. I am only sitting CFAB at the moment, in which you have to sit the Accounting module to get the CFAB certificate. I didn't do BTAX or Auditing so i can only get two exemptions.

That's helpful to know that the standard is similar to Level 4.

Did you do distance learning with Kaplan? Or was it a face-to-face classroom? I'm intrugued to know the difference between Kaplan and BPP distance learning because the price is so different!

Thanks,
Dan

CeeJaySix

Kaplan only do Law as a distance learning module as there's not a lot you can teach - it's just learning and regurgitating a book! Very dry. I think I got the ICAEW textbook, and they provide various videos and interactive learning bits online.

Professional level I've done classroom based (work pay and its time off!) - however you still get access to the Engage learning materials which I would think you get for distance learning, which again consist of videos, interactive sessions and progress tests, though no full lectures.

If it were me, I'd choose whichever module you feel most confident about and try it with Kaplan if there's that much of a price difference, and see how you get on.

danwilkinson93

Really helpful post, thanks very much!