Inadequate PTAX / BTAX resources

wabisabi

I sat my PTAX exam on Sunday and was shocked at how different it was from the one practice assessment on the web site (there are 2 assessments listed but if I remember correctly the questions are identical - just different figures for each finance act).

In the live exam there were a lot more numerical calculations so my time management was shot to pieces and I was struggling to complete it. I had to leave quite a few parts of questions incomplete due to time running out. The frustrating thing is that I understood it all and would have been able to get the marks if I hadn't taken my time in the first 5 questions based on the practice assessment. I wasn't able to approach some quite complicated questions with a clear head or go back over them and check them.

I would like to see more resources added to the MyAAT e-resources area we are paying our membership for, and less spent on frivolous marketing gimicks.

Rant over.

SACKERS

If I were you I would buy a practice and revision kit from Kaplan. The online resources include computer based practice.

nicfan1

I agree with you wabisabi, I sat the PTAX exam yesterday and actually ran out of time. I had to rush my way through tasks 7,8,9,10 and didn't manage to complete task 11. Absolutely gutted as when doing the practice assessment online it took me 90 minutes tops. Really hope I've done enough to get myself a pass but my fear that I have rushed and made a mistake is niggling away at me. I did the green light tests online beforehand and was achieving 90 and 100 so I know what I'm doing, the AAT simply needs to put further resources on like you say, particularly when pass rates are so low!!

wabisabi

Hi nicfan1

I actually passed it - I was convinced I had failed. I did the first 5 questions fairly thoroughly, then it went downhill. I left quite a few questions unfinished as they involved quite detailed and time-consuming calculations for trivial amounts of marks.

So you might well be okay if you only missed out Q.11!

Good luck

But I still feel that the AAT resources should be improved. I find it a bit annoying that they send out pointless marketing stuff (like AAT socks, or the one I got yesterday to promote e-learning resources which I've been using for a few years now) when they could use this money to create better resources.

leption

The AAT resources is not enough neither is the time. I did mine today and had to rush. I completed all the tasks, but I think I made some errors and didn't have time to check. Why cant they give us 2.5 hrs? I don't understand.

nicfan1

Hi Wabisabi,

That's fantastic news, well done!!
You've given me hope now.

britvic72

Just reviving this thread.

I started learning Ptax 2 weeks ago. Our tutor told us in the first session that if we only use the Osborne book and the AAT online resources that we will struggle in the exam. She highly recommends the BPP text book so I'm going to buy it too. Not that I should really have to given what it's already cost me for Level 4 plus my Osborne books, but better that than fail the exam.

I have to agree there is a serious lack of resources in ptax and the AAT really ought to address this asap to help improve the national pass rate.

nicfan1

Hi britvic72

I used the BPP text book & question bank book & found them really useful. You can also get additional questions/tests once you register the textbook online. Make sure you do the green light tests on the AAT website until you score 100% too. In terms of the written questions I wrote as much as I could about the penalties etc. Manage your time well in the actual exam as the computational questions are quite in depth & take longer than the practice questions take. I ran out of time & missed the last question but still managed to pass it.

Make sure you know your stuff inside & out before your exam & you'll be fine. Best of luck!!

britvic72

Thanks Nicfan1

This is the exam I'm dreading above all others! Only had 2 classes of ptax so far so have a couple of months until the exam but I realise by reading this forum that it's going to be a toughie!

nicfan1

Supposed to be the hardest of them all, according to my tutor. There was only a 35% pass rate out of my group. Keep practising, keep writing it down & it will stick eventually.