Appealing for SYNOPTIC Level 4 results?

busydays

@AbbyCarr are you going to rebook for July? I can't decide if I should rebook now, before seeing the results for yesterday's exam. The slots at my assessment centre fill up really quickly. If I book now and pass yesterday's exam I'll have wasted £86, but if I don't book and fail then I doubt I'll be able to get a space for the July sitting. I'm hoping to start ACCA in September so want to pass by July. What is everyone else going to do?

AbbyCarr

@busydays As an apprentice, my first resit will be free, but I have yet to decide to book on or not. I will probable discuss with my tutor next week. If I don't book before my results, I will also struggle for a space in the July sitting, as there will be people resitting other topics on the same day

Purple_pain

Bear in mind the next sitting after that is September!!!!

ParisRickwood

I am hoping with the amount of complaints AAT are receiving they will have to investigate further.
My class received much lower results than expected even students receiving distinction grades on other exams have now just scraped a pass or failed the synoptic exam, it does not reflect our abilities.
I am personally appealing my result.

The materials for the exam were released late this academic year and since then the AAT have already amended one set of results for the Decision and Control unit and have changed timings and exam procedures for Level 3 Synoptic exam and level 3 Spreadsheets exam. The late changes of information is not helping me trust the AAT. Although, after admitting to their mistake in results in MDCL will they admit to another?

It is very demotivating since we have worked so hard to learn everything in what was an already tight timetable set by the AAT with only certain exam windows. Now i have lost all confidence in studying for my next exam too!

SueFW

@ParisRickwood I would recommend you put a complaint in too I've done both apparently they seem to respond to complaints so if the appeal is unsuccessful at least you've also complained together with a lot of others! The email address I sent mine to is customersupport@aat.org.uk.

student

I did complain last night and sent a blank email for appealing tonight.
Iam realy frustrated with my result (67%) since I had a dream for distinction (qualification) and I was almost there before it happens, but now everything has changed for me. This result simply ruined all effort I had made so far and also left me demotivated as well.

ParisRickwood

Thanks @SueFW I will make a complaint too!

PB96

I am in the same boat as many in here filing an appeal/complain to the above email address. I sent mine on Monday.

Could any response we have from the AAT be posted in here for us all to stay updated?

Thanks!!

Archiewww

@AbbyCarr I had the same questions as you and that question completely threw me off too! I barely wrote much but the only thing I could think was the contribution per unit was higher for IC20 & also that fixed costs for the head office shouldn't be taken in to consideration when looking at this because they will be incurred whether all products are discontinued or not.

I wrote a whole lot of waffle for the non financial factors just hope that the other questions were enough to get a pass

Irrorate

Just sat it, didn't go too well I definitely didn't go into enough detail!

Did ok on q1 and 5 then I had internal control weaknesses, deciding whether to manufacture in-house or continue to outsource and then a SWOT. Barely anything on financial statements it was all budgeting based from what I can remember.

Will most likely be resitting my first exam here, but let's be honest anyone aiming for merit/distinction probably will be anyway to boost the grade!

AbbyCarr

@Irrorate I'd advise to remove part of your comment, or they'll probably take it down unfortunately. I was aiming for a distinction, but I think I just would like to pass. Future employers will likely not care about the level of pass, as it is a new addition

scamp83

I sat this yesterday, the internal controls part was pretty standard but I struggled on the other written questions. I wasn't too sure what they wanted so there were too many angles to come at the answer from. Also the information they gave you about the scenario in some questions was quite lengthy, added together with the small screen it was quite hard work to read through and pick out the important bits. I actually felt pretty confident going in but I don't think I did enough to pass.

Irrorate

@scamp83 that's a bugbear of mine. I've sat a couple of exams on tiny 15" monitors and covered half the area with a statement or paragraph that I had to spend ages moving around a screen.

I was out in 1hr 45mins because I'd exhausted my points and had nothing left to say.

scamp83

@Irrorate I haven't really had that problem before, I wonder if there was some issue with the resolution on the monitor or something. Just with so much stuff to read through it was quite difficult.

Blimey, I stayed the whole three hours! I always feel guilty if I leave early, if I remembered something that I wish I'd included, I'd be kicking myself!

student

has anyone received any response regarding the complaint?

SueFW

@student I had an email to say that they were looking into it and would respond within 10 working days

ParisRickwood

@student Yes I've had the same email too.

student

I had the same email too

PB96

I have received the exact same e-mail.

AbbyCarr

Took an entire 10 days to receive any form of response. And it was just that they required different departments involvement which was delaying a full response.

AbbyCarr

Someone has had a response from the AAT on the Synoptic exam. It wasn't good unfortunately. Essentially it's just a new exam with new challenges and that's why people haven't performed as well as they expected. They may consider adding more sittings but they confirmed results take 6 weeks and are released once in that week. So I'll get my result on 30th when the next sitting starts week 3rd July!

SueFW

That's not good, however I would be interested to see what their response is to the fact that the questions were ambiguous and not clear enough as to what was required? Also it is felt that the marks to some of the questions are incorrectly allocated, a question with 1 mark actually required a significant written response - how can this be fair? I felt totally disadvantaged by these issues and AAT need to review this.

student

completely agree it is not convincing. when we sit every exams in level 4 it is new for us and challenging as well.

AbbyCarr

I wish I could figure out how to insert the picture they posted! I'm so worried this isn't going to be looked into properly I won't be able to resit in July

busydays

It's all a bit worrying. I've rebooked myself in for July just in case I fail. There won't be much time to study between the results coming out and the exam so it's all a bit stressful!! Not sure if I should be revising for the synoptic, which I might not even fail, or concentrating on my two remaining tax exams.

lannieloo

It's an absolute joke!!!

SueFW

Had my appeal results back today. As expected they upheld the original result of 69% but reading the feedback whilst it's useful I don't know how I got as high as 69% as it was pretty damning! I still think there are fundamental issues with the marking. Has anyone been successful in their appeal and had the grade uplifted? Feeling very demoralised and down

lannieloo

So sorry to hear this

lannieloo

I'm gutted they gave an appeals system but no results are ever uplifted!
Doesn't give us much hope!!

SueFW

I'm gutted too I have lost complete faith in AAT and their ability to manage such a highly respected and recognised qualification. The implementation af the AQ2016 syllabus has been a complete shambles and I think the Synoptics have been disastrous at all Levels. They just do not want to admit to students that they need to review assessments when there are significant complaints and appeals. I seriously can't wait to finish.