AVSY exam window 10-14 July

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  • stephanie_wells
    stephanie_wells Registered Posts: 12
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    You would think they would read the forums to find out some feedback!!!!
  • Meema1
    Meema1 Registered Posts: 8
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    @stephanie_wells hi Stephanie! So sorry to hear that you're not happy with how the synoptic is going.
    How's your revision going for the retake?
    And what do you mean that they're changing to the ACCA? I'm due to start the level 4 in September..
  • Multiplicator
    Multiplicator Registered Posts: 116
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    Has anyone had the latest patronising email from our masters ?
    You pays your money for a dud course and then you get a FREE handout to assist you for the retake - which they arent going to charge for either
    " We recently discovered some students were experiencing..." the email from AAT plaintively bleats .

    and so you are allowed to download some scrap of paper that is intended to "help" you in a retake.

    you know the help I want ?- an examination that I can understand which doesnt crash at random intervals and is based on the course I have paid for and sat thro.

    yes I know that is too much to ask.

    and then the email oges onto describe the glittering prizes and careers that await people who are successful. You know what ? 90% ( if the pass rate really is around 10%) dont have a career at present.


    .

  • JW94
    JW94 Registered Posts: 10
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    I received a very long winded, patronising email basically telling me that they're sorry I couldn't do it but it's not their fault as they listened to the students from the first sittings and added 15 minutes to the exam...that is not what I complained about!! Every time I read it I get more and more irritated.
    I didn't receive the hand out email although I assume that is for those taking a resit already!
    Two weeks on and I'm still fuming!
  • stephanie_wells
    stephanie_wells Registered Posts: 12
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    > @Meema1 said:
    > @stephanie_wells hi Stephanie! So sorry to hear that you're not happy with how the synoptic is going.
    > How's your revision going for the retake?
    > And what do you mean that they're changing to the ACCA? I'm due to start the level 4 in September..

    Hi meema
    Apparently with the ACCA you can get a higher qualification but that's all my learning provider knows. I sent a very long email to them yesterday afternoon about it as the 2k I have paid is not what I have received in service. I will be speaking to AAT today. My plan was to get a pass result by the beginning of sept so I can start the level 4 on 19th sept. Wonder when they were going to tell me this wasn't going to happen!!!
    Tbh revision is not very progressive as the more I read people's comments im so disheartened by the whole thing.
    Part of me wants to screw it all but iv worked so hard and it's all down to this 1 poxy synoptic!!!!
    I'm disgusted that we've been used as test students for this and should be offered the option to opt out of it due to the upset and problems.
    My next exam is Monday
  • Multiplicator
    Multiplicator Registered Posts: 116
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    time I think to involve the exam regulator

    AAT isnt its own regulator - is it?

    I think we have a good case to make that the exam at present is not fit for purpose
    amd they wont change it
    specifically - I think we can show people failed because they failed to upload - or upload was unsuccessful - and this is not adquate grounds for failure
    erm ignorance should be....(and a few other things)
  • stephanie_wells
    stephanie_wells Registered Posts: 12
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    Well, as iv mentioned before my training provider has been an awful let down, 1 - no tutor for the synoptic module of the course so did this as home study and moving my exam from next monday to this morning with just 2 days warning. So iv crammed revision and notes in over the last 4 days and nights..... i get to the exam this morning to sit, ok so i have to admit no problems uploading at all!!!!!! but ....... when i last sat this back in July, there was just 1 assessment to download for the excel tasks - after doing my best and actually feeling ok about it, i upload and save with just 7 mins left and lo and behold - 'WHY IS THERE ANOTHER 2 ASSESSMENTS TO DOWNLOAD FOR EXCEL????????????????????????????
    where the hell did these come from?? they were not there last time!!!!!
    Im in utter shock, complete dismay and having a complete internal breakdown as all the work i had put in, will not make up enough for a pass as 75% of the 2nd part of the exam has not been done.

    Found out that at my college in the 2016 synoptic up till last week, i was the first and only one to do this exam and failed - so, 100% of the course was failed!
    and now probably again. //£2000 for the biggest stress factor ever.... and to top this off, you cannot book another until your fail has come through which takes 7 weeks, so by the time i get to do yet another i have mossed the intake for the level 4 - putting my whole career plan down the toilet.

    The most terrible experience of my life.
    How has everyone else been getting on????
  • cags7777
    cags7777 Registered Posts: 3
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    Oh no. I feel your pain. There has always been 3 tasks for the spreadsheet part. Not sure why you were booked exam next week as there isn't a window Synoptics then so tutor will have known this ages ago. You can still start L4 while waiting synoptic result but won't be able to do any assessments til pass if need resit. It's frustrating it's soo long winded n wordy!! I'm you'll fine, onwards and upwards xx
  • Ellada
    Ellada Registered Posts: 43
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    To be honest, I didn't have any technical problems during my exam. Also, I do use advanced Excel on my work for last 3 years but I haven't finish task 3 on Excel and missed some bits on other 2 parts, plus I could not understand Excel tasks as so badly worded... I'm sure I've done those 2 part completely wrong. No one in my class of 18 has finished all 3 tasks. Some of them done 1 part, some of them a bit more...Just 1 girl had technical issues. I am not going to take L 4!!! Also, to re-sit an exam I must pay membership £97 plus exam fee £75...
  • JW94
    JW94 Registered Posts: 10
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    Please email the AAT with your complaints! I emailed regarding the wording of the excel tasks and they emailed back to say nothing will be done as not enough people have complained!
  • cags7777
    cags7777 Registered Posts: 3
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    Do you have the email add to complain?
  • salma1011
    salma1011 Registered Posts: 41
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    Done synoptic and twice had technical issues. Complained twice and received same email explaining they are sorry .... now for my third resit will have to pay £92 membership £50 for resit. I am fed up with it. My plan was to do level 4 but start to think that Will be very silly to go ahead with my first plan.
  • Multiplicator
    Multiplicator Registered Posts: 116
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    the address to complain is .....
    customer.support@aat.org.uk
    yeah ironic huh ?

    Make sure your college has done an incident report or (they say and I can well believe it is true) they wont look at the complaint

    well I am sorry boys and girls - as a registered student - your retakes have been as bad as the first time - more of the same. I am sure there is a lesson in that. We were told as a concession that we could start Level 4 but would be kicked off the course if we failed the retake in Sept 17 - and yes it is one week into a new subscription ! I am not sure how many suckers are taking up that fantastic option

    Salma I feel very sorry for the people locked into this course - you and I have the luxury of choice ( in this case not to throw away a few thousand pounds for level 4 ). I have decided to give it a years rest whether or not (haha) I pass the retake- I feel a bit like a kid who has stuck his fingers into an electric socket (not difficult in the good old days) - when I do it again - an adult bends over and asks " why did you keep on doing it you stupid boy!"

  • kellypreston
    kellypreston Registered Posts: 24
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    My membership runs out on 01/09 but I think the results come out on 08/09. Do I need to re register just to be able to view what I got? Or will I get something in the post about it?
  • stephanie_wells
    stephanie_wells Registered Posts: 12
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    JW94 - I remember you have mentioned that before, and this evening when im not so upset i will be emailing them from a more politely worded manner - thank u,lets hope we get somewhere.
    My membership also runs out actually on monday 31st july - id like to know if i can still get my results otherwise i have to pay additional £90 too................
    Multiplicator - you are soooo right! i guess many of us have gone back to the socket - some having to for exam result purposes!
    Is this correct about having to pass or being chucked off the level 4 course?

    Although meeting with my course manager today to express my disgusted state, our college is not carrying on with AAT due to all these problems, apparently AAT is more aimed at 16-19 year olds from GCSE level hence the ridiculous ethics and excel crap. They are replacing AAT with ACCA, a more mature accountancy course that concentrates on level 4 upwards, they do not cover any type of spreadsheet formatting. My provider did say to me that if i do not pass the synoptic he could enter me onto the level 4 ACCA via an entrance test with no sight of a spreadsheet and that if i have a valid AAT membership, the college will pay for the 1st years membership to the ACCA membership.

    Maybe my kicking off has given me a few hidden lifelines somewhere along the line!!!!

    I dont know where this is going to get me or where to go next, although i am negotiating with my learning provider for some money back as when i signed up it did not include the synoptic in my course agreement it was added late and as i never had a tutor i should have a share of the £2000 back especially after failing me on professional ethics, i would like to know where their professional ethics are towards me.
  • dahlia
    dahlia Registered Posts: 24
    edited July 2017
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    @stephanie_wells
    I feel your pain and think that it's good that you are communicating with your college to get what is best for you.

    Personally I was surprised to hear that no tutors were available for your synoptic study! I don't mean to be nosy, did you pay your course with a credit card by any chance? Because if you did, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act will offer you financial protection, on grounds (as it sounds like to be the case from your description) that your training provider has either committed misrepresentation and/or breach of contract, by not providing tuition for the entire course.

    If you paid by credit card, your bank is legally obligated to fully refund you the amount you paid for the course!
  • Multiplicator
    Multiplicator Registered Posts: 116
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    // Is this correct about having to pass or being chucked off the level 4 course?//
    well if someone in authority says it is not true then it almost certainly is (true) [joke]
    That's AAT for you ! St Johns College Manchester - these were the rules for entry to Level 4. They may well differ in other colleges - I dont think it is particularly good deal by the way

    The more I think about it - the more I wish to take time off and watch you mutts suffer - cost to me - nothing but cost to you - a few thousand and much stress. Enjoy.

    As for the dreaded spreadsheet - there are now a few bits on you-tube showing you what you need to do - search for AAT synoptic - Andrew Harrison and Geoffrey Evans have contributed as have others. There were "quite a few o jesus is that what they wanted" moments. - the practice question looked quite a lot like the ones I remember ploughing in the exam. (leaving aside for a moment whether we should be failing accountancy exams as a result of the non-intuitive nature of excel spread-sheets)

    and of course - good luck
  • Mike Webster
    Mike Webster Registered, Tutor Posts: 203 Dedicated contributor 🦉
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    @Multiplicator - FYI each college's admission criteria is different and so "being chucked off the level 4 course" is a local decision. I know a few providers (us at Cardiff and Vale College included) are looking to allow some learners to progress from level 3 to level 4 provided that they agree to complete the L3 synoptic in September and have had merit/distinction grade profiles in unit assessments.

    For those who want to view the YouTube videos mentioned above, here's a link to the one by Andrew Harrison Video 1

    George Evans' video can be found here Video 2
    Michael JH Webster AATQB FMAAT
  • stephanie_wells
    stephanie_wells Registered Posts: 12
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    i have emailed customer.support@aat.org.uk this morning to explain the extent of issues and upsets including the emails i have sent to my learning provider. Afetr sending them an email exactly 7 days ago and no reply or acknowledgement - i sent another this morning wondering where they're prefoessional ethics are or their due care to me as a paying student! Lets see the reply!!!
    Will be checking out the youtube videos too. Paid by student loan too - dont think i can request a refund for that - not to sure!!
    Has anyone actually passed this yet?
  • SusanC
    SusanC Registered Posts: 23
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    We were given memory sticks to save to. I presume they would have been wiped immediately after uploading to AAT - can't have highly respected tutors being given the means to help us improve our performance, can we?!

    Has anybody had their results yet for this 'window' - or will they all be released at the same moment causing mayhem as we all try to log in at the same time and then all complain at the same time?!! :/
  • annvboys
    annvboys Registered Posts: 53
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    Results 2 weeks today as far as i am aware. If the past is anything to go on they will be with us by about 4pm!
  • SusanC
    SusanC Registered Posts: 23
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    Yes, I have the date on my calendar, Ann. Was hoping that 'within 6 weeks' might mean that it was a limit not a target.
  • Multiplicator
    Multiplicator Registered Posts: 116
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    did anyone get the email from AAT
    "CV tips and career resources - sell your skills"
    after what they have done to us in Level 3 and 4 - none of us have a career do we ?

    A level results out today and there is - the papers say - going to be a similar cull of hopefuls expecting to do Much Better
  • Ellada
    Ellada Registered Posts: 43
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    I did. Also, I wrote the complain that it is not possible to complete all exam tasks in time. So, I will probably need to re-take the synoptic again. I will have to pay for re-sit and for AAT membership!!! But I am not going to take AAT L4.

    So, AAT replied (see part of the letter):
    "As this is your last assessment to complete before gaining your qualification we will extend your renewal date to allow you to undertake a resit. Should you need to sit a re-sit of this assessment, please confirm the date on which you will be taking a re-sit so that we can arrange for your membership to be extended".
  • gabandy
    gabandy Registered Posts: 22
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    I took my level 3 synoptic on 11th July and no one in my class had any technical issues. We could not have asked for a nicer exam. Role on 25th when we get our results. Good luck everyone ☺
  • Meema1
    Meema1 Registered Posts: 8
    edited August 2017
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    Has anyone had their results?
  • nheed
    nheed Registered Posts: 12
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    @gabandy I couldn't have asked for a worse exam with the IT issues etc - felt traumatised afterwards.

    I expect the results will be out next Friday, they say it's 6 weeks after the window closes. The level 4 synoptic results came out yesterday.
  • Multiplicator
    Multiplicator Registered Posts: 116
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    Level 4 results out - and they are discussed in the adjoining column
    It is worth a look and a read for those contemplating next year
  • gabandy
    gabandy Registered Posts: 22
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    @nheed was it just IT issues which caused it to be a horrible exam or was it the questions aswell. Also my tutor has confirmed that the results will be out on 25th August so friday. Who knows whether that will be at midnight or later in the day.

    Does anybody know whwther everybody sat the same exam or does everyone have individual exams?
  • nheed
    nheed Registered Posts: 12
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    Yes, it was IT issues. Started in section 2, I eventually had to log out of secure assess and log back in, then I couldn't get between screens very easily, I just started having a meltdown at that point and after 45 mins decided I'd had enough.

    There's no way I'll be starting level 4 until I've passed this exam, don't want to have to continue to revise for the synoptic whilst learning a new subject. Very disappointed with AAT.

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