ACA or ACCA?

xHolmesyx

Hi All,

I achieved MAAT status around 3 weeks ago and am now looking to progress on to ACA or ACCA.

Has anyone got any advice on the best one to choose? I want to make sure I pick the right one as both take a while to complete. I'm currently working in industry as a Management Accountant but may not want to stick to Management Accounting long term. I've heard ACA is slightly more desirable and that the exams are slightly harder.

Is ACA only worth doing if you want to get into a top 4 firm? If you want to get into a top 4 firm, have you only got a chance of getting in if you have a degree and excellent A levels to go with the ACA?

Thanks in advance.

NeilH

Hi

Having taught on both, I wouldn't say one is harder than the other. ACA's content is geared more towards practice, whereas ACCA is more suitable for either. There is some old school "snob" factor associated with ACA, but that's in decline.

The top 4 do like a good academic background, although they are more flexible than they used to be, and a degree is not necessarily essential. Keep in mind that the move from industry to practice is a tricky one and often means starting over as a trainee/junior. Even if you were part or fully qualified ACA or ACCA, the skill set/experience developed in industry is very different to that in practice. Moving from practice to industry is quite common, but experience gained in practice is more easily adapted to industry than the other way around.