A home study virgin!... advice needed.

System · July 2005

I'm considering doing my tech level through Premier Training, it will be the first time i've done home study. Would you recommend it?.... the only thing that i am worried about is i'm not a whizz with this numbers thing and i have to work hard @ it to get my the results that i want. I'm prepared to put the hard work into it and motivation isn't my problem i'm just wondering if i'll be able to cope if i really don't understand something... I know that you have a tutor that you can email or phone and premier have said that they always return calls etc etc is this really true? And would you say that i'd ok doing it like this? My tutors @ college last year were really poor and what i learnt @ that intermediate was what i'd learnt @ home studying on my own or with my college mates... Your advice would be appreciated, Treacle.

System · July 2005

A home study virgin!... advice needed.

Hi Treacle I'm currently doing tech level with Premier Training and rate them very highly. I've always had very prompt responses to any queries that I have emailed them (I prefer to do this as I sit in front of a PC all day). Premier Training use Osbourne books which are very well written and have clear easy to follow examples for everything. The thing I've found with home study is that you are in control and you can make sure you cover everything in the book (I notice from some of the threads on this forum that certain college tutors have glossed over areas which cropped up in the exams). Also, you are not governed by how long a college thinks it should take you to learn a particular area. If you need to spend more time on it you can do as its all down to you ! Hope this helps. Good luck ! Nicky :-)

System · July 2005

A home study virgin!... advice needed.

Im with Premier and I have done Foundation and now half way through Intermediate. I can only say good things about Premier - they always answer the phone, even if your tutor is not available you can speak to any if you are stuck and want to know asap. Please that study via a college do the lesson, go home and forget most things and are not able to ring there tutor for a quick message - they have to wait to the following week - by then you might have found out. When i started home study at first I felt alittle alone not really knowing what to do - so I set up the MSN Groups. There is now 400+ members on Foundation and 400+ on Intermediate level all giving as much help as you need. There is about 150+ on the Tech (as im not a tech student there isnt as much on this group, hence the lower members!) When the June exams where over, lots where blaming the tutors for not teaching them something in the book - when they could have easy enough just read the book anyway. With Home study you will read everything in the book and then you only have yourself to blame. As you only have yourself to compare with you dont feel left behind or too far in front - you go at your pace. My mum had a seriuos operation and then I moved house so i ended up taking 3 months off, i couldnt do that with college. Im sure you will be fine, the tutors at Premier are great and are always willing to help and yes they always return calls and e-mails. Amanda

System · July 2005

A home study virgin!... advice needed.

Hi Treacle You sound well motivated and disciplined so I guess it would be a matter of personal choice. Personally I prefer the interaction of a classroom setting. Sometimes it is easier to pick up on things if you hear the difficulties other people are having - even if you are not having difficulties in this area, if that makes any sense. Sometimes it is difficult to grasp something but someone else will phrase it in a slightly different way or use a key word which suddenly makes everything click into place - not only would you not have this with home study but the tutor will be your one contact and may not be on the same wavelength. Having said that though we had an excellent finance tutor who taught us well beyond the required level so we would be well prepared for the exam. Our costing tutor was probably equally good but only taught us what we needed to know and although I never missed a lesson he seemed to be on a completely different wavelength to me and whereas I felt I was struggling in the class found it much easier at home working from the books. Unfortunately we never know how we will connect with the tutors before the course begins. I would agree that the Osborne books are excellent and you should have no problems working from home using this study material. Each topic is explained in basic straightforward English with plenty of examples and exercises so it is doubtful you would reach the end of a chapter and still not have a clue. Good luck - it must be a difficult decision if you have had a poor experience in a previous level.

System · July 2005

A home study virgin!... advice needed.

Thanks for all the advice guys, Has anyone gone from intermediate to tech level @ home study is there a big leap in how hard it is, interm. level to tech level?.. if so is it just as there is so much more work load or is the technical side to?... The Home study does sounds really good and premier seem that they are the best to go with i'm just worried if the tech level is too hard to go through home study and having the security of the college would be a comfort blanket for me? I do lack confidence in my abilty. Treacle x

System · July 2005

A home study virgin!... advice needed.

Hi! I done all levels at home study. Technician is hard but if you have the discipline to learn at home (I say in my office after work as there is less distractions than at home) then there shouldn't be a problem. Tutors are there to help you so ring them, mail them whatever you need to understand it. I try & do a revision course at exam time just to make sure!!!! it also give aother angles on certain topics. I have started home study CIMA now-and that IS hard!!!!! Good luck!

System · July 2005

A home study virgin!... advice needed.

Hi Angel Sorry to change the subject but was thinking of CIMA and our costing tutor put me off a bit and I was told there was nowhere local who provided the course. No find that there is a college providing the course in conjunction with the local university and am starting to think about it again - you will guess I would prefer not to attempt home study. Had a quick look on the site and can see that certified copies of certificates and transcripts are required. Are the transcripts the actual exam scripts - didn't think we ever saw those again. Also I'm sure the actual pass marks were mentioned as a requirement but again I didn't think we were ever told about these. Sorry if I've completely misinterpreted this but thought as you have already started you would know what they meant. Still convinced I will need to resit PEV so haven't actually done anything about it yet, and ultimately may not, but it feels really odd not having any courses to look forward to in September and had always planned to follow this route. Thanks for any help offered.

System · July 2005

A home study virgin!... advice needed.

Hi Treacle, I also did Intermediate at college, and after lots of dithering decided to go for the home study with Premier after some good feedback about them. I don't find the costing side too easy, that's why I eventually opted for the home study, but was also worried that if I didn't go to college, I may not be able to cope with it, and also I would miss the people I had worked with for the past two years. However, I took the plunge and enrolled with Premier. I received all my books and my plan two days later. I have been working through the chapters, which at first found quite hard, but am really enjoying the challenge of being able to work through things at my own pace. A lot of the things I have now learnt were things I thought I would never get my head round, but as I keep at it, it eventually sinks in. All I can say is I am so glad I have taken this option rather than go to college as I am learning a lot more from the books because I'm not expecting a tutor to supply me with work on a weekly basis which can be quite limited, and not at the right pace for you. The Osborne books are really well written with lots of tasks after each chapter and also separate workbook with more tasks - I have done lots and lots of them and this is how things eventually click with me. Anyway hope this helps. Let us know what you decide to do.

System · July 2005

A home study virgin!... advice needed.

Hi Tillyflop, After reading what you put u seemed to have the same worries as me, but i found FRA not that easy at all but like you say if i read the chapter and do the questions in the tutorial and workbook, i also used Osbourne Books @ intermemdiate and thought that they were a good book to learn from, took a while for the penny to drop but it did eventually once i'd done question after question. I suppose that i'm worrying over nothing really it's just another way of studying that i've never done before, like every though the un known is always scary to begin with...... i think that i've made my mind up i'm going to do the home study........Premier here i come.. And to everyone that replied to my plea for help..much apprecicated, i've had some excellent advice .. Treacle x

A home study virgin!... advice needed.

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