Which IAS's and IFRS's Have to Learn ???

I take it this is for DFS because I remember learnin them. I recommend you try learning them once you are confident that you know consolidated balance sheets, income statement, ratios etc as these gain you to most marks. As far as IAS's and IFRS'S are concerned they are worth learning as it just gains those extra marks but they are only a small percentage of the exam.

With the IAS/IFRS you need to make sure that you get a broad and basic knowledge of all of the examinable ones. Far too often have I seen threads on here condemning the examiner for examining standards which students claim "not to be in the book" or "unfair to be examined". The fact is that the students are at fault if they "question spot" or do not get a good knowledge of all the examinable standards (as per the AAT, not your text book). The examiner can examine whatever standards he wishes, in whatever format he wishes. Be careful not to fall foul of the fact that DFS has become 'predictable' as the examiner could well change this trait......in December perhaps???

Have a look at the support booklets for DFS on the website and ensure you get a good knowledge of all those standards that are examinable for December 08.

Best wishes
Steve

You see this is where I think students are going to come unstuck by assuming a topic is going to be examined in a previous format,

The DFS paper has become so predictable that the AAT might as well set the same exam each sitting. If you look at the past papers one literally mirrors the other.

I remember a few years ago when the DFS paper was examined in a way which the students were not used to and there was uproar. The examiner did not test anything out of the ordinary, just in a different way. But students always, without fail, blame the examiner. Why? Because they "question spot" and I am sorry, but the DFS examiner encourages this by examining the same subjects in the same style time after time after time.

This particular DFS examiner is, in my opinion, leading the students into a false sense of security by constantly examining the same subjects in the same style every single sitting. Look at IAS 38 - June 2008 and June 2006 -it was practically the same question!

DFS, being a final level AAT paper should be a challenge but I think the paper is too predictabe (and students will disagree with me on this), but I think one day, there will be a lot of disgruntled students on here. So it is best to prepare for the unexpected and get a basic knowledge of all the examinable standards.

Kind regards
Steve

There was a useful article in the September edition of the AAT magazine about the importance of not just relying on the numerical answers in DFS exams.

They gave real life examples of written answers for previous exams, and stated whether marks would have been allocated, or gave reasons for not awarding marks.