CIMA May 2011 exams
Rinske
Registered Posts: 2,427 Beyond epic contributor π§ββοΈ
Just so nice we got our own hiding place, that we might as well use it now!
Anyone signed up for the exams yet and how are those studies going?
I've definitely signed up for E1 and F1 and started studying E1 this week. So far I find E1 very wordy compared to F1! However, it does seem to be doable, but then again, I'm only just starting on chapter 3 of my book, so I can't really judge it yet.
Anyone else feels that way? And how is everyone getting on with getting their heads around the wording of the exam questions?
Anyone signed up for the exams yet and how are those studies going?
I've definitely signed up for E1 and F1 and started studying E1 this week. So far I find E1 very wordy compared to F1! However, it does seem to be doable, but then again, I'm only just starting on chapter 3 of my book, so I can't really judge it yet.
Anyone else feels that way? And how is everyone getting on with getting their heads around the wording of the exam questions?
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Hi Rinske, i`ve signed up for P1. Not sure why i went for this one first, and now i`ve seen the calculations im not so sure i`ve picked the right one. I`m hoping i`ll catch on and not struggle too much.0
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Sweet got our own place to spam :P......
Need to book my F2 and E2,
P1 isn;t too bad to start with again alot of cross over knowledge from the AAT course0 -
I'm sure you will be fine Kerri!
Slackda how are F2 and E2 compared to E1 and F1 (and P2 and P1) in knowledge, does it go up a lot or is it more a different way of looking at it and managing it, rather than building up more knowledge?0 -
erm not started e2 yet.... F2 so far has been easy,
So F1 looking at group consolidation 100% ownership, f2 looking at 80% ownership and how tht affects things, as i progress further i will update. so little update in knowledge but more using what you already know for further uses0 -
cheers, i hope i settle into it ok. I`ve borrowed a book this week to get me started, i feel like im still studying the dreaded PEV. Reading the comments from you both im starting to think i should have started with F1.0
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You'll be fine, i started with P1,0
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I liked PEV, maybe I should have started with P1!
I'm glad that F2 is dealing with 80% consolidations, I did find it very odd that less than 100% shares consolidations were outside the scope of F1, but on the other hand, enough other stuff to learn, as to be glad with it.
My Kaplan book keeps telling me how to set up my workings and that this is the way I SHOULD follow it in the exam to get marks, does anyone know if this is true? As the BPP ones seem slightly different anyways, this seems very odd to me.0 -
Go with the method mentioned in your text book,
I guess its to seperate the learning styles....
1 important this about f1 conslidation qeustions is put the basic numbers that you already have into your P&L/BS sorry SOCI and SOFP, when you start as you can pick up 13/14 marks on a 25mark question with out doing any workings..0 -
I read that somewhere too and have been I trying to apply that to the Statement of Cash Flow, but keep running out of space on either the cash flows from operating or the rest doesn't fit on one page anymore, so need to figure out a way of avoiding that, without starting a new page for the investment and financial activities. As that seems such a waste of paper.
Thank you for reminding me of it though, it really does sound like valuable advice!0 -
Courses at Chichester College
I've 2 classes preparing for May 2011
One is on Thursday evenings P2
The other Friday afternoons F1
There is a revision weekend for each where non-class members can join for 2 days over a Friday and a Saturday.
The Friday morning looks at some key topics, Friday afternoon is a full mock. I mark the mock overnight.
The Saturday morning is feedback on the mock, Saturday afternoon is either a continuation of the feedback and/or further key topics.Sandy
sandy@sandyhood.com
www.sandyhood.com0 -
Do you get time to sleep from Friday to Saturday?
Thanks Sandy, it really is a shame that I depend on public transport, it makes your college so far away, but will be looking in the revision weekends.0 -
Can someone recommend a calculator to use for P1. I purchased a Casio fx-991ES Plus and think its got way too many buttons on. I were practicing calculations on the bpp website and managed to get the answers right but as soon as i started to do the formula`s for P1 the answers were always wrong but the formula on the calculator looks right. Anyone know of a easy to use one out there?0
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Hello,
This is what I used, very handy for P2:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Casio-FX-85-ES-Calculator/dp/B000A1LNP0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298290112&sr=8-10 -
Thanks crispy, it looks much easier to use. I`ll get that ordered today0
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Oooh shiny new forum!
I'm sitting my 3 CIMA Strategics (E3; P3; F3) in May. Brain already fit to burst.
I sat most of my 6 managerial papers under the old syllabus, so not sure how similar the new syllabus papers are.
I really enjoyed P1 & P2 (as they were) which were very calculations based and very much my cup of tea. P4 & P5 (now E1 & E2) were about business/ strategy/ organisational structure - very wordy. But quite interesting if you like that kind of thing. P7 & P8 (now F1 & F2) are financial statements based - P7 was very straightforward (not "a doddle" but not too bad). I found P8 very challenging especially all the consolidation that was involved (which I think is now shifted to another paper).
Very glad that I went on to CIMA from AAT, though at times I've failed to see its relevance to my own career progression and wished I could go back to the days of solid number crunching.
But I went to an EXCELLENT AAT Glasgow Branch event this weekend on Career Management / Realising your Goals and it helped me get things in perspective.
All the best to everyone here doing CIMA and feel free to PM me if I can help with anything.0 -
I'm doing ACCA, not CIMA - but the Casio calculator above is great - going to get another few for coming years0
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I'm sitting P1 and E1 in May. I've read through the P1 book already and have just started on the E1.. I'm actually finding it quite nice to be wordy and not as mathmatical as P1 as I was finding that all a bit complicated.
I've signed up for revision weekends for both exams which I'm hoping will help.0 -
wow Esme you sounds like your doing ok with your study. im only up to chaper 6 on P1. Im hoping to go on the revision days but work hasnt ok`d it yet.
I ended up purchasing the recommended calculator and must say its much better to work with, Thank you0 -
I agree, you sound quite ok with it.
Still need to look into the revision courses tbh. Work won't pay, but that won't stop me
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REvision courses Do it! they are worth it!0
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I found that Kaplan is now offering an online type of the Question based day, which I am considering.
I was wondering whether the actual Question Based Days or Revision course would be better.
Any clues or suggestions on that?0 -
The QBD that BPP offered (I presume they are the same) were just answering a question, it being marked whilst you were doing the next question. It was just one day.
However the revision course was going over the syllabus with question practice thrown in, I did revision courses for the papers I knew I would struggle in and found them invaluable. I'm not sure i would have got the same from a QBD.
My thoughts however was that this would be more suitable where cost or time was an issue. I was part funded so used revision courses instead0 -
Thanks for that.
Back to looking into revision days/ weekends for me! Although my main issue might just be exam techniques, so a QBD might be enough, but is it worth the risk? Considering the prices aren't that much different in comparison.
Oh well, back to thinking about what to do.
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Rinske
I'd recommend them
You arrive and just collect one question after another.
You get 45 minutes per 25 mark question, and have to plough through and see how you get on
As you hand in the first one you collect a second etc
You should be shattered at the end of the day, but you should have sharpened your knowledge and used the time well to show the marker you really understand
If you can get to one, it ought to be invaluable. I know a couple of recently qualified ex-students who mark, and they've been through it themselves so really understand what the exams are like.
I sometimes offer a " send me your answers" service, where students have to attempt the questions in their own environment, but when I mark these they tend to get a lot more feedback.
I'm too busy for May 2010, but will be offering it again for September (which I hope you won't be needing). And not having an exam hall environment means you miss learning to cope in that environment.
Don't try to get perfect answers (which you tend to aim for in AAT) instead look at using your time very very well to get over 50%.Sandy
sandy@sandyhood.com
www.sandyhood.com0 -
Thank you Sandy!
I'm also hoping I won't be needing the September resits, but have the feeling that a bit of extra guidance might come in handy at the moment.
I'm ok to cope with the exam class rooms and am mostly struggling still in how to answer the questions for F1. However I swapped over from focus on F1 to focus on E1 first, as I'm still going through the chapters on that one and try to do more exam questions in between.
I also send of my first practice exam for F1 and hope to get some useful feedback on that one, as that is something that I haven't had yet. So I'm still positive things will get easier!
Sorry, bit of a random post from me.0 -
I have just started my CIMA studies having finished the AAT in Jan 11. I have opted to just sit the one exam (F1 - financial operations) in the May 11 sitting.
I have found the F1 has alot of crossover with the AAT DFS unit especially on group consolidations, limited company accounts and the framework.
Is the F2 - Financial Management exam a big step up from F1?0 -
Erm so far the F2 paper is covering some more stantdards (IAS IFRS), complex groups, i.e F1 you look at 100% subs or <50% Associates, where as f2 is looking at 80% Subs, oooh and pensions......as i get further through it i will advise.
So so far there is allot of cors over from f1 paper.0 -
I'm doing revision courses with First Institute, they're 315 per subject. My work is paying half , the price includes the BPP revision kit too.
I've read the P1 book but haven't done many of the questions yet, or bought a scientific calculator. I didn't realise I needed one before reading this forum which is worrying!!0 -
Am I now confused, but I have a distance learning course, I just thought they had one or two day revision day courses. Hence I'm in doubt between the QBD and the revision courses.
I find 315 quite steep per unit for just one or two days. I know it's warranted for all the time it takes tutors to prepare and the intensity of the days, but unfortunately money isn't growing on my back yet, and unless I win the lottery (or my work finally will give me the raise) I won't be able to afford them that easily.0
