AAT L4 or straight to ACCA/CIMA

The three vs five exams is more a reflection of the fact it is an effort to book and then get to an exam centre, a three hour round trip into central London. And I've seen that if I do ACCA there's an exam centre closer to home. I'd expect the three exams to be at least a condensed version of L4 AAT and saw mention of a bit extra knowledge to top it up to ACCA level (on the reverse, is there anything in AAT not included in ACCA?)

I'm just worried about it being a lot harder and then struggling like you say. But if L4 is vaguely equivalent in difficulty then L3 should be a fairly good foundation. But it seems like L4 may be worth working through first, or are there particular AAT modules that are more helpful for easing into the F1-3 papers? And others which I don't need to do as its covered at a similar level by ACCA or not relevant? Not doing the exams is an idea and avoiding the project would be good I need to get the balance right to avoid burning out and losing motivation, doing three exams in two weeks right now is a bad sign.

I don't know whether it's worth having L4 AAT just to complete the qualification. It's going to be around £500 for the exams, books and the project module. I won't get the work experience anytime soon so no full membership and I'm not interested in self employment at the moment. So from the perspective of an employer they may be happier with someone part way through ACCA than with a full AAT completion certificate. I need to compensate for the four year gap on my CV, I'm waiting for my youngest to start school. At the moment it's more of a hobby. Saving money is probably the priority.

Thanks for the information. I did think L4 would be an automatic after L3 but now I'm less sure. I have heard CIMA do similar foundation papers which do have a qualification awarded at the stages but I don't know whether going to CIMA will make it harder to go back to the practice type accounting which I suspect I'd prefer.

It was the tax papers I had in mind for L4 but I am not planning too far in advance as I'm not sure how far I want to go before getting a job. I can only call it a hobby right now as I'm not convinced I have much prospect of employment with a huge gap on my CV. I think AAT L4 was my limit so ACCA F1-3 is also a good place to stop, although I may change my mind and can go through the tax papers at that point. I don't think the possible voluntary work will use real accounting either so it won't help me retain anything I will learn, so no point doing anything now for preparation for a year or two later.

I guess there's nothing wrong in studying them both and deciding during the process which to formalise by taking the exam. I chose to do AAT to get a better grounding in the basics and it has been good so far, I understand everything for the exams, well just finishing AP2. The L4 project puts me off AAT, I like the fast paced learning and the project sounds, erm, less interesting and fast paced. So the optional tax papers are good for F6, F1 has no overlap with AAT so I presume F2-3 overlaps with a combination of the three core AAT modules. So it's best to get through those three modules and then start the F2-3 study. Can the ACCA exams be taken in any order? I presume F1-3 need to be done first, then any order for the remaining F papers. So once F1-3 are done I can do the AAT tax papers along side F6.

i might ask for the books for Christmas!

I've just ordered some books off eBay, so I should have the three core AAT modules covered. I tired to find the BPP ACCA books on their website but they only list papers from F4. I saw other books listed as FIA knowledge something or other.

I had seen the open tuition site but not explored it yet, I did watch a mini lecture on costing which was ACCA but no harder than the L3 C&Rs - I used a BPP book for that and found the study more challenging than the exam which matches what you say about BPP books. I don't fancy my chances of doing a past paper. I know I've found L3 quick and not tough (so far) but I have heard L4 is a big step up and I won't believe I can do it until I'm doing it! In fact I can't imagine even doing the higher F papers, nevermind the P papers.

I hope you manage the exams. I won't go that far until I'm in work and I also have kids, my eldest is 4.5yrs and not sleeping. I don't know how people juggle work and kids, and then study too. We would need some amazing childcare, especially with the ridiculous commute into London. The children are the reason I stopped working, so that's the reason for the gap on my CV, I don't think this is respected and employers many prefer not to take on mothers as stereotypically they are seen as more likely to take time off for sick kids etc or have another baby - definitely not going to happen. Although a gap for any other reason is probably as bad, or worse - apparently employers assume the reason is a prison sentence if it's not explained! Plus having a degree means that even low skilled employment is unlikely, I've seen it suggested that leaving off a degree is a good idea.

Good luck with your upcoming exams.

Ah that may explain it. So I should buy the FIA books and they will be the more recent editions too. I did wonder why ACA was more generous with AAT exemptions, especially as it's considered by some to be the more prestigious qualification. I presume that if someone started ACCA and then joined an employer who preferred another qualification there would be some way to transfer, perhaps with some exemptions?

I've just read that the ACCA CBE give an instant result compared to the six week wait for AAT L4. This is another factor making ACCA a more attractive option. I presume the new F4 CBE will be the same. And I guess therefore there are no longer written answers unlike AAT. Just the two AP exams to go, both within ten days and I can start studying for it. I presume I don't need to register with ACCA until just before booking the first exam.

With L3 now complete I've been trying to map out how to proceed. It looks like the ACCA F3 paper is related to the Finacial Statements AAT module, as I've just finished AP2 it probably makes sense to do this first - Study FS and then F3 before sitting the exam.

Then I'll get into Budgeting and Financial Performance which seems to lead into F2. F1 does appear unlike any particular module with AAT but some elements perhaps covered by WEAF, PEAF and the ICAS project. I'm thinking of leaving this to last and following it with F4 which looks wordy and involving similar study techniques compared to the accounting skills modules. That would then finish off the CBEs offered. If I want to carry on I'll do the tax modules and F6, I quite fancied doing these at L4 anyway. I have no idea how the paper exams work with different booking times and prices. It's all new but the CBEs look like the AAT system and can be booked anytime at the same price. I'm going to take more time over each module instead of cramming as I've just done, I suspect two months per exam is realistic for getting through at a more relaxed rate at this level.