Level 4 synoptic exam

Hello.. I'm looking for advice on my last exam.. Basically I have taken 3 exams for my final year in AAT and got over 90% in all 3 I have two more coming up which I am really confident about and have put lots of work in for.. However for AQ2016 AAT has put in the synoptic assessment.. I am struggling with it as to me it is based on remembering and regurgitating information which there are no working methods for (love working with numbers,) . I have tried revising and nothing is making sense.. The only method I have I using mnemonics and that only helps so much.. With things like the ICQs.. How are you suppose to remember all them? I am so sad that I have done well so far and looking to like I will fail that one exam at the end and not get my level 4 because of one exam.. Can someone please give me some advice.. Can I change back to AQ13 where I don't have to do that exam? Any advice would b greatly appreciated.. Thanks in advanced
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Comments

  • Megan1
    Megan1 Registered Posts: 25
    We are exactly in the same boat.
  • pringlet
    pringlet Registered Posts: 1
    I am also struggling and panicking over synoptic. My exam is on 26th may and nothing is sinking in! We worked through the sample assessment together and our tutor said going off this the exam would be easy, but since when has the actual exams been anything like the practice ones
  • Lizzieestar
    Lizzieestar Registered Posts: 2 New contributor 🐸
    edited May 2017
    Comment removed

    [A Contribution must not disclose any material from live assessments, AAT-produced or otherwise]
  • GeorgiaH
    GeorgiaH Registered Posts: 107
    What past papers did you use to revise @Lizzieestar ? I have been revising through the AAT ones and also BPP and they're all different typed of questions :(
    My exam is on the 18th May and really struggling to study for it!
  • ScottB
    ScottB Registered Posts: 21
    Hi guys.. I originally went through the study text so I'm not sure if u guys went straight onto exam papers.. I usually have a method where I go through the study text slowly then go onto the exam practices. But the study text is awful.. Basically no calculations apart from ratios (which I do like) but it is ridiculous as it just basically a list of key words and it just says remember as many of these as you can.. like the list of internal controls and weakness in accounting system.. Surely u can be expected to remember the book word for word...But I will look at the exams and prey they are nothing like the study text.. I must say the written tasks have always been a weakness as I always feel like I am getting nowhere and they are always so different.. Usually people struggle with like variances for example but there is a method behind it using calculations . Thanks for the comments guys!
  • Yalda20
    Yalda20 Registered Posts: 77
    Hi Lizzie,

    Many thanks for message above. I am not sure I fully understand what you mean by budgetary systems? Is those like incremental budgeting, zero based budgeting etc?

    Georgia- I am taking this exam on the 20th. Once you are done with your exam can you pretty please let me know that type of questions you got? I am sure you will be fine.

    Good luck everyone.
  • ncraggs
    ncraggs Registered, Tutor Posts: 70 New contributor 🐸
    Hi
    I have an article on how to sit these exams,and I did a webinar on it as well, which may be of use:

    https://goo.gl/6jFLIO

    https://goo.gl/hrM7ZX

    Nick
    AAT Distance Learning Director First Intuition www.fi.co.uk
  • GeorgiaH
    GeorgiaH Registered Posts: 107
    edited May 2017
    Hi @Yalda20

    Yes i will let you know. I am dreading it. Have you got any tips how you are studying for the exam?

    Goodluck on the 20th :smile:

    Thanks @ncraggs :smiley:
  • Yalda20
    Yalda20 Registered Posts: 77
    Hi Georgia,

    Many thanks for your message.

    I am lost myself for this exam. Due to time limitations I am revising all the theories from the four units first and only working on a few numerical questions from the three compulsory units. I will also ensure that I am familiar with AAT sample assessments too.

    Can I ask how are you preparing?

    Good luck for your exam too and I will be waiting to hear back from you on the 18th I am sure you will I'll be fine. Best wishes.
  • Whisper
    Whisper Registered Posts: 13
    We use the Kaplan books and for this topic in particular, the Revision kit was a fantastic help. (it's entirely based on the pre-release material)
  • Yalda20
    Yalda20 Registered Posts: 77
    Hey Whisper,

    By revision kit do you mean the work book? We study Osborne books and are given a tutorial book and a work book. Is it based on the real pre-released material?where can I get a copy of this revision kit? What is the name of the workbook please? Have you done your synoptic yet? If so, can I may be borrow or purchase your workbook please? Many thanks
  • GeorgiaH
    GeorgiaH Registered Posts: 107
    HI @Yalda20

    I have been using BPP practice papers and just running over all written questions really. Re-writing them hoping it sticks in my head! It is really hard though as there are so many questions you could be asked? I just hope in the budgetting question i get a numerical question rather than a written :dissapointed:

    What is this revision kit @Whisper ? How did you find the synoptic? Some people say it is similar to AAT practices but others have said completely different :dissapointed:
  • Whisper
    Whisper Registered Posts: 13
    @Yalda20 http://kaplan-publishing.kaplan.co.uk/aat-aq2016/professional-diploma-synoptic-assessment/Pages/revision-kit.aspx heres the link for the revision kit directly from Kaplan, i've completed mine so its not really useful for reusing as i've written over nearly every page. You can find discount codes online I think to knock the price down a bit I think.
    The only thing to note about the book is it does have make up the info thats not given that to you beforehand, which will be given in the exam on the day(such as the financials for the small subsidiary company) but its still great practice. It has a lot of written question in it, so its great to read the answers and compare to what your own answers.

    @GeorgiaH I didn't find it too bad, as I don't mind written questions, but like a lot of people its hard to guage how well i've done becasue there is a lot in the topic. I personally read the paper through and then went straight to the ratio questions, then multiple choice so I gave myself plenty of time to work through the written questions. During the exam I also made sure I took a loo break and had plenty of water to drink. (its the longest exam after all!)
  • SC1234
    SC1234 Registered Posts: 19
    Has anyone had results back from their synoptic yet?
    I'm sitting it next week and i am not sure how to prepare as all the practice assessments are different.
  • GeorgiaH
    GeorgiaH Registered Posts: 107
    edited May 2017
    @Whisper Thanks for the link will have a look in to that :smile: I was thinking of approaching the exam like that going straight into ratio and then multiple choice because they're 15 marks each i think which means if you are confident everything is right on them your almost half way there to passing haha. Yes i agree there is a lot, I am dreading the MDCL question because I fine that subject quite hard.
    How long left do you have to wait for your results?
  • Whisper
    Whisper Registered Posts: 13
    @GeorgiaH we got our results about an hour ago, I got 81% so very pelased. But my class has had mixed results so far.
    I completely agree about MDCL - its the only topic i have to take a resit for, I completely blanked in the exam. I found the topic much simpler in the synoptic and it actually helped me understand some parts i wasn't getting for the MDCL exam. I foucsed on the MDCL topics and made sure i made flash cards and understood the basic formula well for the exam, there is a lot less to remember for this topic for this exam which is a relief!
  • GeorgiaH
    GeorgiaH Registered Posts: 107
    @Whisper Ah that's amazing well done :smile:

    Yes i really struggled with it, i am expecting a resit for it when i get my results in around another 4 weeks! What type of question did you get for MDCL on your synoptic? was it a writing one or?
  • Whisper
    Whisper Registered Posts: 13
    @GeorgiaH Thank you! :)
    I'm struggling to remember exactly, i have a feeling there was a written question and and a bit of a short calculation element. It was similar to the topics i practiced in my Study/revision books (Kaplan)
    I will have a look at my books after work for you!
  • GeorgiaH
    GeorgiaH Registered Posts: 107
    @Whisper Suppose i will just have to try revise it all haha. Was it similar to the AAT samples?
    Ok thats great thank you :smile:
  • Yalda20
    Yalda20 Registered Posts: 77
    Thank you Whisper and Georgia.
  • ScottB
    ScottB Registered Posts: 21
    I think the problem in my eyes is that I have been through a lot of the practice exams.. And everytime the questions are different completely.. Like with the exams so far such as in financial statements although the ratio question was written it was consistent.. Bit like with decision and control practice assessments in the past for example stating why margins are different.. I practice it and get to grips.. But this exam seems more like remembering a certain question and then if u go back to it it feels like a memory game as u try and think of the answer that u saw before.. Which is very concerning.. I'm also sure that many of my answers although we're not mentioned were correct.. Although I can't be sure of this.. With questions with numbers as answers there is never any doubt if u r correct or not.. Very worrying and concerning!
  • Whisper
    Whisper Registered Posts: 13
    @GeorgiaH my assesment was similar to all practice i had done, but that could have been luck as i know some people found them to be quite different. I had a look at the books over the weekend, and again they were similar. I found Q 2 and 4 the worst, and gave myself half the exam for these two questions alone.
  • GeorgiaH
    GeorgiaH Registered Posts: 107
    @Whisper Yes i agree about task 2 and 4, There are so many different questions they could ask and when i am aswering them then look at the answers my answer is only half the size. Find it hard gathering all the information :dissapointed: Just hope i am lucky with the questions as some people were saying the questions are very vague! Almost as if AAT are trying to trick us :dissapointed:
  • Whisper
    Whisper Registered Posts: 13
    @GeorgiaH You'll be ok don't worry! if in doubt, use the words in the question in your answer or state basic and obvious facts to get you going on an answer. A lot of the model answers from AAt do this as well :)
  • GeorgiaH
    GeorgiaH Registered Posts: 107
    @Whisper Thank you! I will have to ramble on haha :smile:
  • Archiewww
    Archiewww Registered Posts: 2
    edited May 2017
    Comment removed

    [A Contribution must not disclose any material from live assessments, AAT-produced or otherwise]
  • ScottB
    ScottB Registered Posts: 21
    Am I the only 1 who thinks the Osborne synoptic book isn't very good?
  • SC1234
    SC1234 Registered Posts: 19
    Has anyone had their results for the synoptic yet? Or has this been a bit like the D&C results?
  • Marcella13
    Marcella13 Registered Posts: 16
    Hi guys, i have been reading through these comments and need help! i sat my Synoptic beginning of May, amd still waiting for the results.. :s . I came out of that exam feeling very deflated. The actual exam i got was nothing like the practice assessments we had done from the Kaplan study book. I found it very hard, and that it didn't really relate back to the pre-seen material at all, unless that was my error. Anyhow, i am almost certain i have failed, unless a bloody miracle has happened.. i don't know how to start revising for it again?! I felt nothing we had covered in class came up in the exam.. the accounting standards, fraud, the ICQ's i got nothing in the exam all which i had prepared for ! Many thanks in advance!
  • CharlotteSylvia
    CharlotteSylvia Registered Posts: 28
    When did you sit your exam? I sat on the 18th May and I'm hoping my results get released today at some point. My results have always been released exactly 5 weeks after I've sat the exam.
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