AVSY exam window 10-14 July

Hi. Is there anyone here who sat the level 3 synoptic today? Was it a resit? Any techical issues? Thanks
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  • Mike Webster
    Mike Webster Registered, Tutor Posts: 203 Dedicated contributor 🦉
    We had some issues - freezing computers - AAT tell us it's our systems - funny how others have the same problems and we never had these issues under AQ2010 or AQ2013
    Michael JH Webster AATQB FMAAT
  • annvboys
    annvboys Registered Posts: 53
    Oh joy! Thank you for replying. So looking forward to my resit on Thursday!!
  • ncraggs
    ncraggs Registered, Tutor Posts: 70 New contributor 🐸
    Hi Mike, did you have those technical issues today?
    AAT Distance Learning Director First Intuition www.fi.co.uk
  • Mike Webster
    Mike Webster Registered, Tutor Posts: 203 Dedicated contributor 🦉
    Hi @ncraggs we did indeed - yet they were down last week testing our systems and didn't say anything about problems....
    Michael JH Webster AATQB FMAAT
  • ncraggs
    ncraggs Registered, Tutor Posts: 70 New contributor 🐸
    A couple of our centres had things freezing today as well.......
    AAT Distance Learning Director First Intuition www.fi.co.uk
  • annvboys
    annvboys Registered Posts: 53
    Thanks chaps. I have emailed my tutors to see if my college had problems again. Makes no odds really but good to know what to expect.
  • Atahar01
    Atahar01 Registered Posts: 14
    Does anyone know when the results for anyone who sat or will sit their exam during this window will be out?
  • Mike Webster
    Mike Webster Registered, Tutor Posts: 203 Dedicated contributor 🦉
    Hi Nick - I've been told that the freezing is down to our systems - funny how we never had it under AQ2010 or AQ2013!
    Michael JH Webster AATQB FMAAT
  • annvboys
    annvboys Registered Posts: 53
    Very well said. I can't believe they haven't fixed the bugs. Well I can actually. *Sigh*
    Love your comment about the teachings of accuracy and competency but examining in a way that prohibits both. Oh the irony.
    I hope you all did enough to pass. The whole thing seems to be a total lottery. So many cases of students with fewer met or exceeded getting higher % than those with more.
    Roll on Thursday.
    Do you know if it is a 6 week result time again?
    Cheers
  • jchaynes
    jchaynes Registered Posts: 2
    We have been told 6 weeks from the end of the 'synoptic window' so 6 weeks Friday.
    As the college is hoping we will all sign up for level 4 we are all booked into a retake in September, just before the start of term. So anyone who is confident of passing can spend the summer revising!
    Regards
  • Mike Webster
    Mike Webster Registered, Tutor Posts: 203 Dedicated contributor 🦉
    edited July 2017
    #fedup is an understatement
    Michael JH Webster AATQB FMAAT
  • JuliaWestCountry
    JuliaWestCountry Registered Posts: 1
    Just sat the Level 3 synoptic today - disaster to say the least. I had problems up loading and then just ran out of time. I agree with other comments - in the real workplace we are not rushed and and have time to check our work - eliminating the risk of making mistakes as I was certainly doing in part two. I believe it should be two separate exams - 1 for Ethics etc and 1 for spreadsheets, or give at least two hours for part two. It is also not helpful having the task list only on screen on the first tab of each worksheet, I personally need to have a printed copy in front of me. The 'tick' box on the actual AAT screen for each task is meaningless as it's too 'general'. I best book myself into the resit now!
  • annvboys
    annvboys Registered Posts: 53
    So sorry and disappointed to read this. Please put a complaint in to AAT.
    AAT - I hope you are reading this. No bugs fixed as promised.
    Lottery!
  • Mike Webster
    Mike Webster Registered, Tutor Posts: 203 Dedicated contributor 🦉
    No consolation but you are not alone with this!
    Michael JH Webster AATQB FMAAT
  • annvboys
    annvboys Registered Posts: 53
    Just had confirmation from my college that they have experienced technical issues too during this 'window'.

    They centred around ability to switch back to Excel and then some people had difficulty uploading their files
    Regarding the switching back to Excel that was resolved by people exiting secure client and then going back in. The uploading problem appeared to be because candidates had not closed their Excel file before it was uploaded.

    Don't know how you get around the first one - I feel sorry for the invigilators - but the second issue seems to be about remembering to save and close your Excel before attempting an upload.
  • cags7777
    cags7777 Registered Posts: 3
    I had mine yesterday 10th n it was very stressful. We saved our first file then it wouldn't open for anyone. Waited till tutor rang AAT. She was sent a trouble shooting guide and told 'good luck'.
  • JW94
    JW94 Registered Posts: 10
    I have just commented this on another thread:
    Sat my Level 3 Synoptic Exam this morning-absolute nightmare.
    1st half was fine, finished with 20 minutes left after I'd tripled checked all my answers. One of the girls in my class had problems with the exam freezing often but the time still ticking down (my teacher recorded how long it was frozen for to report to the AAT)
    But then came spreadsheets. Wording of the questions was absolutely awful, not clear on what they are wanting to do which means you waste time reading things over and over again. I have used every single mock exam I can get my hands on and none of them were as difficult and complicated as the exam I sat this morning. Ended up running out of time. I don't know how anyone can read the questions, figure out what they're asking, attempt the questions (have to get it right first time round as there isn't enough time to try and figure out the answer!!!) and check their answers within 1 hour and a half!
    Very unimpressed with this and completely disheartened as I've worked very hard for this exam.
  • dahlia
    dahlia Registered Posts: 24
    To avoid switching back and forth between SecureClient (for time check) and Excel, I'm actually tempted to bring a digital countdown timer with me (since no phones are allowed) to keep track of time!

  • dahlia
    dahlia Registered Posts: 24
    I empathise with anyone who's had issues (again!) this week. I was told any issues would have been resolved by this week, but apparently not so. I'm bracing myself.

    Just make sure to file an incident log report *on the day* with your invigilators if you experience any problems during the exam, although I certainly hope no one would need to.
  • Multiplicator
    Multiplicator Registered Posts: 116
    oh anyone who is excelling
    go to you tube - and go to...... https://www.youtube.com/user/ExcelIsFun
    and follow the Highline Excel 2016 course comprehensive business course

    which is er 27 videos and connot be done the night before - which I found very useful and at least at the end you end up with a a decent knowledge of excel

    I was gonna retake but from what people said today I dont think it is worthwhile for a few months (so level 4 if any goes down the jarn for a year or two)

    Sorry you had to go thro what we went thro ( obviously not steve h lucky fellow)

    Daylz - I took in a digital countdown timer - it is called a watch ! (Breitling of course darling)
  • nheed
    nheed Registered Posts: 12
    Sat my exam last night, first part was good, second part not good - at all. Couldn't access saved excel document, had to get tech guys to it sort out, took about 15mins in total, that threw me for the rest of it. Struggled getting from excel to secure assess - had to go through task manager. It's a resit for me
  • paula1443
    paula1443 Registered Posts: 4
    Same here just sat the exam and my computer did not upload the spreadsheet took roughly 20 min and stressed me out so much. This assessment is a joke !!!!
  • salma1011
    salma1011 Registered Posts: 41
    Sat exam today for the second time. I found the exam easier however I had technical issues again. They had to pause my exam 3 times. Really wanted to do level 4 but I don t have any luck with this exam. Will have to re-sit in September for the 3d time. Hopefully the technical Issues will be fixed.
  • annvboys
    annvboys Registered Posts: 53
    Excel for me was fine. It was horrid in time and content but techically ok. I know it is too late for many but i took the advice of our invigilator regarding saving and naming files. When you download, just save (NOT save as) to desktop. Then do the work, clicking the 'save' icon (top left) frequently. Then close when you have finished. Then go to your desktop and right click on file to rename it. Once renamed upload back to exam. I did this for all 3 and they worked (i think). Really faffy especially with the clock (which you cannot see) ticking. My heart was leaping out of my chest. A vile experience in all honesty. So stressful. Really hope i don't have to resit. Very much borderline whether i passed though.
    First half you can basically be tested on anything and the wording may be different from books/practice exams. Just plod through it.
    Good luck x
  • chris_nuttall
    chris_nuttall Registered Posts: 10
    I did mine on Thursday evening, to say I am still angry about it is a slight understatement. I am feeling sorry for my colleagues and family at the minute! This I can say is the worst I have ever felt about any exam in my life, to the point that I thought I was going mentally ill because of it.

    Spreadsheet sheet, I was one of the fortunate ones where I didn't have any technical issues such as the screen freezes. However my vlookup wasn't working as it should be and I spent a lot of time trying to sort it out. I flicked onto the exam for the timer and seen that I had under 30 minutes left and I still needed to finish the rest of that question and to start another question. Fortunately I managed to at least attempt everything. I also know that at least another 9 people in my class did only 2 out of the three questions. Out of my class I know everyone is expecting to have resit.

    For the first part I agree with the exam in principle. The problem I have found is that I have to study and revise everything from the previous four exams plus the ethics. For subjects not to be included and the margin for error being small for the knowledge that is required. I think that if there was a sheet on ethics, a sheet on costing, a sheet on VAT and financial accounts with an extended trial balance. With it being a separate exam from the spreadsheet and it being at least 3 hours long.

    But that's my opinion!
  • Multiplicator
    Multiplicator Registered Posts: 116
    // Just make sure to file an incident log report *on the day* with your invigilators if you experience any problems during the exam,// dahlia

    make sure you complain thro the usual channels Chris ( without an IR incident report they sit on their a+ses and say nothing has happened. but hold it ! don't they say nothing has happened anyway ?) - and I am very sorry nothing has changed. I decided not to retake until people say things are better - clearly not so far ! Keep on retaking, suckers ! Level 3 seems to be : " you have to do a course they make sure you cant pass...."

    what is worse than failing AVSY level 3 - ? ..... passing because then you get to go thro it all again at level 4 and have to pay for it !
  • tarishna24
    tarishna24 Registered Posts: 2
    Did everyone who took the exam save it onto their computer?
  • salma1011
    salma1011 Registered Posts: 41
    Yes you have to save it to Desktop. Then when exam is finished I have been asked to delete all of them.
  • chris_nuttall
    chris_nuttall Registered Posts: 10
    We had a flash drive and saved hem to that.
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