Tips for Level 3 Synoptic AQ16

For anyone who has sat a synoptic exam, please could you offer some advice? This is my first one and I haven't read good things!

Comments

  • Multiplicator
    Multiplicator Registered Posts: 116
    That is because there arent very many good things to read.

    AAT are very coy about their pass rates but it appears to be as low as 10% for AAT symoptic.
    So far we have had two out of sixteen in our class. - clearly I do not recommend any course of action where 12% pass after two goes.

    Access the level 4 comments for their synoptic with simularly diastrous pass rates..
    As my brother commented it is page after page of relevant comments raised by disgruntled and diappointed candidates who feel they have been ripped off and which are not addressed at all by AAT.

    Their 'argument' goes as follows: the fat controller has demanded AAT put in a final examination. This is incredibly new to AAT altho finals have been used for hundreds of years in other places. Half way thro the course AAT gave notice that the final was going to be more complex than the modules. The end result was that everyone failed and AAT commented that it was always meant to be like this. As the howls of protest got louder they asserted that it was all so new that it couldnt be piloted - even tho they insisted that it had been tried and tested amongst their examiners

    You will notice gaping holes in logic in AAT's argument which makes the majority of candidates think they have been lied to by AAT. - who insist - oh no! it is not us! it is not us at all!

    this state of affairs accounts for the lack of useful tips for those starting level 3 on this thread
    other than - have you paid ? oops that was a mistake !

    Oliver Dearlove

    There has been virtually no comment from those who failed in November again
    Presumably they have taken the hint, given up and gone off and done something else




  • JoJoMis
    JoJoMis Registered Posts: 50 Regular contributor ⭐
    edited November 2017
    Hi! I'm pretty sure they have made it easier now.
    As you can see the commentators have calmed down since Spring/Summer time. I took mine in September and even though found it a bit difficult, it wasn't as bad as expected. Now that I am almost through Professional level I can definitely say that it is just a taste of what's to come. I feel I could do it better now, just because I have learned how to answer certain types of questions having taken 4 exams in the professional level.

    It was the lowest scoring exam I have done so far, but that's to be expected.
  • Multiplicator
    Multiplicator Registered Posts: 116
    I think this spectrum of views pretty fair for what you have signed up for

    Me - terrible - so awful that I wont recommend ever - - 'bargepole, touch' rearrange to give well known phrase

    Jo Jo - it is not really that bad to be honest altho it seemed so at the time - time is a great healer and I've paid for round 2 ! and that is because I like putting my fingers in live electric sockets and dont learn from experience. aaaargh! I just love this !

    so you can now make a rational choice Pinaa
  • AlisonSwanson
    AlisonSwanson Registered, Tutor Posts: 209
    Pass rates for the year to the end of June 2017 were published by the AAT at the end of September. The national pass rate for the Level 3 Synoptic was 32.7%.
    Since then Indirect Tax has been removed from the Synoptic. The Spreadsheet skills list is currently being reviewed and Synoptic assessments will be revised to reflect the new (reduced) content from February 2018 sittings onwards.
    Students who did resits in September all mentioned that the Spreadsheet task 2.1 had already been simplified, and most were able to complete the assessment within the 3hrs 15 mins, unlike students sitting earlier in the year.
    Look out for the revised sample assessments with mark schemes and maybe wait until next February before sitting or re-sitting this assessment.
    All positive steps but unfortunately too late to help those students sitting last year.
  • Multiplicator
    Multiplicator Registered Posts: 116
    Thanks Alison - AAT have been unaccountably coy about these pass rates - we had a much lower aggregate pass rate ( 2 out of 16 who started and 12 who lasted the whole course )

    I have read your level 4 posts with interest and note their supportive nature and yet regretful tone- I retake level 3 synoptic on Wed with no great degree of enthusiasm or hope. I wont rehearse all the justified grouses on level 4 synoptic as you have already contributed usefully to that thread and I have no intention of taking level 4 and wouild not recommend it to anyone - yes so bad - not even to the people I dislike. I note that £2500 has been docked from my student account - this is an awful lot of money to pay to experience something like AAT level 3. If Mark Farrar told me it was value for money I wouild probably call the police.

    and now reader... excuse me... I must go and revise.....Oliver Dearlove
  • Saga
    Saga Registered Posts: 4
    edited November 2017
    > @AlisonSwanson said:
    > Pass rates for the year to the end of June 2017 were published by the AAT at the end of September. The national pass rate for the Level 3 Synoptic was 32.7%.
    > Since then Indirect Tax has been removed from the Synoptic. The Spreadsheet skills list is currently being reviewed and Synoptic assessments will be revised to reflect the new (reduced) content from February 2018 sittings onwards.
    > Students who did resits in September all mentioned that the Spreadsheet task 2.1 had already been simplified, and most were able to complete the assessment within the 3hrs 15 mins, unlike students sitting earlier in the year.
    > Look out for the revised sample assessments with mark schemes and maybe wait until next February before sitting or re-sitting this assessment.
    > All positive steps but unfortunately too late to help those students sitting last year.

    Fascinating comments! I’m due to take the L3 synoptic (first attempt) this week; very interesting news about Indirect Tax being removed. Not heard this before!
  • AlisonSwanson
    AlisonSwanson Registered, Tutor Posts: 209
    @Saga. Sorry I should have said Indirect Tax is being removed from the L3 Synoptic from January 2018. It will still be in the exam until then.
  • Saga
    Saga Registered Posts: 4
  • Multiplicator
    Multiplicator Registered Posts: 116
    // Students who did resits in September all mentioned that the Spreadsheet task 2.1 had already been simplified, and most were able to complete the assessment within the 3hrs 15 mins, unlike students sitting earlier in the year. //

    wonders will never cease! AAT having 'had' to set up a final exam which no one had ever done ever before ( so no testing or piloting, see ?) conclude- what? (after how many goes?) - that the exam they set should be finishable.

    well it is all fees to the fee-mill, puinters! - see how AAT learn from our experience and the fees pour in!
    Experiences such as this really make you want to go out and pay for level 4 ( when you finally pass, that is!)
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