Starting to study the Decisions and control unit....

thelowendtheory18
thelowendtheory18 Registered Posts: 298 Dedicated contributor 🦉
and dreading it to be honest.

From what I've read this sounds like a nasty exam, if i can pass it 1st time i'll be buzzing

Financial Statements i didn't have an issue with & passed well, the budgeting exam i just sat and feel i done ok ( but who knows until the result comes in).... but i am excepting to have a rough time with this unit

So it begins.....lol

AAT

Level 2 Foundation Certificate in Accounting - 30 Nov 18
Level 3 Advanced Diploma in Accounting - 16 Oct 19
Level 4 Professional Diploma in Accounting - 22 Jul 21

Comments

  • Pian32
    Pian32 Registered Posts: 474 Dedicated contributor 🦉
    The first part overlaps heavily with and expands on budgeting. (Variances) There is a nice overlap with Financial Statements (ratios).

    The new section is mostly on calculating 2 different options and comparing them, so plenty to learn on different types of cost and what actually needs to be included.
    AAT Level 4, MAAT
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  • Emmalouise18
    Emmalouise18 Registered Posts: 237 Dedicated contributor 🦉
    I found this exam absolutely horrendous and it took me 4 times to pass it (69% then 60% then 66% then 72%)

    I personally found the Synoptic easier (passed this 2nd time round)

    With the Decision & Control exam after my third attempt and third failure, I was told to purchase the BPP Question Bank Books and im SO glad I did. These books are amazing and explain things more in-depth.

    Decision and Control involve a lot of written questions and there is a certain way to tackle these questions if you want to get the marks.

    Ever since following the below advice that my tutor gave me, I have got exceeded in all written questions:

    Give a definition (examiners love a definition), explain the definition and what it means, make your point, explain your point, give examples and back up your answer then link this back to the question asked.

    If you follow the above advice you cannot go wrong, as long as you show where you have got your answer from and why you believe this is the correct answer then you will be fine.

    You have to answer written questions by assuming the examiners no nothing, you have to act like you are teaching them. Remember.. they can only give you marks for what you write down. So explain EVERYTHING. If you have an answer in your head, but only give a vague explanation this will not give you many marks.

    Any further help feel free to message me :)
  • thelowendtheory18
    thelowendtheory18 Registered Posts: 298 Dedicated contributor 🦉
    Cool, the more overlap the better..lol

    i would why a lot of people dont like this exam?
    AAT

    Level 2 Foundation Certificate in Accounting - 30 Nov 18
    Level 3 Advanced Diploma in Accounting - 16 Oct 19
    Level 4 Professional Diploma in Accounting - 22 Jul 21
  • thelowendtheory18
    thelowendtheory18 Registered Posts: 298 Dedicated contributor 🦉

    I found this exam absolutely horrendous and it took me 4 times to pass it (69% then 60% then 66% then 72%)

    I personally found the Synoptic easier (passed this 2nd time round)

    With the Decision & Control exam after my third attempt and third failure, I was told to purchase the BPP Question Bank Books and im SO glad I did. These books are amazing and explain things more in-depth.

    Decision and Control involve a lot of written questions and there is a certain way to tackle these questions if you want to get the marks.

    Ever since following the below advice that my tutor gave me, I have got exceeded in all written questions:

    Give a definition (examiners love a definition), explain the definition and what it means, make your point, explain your point, give examples and back up your answer then link this back to the question asked.

    If you follow the above advice you cannot go wrong, as long as you show where you have got your answer from and why you believe this is the correct answer then you will be fine.

    You have to answer written questions by assuming the examiners no nothing, you have to act like you are teaching them. Remember.. they can only give you marks for what you write down. So explain EVERYTHING. If you have an answer in your head, but only give a vague explanation this will not give you many marks.

    Any further help feel free to message me :)

    Thanks!!!!
    AAT

    Level 2 Foundation Certificate in Accounting - 30 Nov 18
    Level 3 Advanced Diploma in Accounting - 16 Oct 19
    Level 4 Professional Diploma in Accounting - 22 Jul 21
  • emma8021
    emma8021 Registered Posts: 39 Regular contributor ⭐
    I'm about to start this unit - i have passed financial statements and budgeting and took a break so i am dreading this exam :-(
  • barney77
    barney77 Registered Posts: 7
    @emma8021 good luck with the unit - I took longer studying this one then anything before

    I take this exam Thursday -currently showing a pass on the Mock exams but still not sure after reading comment on here and still getting confused with the variances!

    I learnt with ICS learn who recommend doing the budget and decision modules before the Financial statements not sure if this was a good idea but a bit late now!
  • Bex_88
    Bex_88 Registered Posts: 10

    Cool, the more overlap the better..lol

    i would why a lot of people dont like this exam?

    If it helps, I found this one the most interesting! But because of all the negativity surrounding it I did a lot more studying/revision than with any of the others so maybe that's why :)
  • Mannaesi
    Mannaesi Registered Posts: 80
    @Emmalouise18 hy dear.....if you dont mind can you help me on the one attached applying the method you use to tackle reports.....and everyone can also add their opinion on the question
  • Emmalouise18
    Emmalouise18 Registered Posts: 237 Dedicated contributor 🦉
    Mannaesi said:

    @Emmalouise18 hy dear.....if you dont mind can you help me on the one attached applying the method you use to tackle reports.....and everyone can also add their opinion on the question

    Hello - I don't have an attachment - please re-send this and I can have a look and advise you :)
  • thelowendtheory18
    thelowendtheory18 Registered Posts: 298 Dedicated contributor 🦉
    A week in and so far not too bad.. just recapping on level 3 material (marginal costing/absorption costing/OAR''s under over absorption/ABC costing and breakeven analysis)

    Glad I revised ABC costing as that was the only subject that i didnt fully grasp at level 3
    AAT

    Level 2 Foundation Certificate in Accounting - 30 Nov 18
    Level 3 Advanced Diploma in Accounting - 16 Oct 19
    Level 4 Professional Diploma in Accounting - 22 Jul 21
  • jadeterry
    jadeterry Registered Posts: 26
    This was the first level 4 exam that I passed so I was extremely surprised. My advice would be to ensure you know and understand the advantages and disadvantages to the different costing methods including ABC, target costing etc.
    Also make sure you are 100% confident with variances. My tutor told me not to bother with this exam until we was confident with variances as there's so many questions on the exam that include variances. I used Edspira's channel on youtube, he has loads of videos on variances and this was the only way I could get my head around them. You'll need to know price, rate, efficiency, usage and overhead variances.

    Good luck
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