I have 3 queries and I would be grateful if someone would help me out:

1. I was wondering when are the Financial Times going to publish the affiliate names?

2. How long does it take for the affiliate certificate to arrive after completing the application?

3. Is there a graduation ceremony in London in spring for the affiliates that finished in February? I know there is one in autumn.

syke7 - February 20 2008 07:29 AM

Wow, the pass mark for F5 Performance management is very very low.

I wonder if they might make the June exam a little easier considering the pass rate is bloody lower than the profession performance Managent module lol

Hope they do - I will be sitting F5 and F6

I’m sitting P2 & P6 and having seen the pass rates at lunchtime, I’m now pretty worried about P6. I read the examiners comments before I saw the pass rates and had no indication that the pass rate was so low.

When I saw the pass rate for P4 I felt the same but I’ve now talked myself out of that feeling of panic. I’m going for full tuition and revision and I’m just going to put in loads of effort, having got this far neither of us can say we can’t do it can we?

Don’t worry, it’s counter-productive, just throw yourself into your studies and keep in mind that you are on the last leg of your journey.

That’s the spirit, Caz!

And is just what I’ve been doing, have printed off all the technical articles, new syllabus past papers, examiners report and approach. Started reading through them last night. I should be getting all my book a week on Friday, so it’ll be heads down time again.

My next four months are tuition two days a week in March (plus keeping up with normal work stuff), away to Perthshire for a long weekend over Easter (Yay!) quarter end for first two weeks of April and 3 further days tuition in April, along with 2 and a half days in Surrey at a life tax course. Then two four day revision courses and a QBR in May, and a QBR and two exams in June. Oh and quarter end plus interim Audit in July. Boy will I be ready for my summer holidays in August!!!!

I was quite pleased to find out last week that I had passed F7 (56%), F8 (58%), and F9 (63%), especially with the long hours I had to put in at work right before the exams - I was almost sure F8 would be a near miss.. Sitting P1, P3 and P4 in June. Would you please be able to confirm that I would need to register for P2, as well, in order to sit P4? If so, then it is a real rip off that the three essential papers are scheduled for consecutive days…

Congrats on those marks.

Do you have to sit three papers together e.g. employer’s requirement? I personally would not recommend anyone to do more than 2 Professional papers together if they work full time, and it sounds like you work quite a bit more than full time.

The 3 essentials are on consecutive days as a throw back to the three core papers under the old syllabus when you did have to take all 3 together. Now that that requirement (sitting all 3 together) has been removed, the syllabuses for the essential papers are slightly larger than before to allow more depth in the key areas and a bit more breadth in the range of topics covered. Also, the expectation of the examiners, I think, is slightly higher for the same reason. And yes, you do have to sit the essential papers before the options, so would have to pay for P2 if you wanted to do P1, P3 & P4 in June.

For what it’s worth, I personally would take one wordy paper (i.e. P1 or P3) plus P2, the more technical paper, in June, leaving you the other wordy plus another technical paper (P4) for December. You could do P1 & P3, then P2 & P4 so no two on consecutive days but P1 & P3 have nearly no calculation (about 5 marks max for basic ratio calcs in P3, none in P1), and are quite dry in places, and P2 and P4 are both highly technical papers.

I’ve just realised, under your plan, you’d still be sitting at least one paper in December, so no point in stressing yourself for June. Split them 2 and 2 instead of 3+1, even if it means having to persuade your employer.

I hope this helps.

Thank you very much for the helpful advice! Yes, it makes sense indeed!

To answer your question, I do not need to sit three papers together, but have 5 left (3 essentials, 2 options) and am trying to decide what is the best way to combine them so that Dec 08 is my last exam session, and so that I do not need to sit exams on consecutive days or on days too close to each other.

Btw, I need some advice. If I, let’s say, want to sit a paper from the essentials and a paper from the options, and have not sat any other essentials, can I just register for the other two essentials, or do I need to turn up for the exams as well, i.e. physically sit them?

Many thanks in advance!

No, you no longer have to physically sit them, just pay for them (at about £68 per paper). Professional level papers are quite a bit tougher than the F level, and although it would be nice to do, I think it’s asking a lot of yourself to do 3 at one go and work full time. You would have to be prepared to have no life between now and June apart from work and study.

And is it worth £70 or £140 just to get exams on non consecutive days?

Thank you very much for confirming. I managed to finally get through to ACCA today, and they also said I do not need to physically sit the exams I book, and can sit only P2 and P4.

I have decided to sit the above two exams in June—according to me they are the most difficult, and leave three for Dec, two of which seem a bit more manageable to me (P1 and P3). The reason is that an opportunity has come up for me to change to a better job (things are indeed quite fast-paced these days!) after 3 years in the same job, and it will be too much to do three exams and try to get used to a new job at the same time. I had decided to sit P1, P3 and P4, but (in view of the new “developments”) have decided to substitute P1 and P3 with “the beast” P2. Besides, I feel that material from F7 and F9 would be somewhat fresh in my mind from last session(she says…), and will definitely help me with P2 and P4. Had my first class yesterday… it will be “interesting”, so to speak.

Thank you very much for your help and advice! Best of luck to you!

Hello, apologies, I did not answer your question about the consecutive days. I had made the mistake of sitting exams on consecutive days a couple of times so far, and found it extremely difficult. English is not my first language, and I find it too difficult to concentrate for two days writing in English in exam conditions. Trust me, by the end of the exams I can’t put two sentences together!:)) So decided to try and avoid the same mistake in the P level.

I am taking P2 and P4 this June and plan to take P3 & P5 in December(June results permitting!) I am purposely sitting in this order simply to avoid sitting exams on consecutive days because I find the P level exams emotionally and mentally draining and the thought of getting up and doing the same thing all over again the next day just makes me want to cry, or maybe just hide in the cupboard .

I am lucky that I can sit the options before the essentials so I’m not going to have to pay for exams and just not turn up for them but I don’t think it would change my plans even if I did have to.