Hello,

I am currently studying AAT Home Study with BPP Technician stage. And I am actually shocked what I am
experiencing with BPP.
First the fees are quite high and expensive but home study service is horrible.
Only for payment BPP is quick but the rest is slow. The reports of skills test is very slow
and I have been thinking unit is finished but got lettre of achievment from AAT but did
pass on 30 % of the paper.
Secondly I regret studying AAT as I think now it is not worth to study .
The skills test only pass with 100 % doen not make a sense to me anymore.
Due experience with AAT exams I have got critical which systems they have.
You have Part A+B and in both you have to reach 50 % or you do not pass.
It is not possible having in Part A 48 % and B 80 % you do fail anyway.
My suspision is that AAT and their Approved Assesmant Centre it is just about money
and not accounting.
Mayby I am giving up AAT as it is not worth doing that.
I regret not starting with ACCA as you are be able doing homestudy on your own or college but with
AAT you have to register with a approved assessment centre otherwise you can not do exams.
In my opinion AAT and the approved assessment centres doing well financially in earning money
but students and accounting just come second.

Hi,

I would not regret studying AAT as it gives you the grounding you need to deal with qualifications such as ACCA and is a qualification in its own right, so if you don’t manage to finish ACCA for whatever reason, at least you still have a recognised accounting qualification.

I am surprised about the comments you make about BPP because ordinarily their service has always been cited by students as very good.  Perhaps speaking to the Centre Head at your BPP may help improve things??

Re the pass mark, the AAT work on “competency levels” rather than a blanket 50% approach and this is often cited as being around the 70-80% mark, though AAT never confirm their competency levels.

I hope you manage to sort out the problems with BPP, but don’t think AAT is all about money, it is a very good, reputable, qualification to have.

Kind regards
Steve

Wow, I am very suprised to read these comments.

Firstly with BPP: I have only been studying with them for 2 months now doing CIMA with their online classroom. I have found them nothing but excellent.

AAT: I too studied this and being honest I found it superb grounding to go on to do CIMA. There is no way had I not done this I would have felt confiedent in doing CIMA.

Can I ask and blunt question? Is the reason for your post because you had failed an exam/skills test and you feel you need to vent? this is how it comes across.

I did AAT before ACCA and don’t regret it one bit. It gives you a good understanding of accounts without getting into the high level theory of the chartered qualifications.

To Parmastrong83,

yes I have failed a exam. But the real reason is somwhere else. The problem is that I am
not british so BPP took quite the money but the service was not so good.
Of course nobody would confirm that officially by BPP but is happening anyway.
And AAT I have experienced some problems, too. But not as strong with BPP specially as
home study student. With AAT they just answered lowly queries by E-Mail
as they would be doing by british. Or somethimes do not answer.

Hi Ulster,

I think the problem then lies in the expectation of the level of service you were going to recieve from the provider and your opinion that this service did not meet this expectations. You sight the fact that you are not British as a problem with both the suppliers, but surely you knew before engaging in the services that all communications and materials would be provided in English?

On the point of BPP: I agree the materials are marginally more expensive than other providers, but not excessively so and as the market leaders this would be expected? what specific method did you chose to homestudy? paper materials? online class room? just books? because I imagine this would have an impact on the level of support given by BPP. Studying Online Classroom I have an appointed Tutor who always gets back to me within 24hours, this comes at a premium price of £350 per unit but it is the materials and the support I am paying for. What were your specific problems with BPP? I am sure they would be more than willing to give explaination.

On AAT: again you do not specify what your particular problem with them is? it is seemingly that because you failed your exam/skills test you are looking to blame the providers? Is there not a local representive office for AAT in your country (I know they are quite wide spread?). As above I am sure you have contacted them and they have explained themselves with a generic email or not, it is down to you whether you accept there feedback or not?

I am sorry if it comes across that I am preaching from a higher place, that really is not intention. It just seems this post was started to vent your fustrations, maybe you are looking for a resolution? unfortuantly in this instance this is not the place to find it. I am entirely sympathtic that you failed your exams it is a hard blow to come back from and there are plenty of people including myself who will help you and offer what advice we can to ensure you don’t fail again.

All I am suggesting is that you do not right off these instituitions because of failing an exam, maybe you should have done ACCA straight off? but one thing I can tell you, if you are failing an AAT Technician exam/test you really will struggle with ACCA in the long run.

Give AAT another go? consider a study package with full support offered (i know of 4-5 non british students in my cohort).

I wish you all the best.

Rant over

P