AAT or CIMA to start

[JackieP]

<BR>Hello<BR><BR>Having decided to do AAT and then consider whether to do CIMA, I now find that the local college is recommending that I go direct to CIMA. (I have A levels and degree.)<BR><BR>The reasons I favoured AAT first are <BR>- AAT gives a firm foundation of practical accounting, <BR>- I can start AAT at intermediate (I'm studing the Frank Wood books to make sure I have a good grip of the basics before I start)<BR>- I may decide not to do the CIMA <BR>- If I do CIMA then doing the AAT first only adds a year.<BR><BR>Has anyone else with similar background looked into the pros/cons of AAT versus CIMA? What was your decision and why.<BR><BR>I in my mid 40's, looking to change career from IT, and am currently unemployed.<BR><BR>TIA<BR><BR>Jackie

[Katemarie36]

Hi Jackie... I had the same problem as you. <BR><BR>If you do AAT Intermediate and Technician levels you will be exempt from the 1st year of CIMA, but you will still have another 2-3 yrs of CIMA. So the choice is to get either both qualifications which will take between 4-5 yrs ( 2 for AAT Inter & Tech, and 2-3 yrs for the Inter and final level of CIMA- Intermediate level has 8 papers so most colleges do it over 2 yrs) or just go straight for CIMA and complete it in 3-4 yrs.<BR><BR>It is hard, but you also need to consider if you actually want to go into management accounts. If you study AAT it gives a broad variety of both financial accounts and management accounts. Most higher qualifications (either for financial or mangement account qualifications) give exemptions if you have AAT. CIMA also, dependant on your degree will give you extra exemptions for specific papers.<BR><BR>Hope that helps !

[Katemarie36]

Me again !! <BR><BR>Another aspect of AAT is that there is a lot more work than in CIMA. For AAT you have to do central assessments ( 2 in Inter and 3 in Tech) and in between a number (6 in Technician) of smaller exams (devolveds) I am in my final year of AAT and studying towards intermediate CIMA. <BR><BR>I have found that AAT involves a lot more work and assessments, the pass rate you need to acheive in AAT exams is higher than in CIMA also, and CIMA exams are only in May and June with no other inbetween exams.<BR><BR>Again hope that helps.... if you need any more advice mail me<BR>katemarie36@aol.com

[NeilH]

Hi<BR><BR>If you can do CIMA straight away, I'd say go for it. It's reasonable to think that intermediate and technician stages off AAT will take 2 years to complete. These would then exempt you from the first stage of CIMA which would take around a year to do in itself, therfore saving you a year! Also, you would still gain a qyalification from doing the first stage of CIMA as they award a Certificate in Business Accounting for having completed the first stage.<BR><BR>Also, if you degree is a relevant subject, you should get CIMA exemptions. As i understand it AAT only award exemptions for Degrees in accounting and only exempt at intermediate level.