ACCA pass rates

[lincs]

I'm not doing ACCA yet but hope to start it within the next year.

Heres a link to the pass rates (bottom of page):

http://newsweaver.co.uk/accastudent/e_article000643354.cfm?x=b7VCDWJ,b4rNWSs6


They seem quite low. On one of them only 30% passed it! Looking at it looks the average of people passing < 50%, which means that they are actually sitting alot more exams than are in the list!

Are they any ACCA qualifieds here who can make a comment on this? Is it so unbelievably hard or is it that alot of people don't take it seriously enough?

Also does anyone have any idea what the drop out rate is?

Thanks & sorry for being paranoid just need to know if I will still have time to eat and drink when I start it.

[peugeot]

Hi Lincs,

I did ACCA after AAT and it is hard work. The failure rate usually hits at paper 2.4 level because this paper has a huge syllabus but the paper is passable.

In terms of my exams, I had to do two lots of resits for three papers. I failed 1.3 and 2.1 on my first attempts - purely because I went in with the attitude they would be easy (wrong attitude). I also had to sit 2.4 twice - other than that I passed each other paper 1st time round and it took me about 3 years to complete.

ACCA seem to pride themselves on the fact that there are a record number of students doing their exams. They have also been cited as the most strict of accountancy bodies (by PQ magazine), publicly flaying students/members and imposing hefty fines on those who bring their qualification into disrepute.

The qualification is hard to get, but when you do get it the rewards are endless. I certainly have no regrets about doing it.

Annette (aka BlueWednesday) is also doing ACCA she is at the final level. She may be able to give you up to date info re the new syllabus and the demands the examiners are currently placing on their students.

Kind regards and good luck.

Ste

[lincs]

Cheers Steve. Im quite concerned about it now I think about it.

My problem is is that I never give anything up. I hate failing. Its not some sort of ego thing, I guess its just shame. This means that once I start short of a breakdown I will never give up.

It could consume years of my life!

Oh well like you say the rewards do seem good but those pass rates send shivers up the spine. There must be some real boffins taking those exams.

I get the following exemptions:

Paper 1.1 - Preparing Financial Statements
Paper 1.2 - Financial Information for Management
Paper 1.3 - Managing People
Paper 2.1 - Information Systems
Paper 2.2 - Corporate and Business Law
Paper 2.5 - Financial Reporting

but I that guess starts me in the deep end!

I see 2.4 is about Financial Management & Control. Is that about CAPM / options / capital structure / valuation of companies - stuff like that? Hope so cos i've studied all that stuff on my degree.

[AAT Member]

Hi mate,

Most of that stuff comes in at 3.7 - which I think is becoming an optional paper in the new syllabus.

2.4 is more to do with variances, budgeting, debt/equity finance that sort of thing.

With those exemptions, you'll have it all done and dusted in no time.

Kind regards
Ste

[peugeot]

PS Lincs,

The post from AAT member is me. It now seems you can reply to posts without logging on!

[lincs]

I thought it seemed alot of exemptions, but that's way it says on the ACCA exemption inquiry thing.

You've cheered me up with your "have it done in no time", but i'm sure you only meant relative to doing the whole syllabus!

I'm very glad I won't have to do law again, I really hated law.

[peugeot]

No lincs - don't be so negative. You'll pass with flying colours I'm sure. Go for it mate, that's what I say. There's a lot of external bodies that focus on the negative (low pass rates, students wrong-doings in exams, lack of tutor support etc etc). It could go on forever.

You're doing the right thing - trust me I'm an Accountant!!! :roll:

p.s I agree with you on the Law thing. They say in the syllabus they're not training you to be a Lawyer, but they still expect the same level of knowledge!

[lincs]

You're right about not being negative, but I have been using "being negative" as my backbone. If I think i'm gonna fail I work harder and will pass.

I'm doing a financial management essay as we speak and i'm thinking to myself its all wrong, but if I take step back and concentrate I think, "did I really come out with this technical stuff, its quite good".

Sorry just rambling, and thanks you have cheered me up about it.

[peugeot]

No worries Lincs. When I did my finals I was on a BPP revision course with a woman who had the same exemptions as you, so the ACCA exemptions are correct.

Don't forget, when you start it, need any help, just give us a shout. You've got my email address as well.

Ste

[AAT Member]

Hi
i am taking paper 2.1 , studying on my own. i want to be part of a forum.

i found the aat forum really helpful, but have not found something of this sort for acca

is there a forum for acca that u all use?

i have tried but each time i register, it says account added but problem sending activation code, so have nto got around to it yet

thanks in anticipation
Payal

[peugeot]

If you log on to

www.accountancystudents.co.uk

They have forums for all the main professional bodies.

Regards
Steve

[bluewednesday]

lincs

The 30% pass rate you mention is the paper I'm about to take on Tues :shock:

However I agree with Steve, judging by the quality of your posts, your degree and how hard you work, you'll have no problems.

I think a lot of the failures are home study (it's not that they don't work hard, often don't have enough direction) and some papers are more difficult than others. If you are dreading 2.4 don't panic you'll be better off when you get to the core paper having done it.

Annette

[Scotty]

The ACCA final exams are changing next year - 3.7 will no longer be compulsory.

Scott.

[bluewednesday]

I hadn't looked that far ahead but Scotty is right, I'm sure some of the advanced stuff from 3.7 will turn up in some form in the core papers though

Annette