An update about my ACCA studies

I know! A post actually about the original subject matter of this blog.

I'll give you a minute to get over the shock.




Ok, so yes, this week I had my two pre-exam Question Based Days, or QBDs.

Basically the day consists of sitting a full exam but split into separate questions.  The timings per question are as they would be in the exam but we answered one question, the scripts were collected in and sent to a panel of markers whilst we answered the second question.

We were then given our scripts back for Q1 and were debriefed with regards to the questions that had been answered less well than the others.

We then answered Q3 followed by the return of the scripts for Q2 plus debrief and so on.

On both days we sat two more questions than we will in the exams but it was so draining.

I think these QBDs have both good and bad points.

THE GOOD POINTS

• They are as close as you can get to sitting an exam in exam conditions without being in the exam itself, as much as you try to do this at home there will always be something to distract you.  You may decide you need a cup of tea; you may be staring at the ceiling for inspiration when you notice a cobweb that needs dealing with and you cannot concentrate until it has gone; you may get bored and search the Internet for the answers and just write them out in your own handwriting with the occasional error thrown in (have never done this myself you understand).
• You get immediate feedback to see which areas you need to do further revision in.
• There is a tutor on hand should you need guidance.
• There is a chocolate machine around the corner :)

THE BAD POINTS

• Because you get immediate feedback and marks there is a danger that complacency can set in, the passmark is 50%, I scored 52% in the Tax QBD, this is a pass.  Because I struggle with the discipline of making myself sit down and study there is a danger that I could not bother any more.  I scored enough to scrape a pass in the mock, so there is no reason why I shouldn't do it in the actual exam with no more study.  I am not going for a prize winning script, just a pass.
• Because you are only doing one question at a time, if you are stuck there is nothing you can do except try to figure out why you are struggling.  In the exam you could move on to the next question and come back later. So you sit trying to perfect your power-nap technique without snoring, dribbling or anything else.
• There is a chocolate machine around the corner :)

The first day we were all very good and did all the questions closed book, just working through what we had learned and using our memorised pro-formas.  The second day, however, we all started off closed book, but were all using our pocket guides by mid-afternoon, I think we had all just had enough.

So now I just have to make myself revisit a few areas ready for next week.  I have my Tax exam on the 4th June and Audit on the 6th.

They have come around so quickly.