This article is written to share the tips I used to pass all my professional exams. Most professional exams are notoriously known for having a very low pass rate and helping people pass these professional exams is the motivation behind writing this post.
Professional Accounting Exams such as ACCA, CIMA, CPA and ICAN are very demanding and requires some special skills in passing them. In as mush as there is no substitute to possessing the required knowledge, equipping yourself with the right kind of exam skills will enhance your chances of passing the exam.
Tips to pass Professional exams like ACCA
Know the format of the exam
You will do yourself a lot of good by simply getting yourself familiarized with the format of the questions in the exam you are preparing to sit for. The best way to go about this is solve a good number of past questions. You can start by initially auditing few of the past question i.e reading the questions and going straight to the answer.
Do it to about four past questions before attempting to complete past questions without referring to the model answers. This technique helps build confidence, then as the date of the exam approaches, try completing a couple of questions under strict exam condition.
Understand what the examiner is looking for.
Too many exam takers end up answering the question that they wish had been asked thereby answering off the point. This you can do by reading the question properly. Many candidates answer an assumed question in the examination hall. This approach will not help you pass your professional exam. Try and be comfortable with the following terms:
- Describe
- Evaluate
- State
- Explain
- Outline
- Advice
- Report
Consult your dictionary for their exact meaning and make sure you put the meanings you found into perspective.
Be a master at time management
Time management technique in the exam hall is very important – in fact the most important tip for passing professional exams after having the subject matter knowledge. Allocate your time appropriately to each mark in the question.
ACCA for example allows up to 1.8 Minute for each mark. This translates into 45 Minute for a 25 mark question. If you find yourself struggling with a question and the allocated time elapses, leave it and move on. For computational question, if you discover an error, only correct the original and leave the rest. This will save you a lot of time and examiners are likely to be lenient with you on this situation.
Learn to revise right
The method I highly recommend is the use of Audio books. It helps you remain learned at all time. Even while on the move, you can download the Audio revision book onto your ipod and listen to it in place of music. Also, keep up with the trend of things during revision.
The Cruz of the matter still remains that you must understand the question- very important. If you find yourself in a position to answer two question in one way, it is probable you are wrong in both question- READ THE QUESTION CAREFULLY.
Get motivated, apply all you read in this article and join the prestigious league of accountants out there. I wish you all the best of luck in your forth coming exam.
Bye for now.