Seriously struggling ACCA

patmartino

Hi all.

I have got stuck midway through 2nd year exams. I have done all the rest of my exams home study.
Tax and law have been a problem. I have my time and PER completed fully but i just seem to be stuck. My main objective is the brookes degree then finish with the masters and finals together in UK.

Am I the only one?

Climber

My main objective is the brookes degree

Why?.
The Brooks Degree is the "wooden spoon" for people who can't pass ACCA. It's pointless in having it, won't help your career in the slightest.

Am I the only one?

No.

My advice to you is just keep on pluggin away at the ACCA exams, thet really are a pain in the neck to complete. But it'll be worth it.

Didymus

patmartino wrote: »

Am I the only one?

Nope. You've gotten this far by home study which shows you are well able and have the discipline. Why don't you try lectures or at least a revision course to help you along? I am repeating P2 and was a bit down about it until I went to a revision course and realised how many people were in the same boat. As well as learning alot, it was comforting to say the very least to be amongst people who were also struggling.

You've the work work done. So what if it takes you a few years to get the exams.

BecksM

Didymus wrote: »

Nope. You've gotten this far by home study which shows you are well able and have the discipline. Why don't you try lectures or at least a revision course to help you along? I am repeating P2 and was a bit down about it until I went to a revision course and realised how many people were in the same boat. As well as learning alot, it was comforting to say the very least to be amongst people who were also struggling.

You've the work work done. So what if it takes you a few years to get the exams.

You not alone, these exams are very difficult.
I failed P1, P5 & P6. I thought about giving up but I think it's hard to give up when you've gone that far. So I'm sitting P1 & P5 this December, but I'm struggling every time I attempt a question & check the solution afterwards I don't even come close. any tips?

DUBACC

Stick at them - it took me ages too. Thought id never get them but i did and you can too. As didymus said - you have proven that you can pass the exams so keep going!

djk1000

Climber wrote: »

Why?.
The Brooks Degree is the "wooden spoon" for people who can't pass ACCA. It's pointless in having it, won't help your career in the slightest.

I hate that begrudgery, If the OP has a goal of getting the Brookes degree, where do you get off rubishing it? Reeks of the same elitist accountant bull**** in the CPA Vs ACCA Vs ACA threads.

Getting the degree is hard work and worth it, a degree is a degree, it opens up opportunites for graduate jobs (accounting related or not) and it can get you on masters courses.

More power to you OP, don't mind the ill thought remarks. Keep at it, you'll get there eventually and the Brookes degree will give you a well deserved sense of achievement.

jessup

djk1000 wrote: »

a degree is a degree

That's one of the most naïve posts I've seen on Boards.ie

It's not elitist to value a degree from one institution over another. Based on prior experience I know the HR dept in our firm almost automatically bin applicants with degrees from particular colleges. The private colleges aren't the only guilty ones btw. Some of the others are just as bad with post grads. If you pay your money you'll get the qualification.

There were some ferocious muppets who did the MAcc with me. All this continuos assessment carry on and group work allowed them to coast along and then they get a sharp shock when they have to do real exams like the FAEs etc. If those problems exist in one of the more prestigious colleges I can only imagine the dross that others are producing.

Look at a certain college in the city that has a Law Degree (that it is still running) that has lost its accreditation from Kings Inn. You can say you have a law degree from there but its not a real law degree. A degree is clearly not always degree.

djk1000

That's one of the most naïve posts I've seen on Boards.ie

:rolleyes: You're speaking from your position as a boards veteran, 12 posts and 3-4 months membership?

It's not elitist to value a degree from one institution over another. Based on prior experience I know the HR dept in our firm almost automatically bin applicants with degrees from particular colleges. The private colleges aren't the only guilty ones btw. Some of the others are just as bad with post grads. If you pay your money you'll get the qualification.

OP was talking about doing a masters, an honours degree in applied accounting from Oxford Brookes will count for the entry requirement. There are lots of HR departments out there that tick the "has degree" box and move on. If you want to move to Australia or Canada, the degree will count towards your application. Obviously there are better Universities than others, I didn't say there weren't, obviously there are better degree than others, I didn't say there weren't.

My original point stands, no one has the right to disrespect the hard work that another person is doing, calling any University awarded degree a "wooden spoon" is not on.

As for your MAcc, I'm sure you worked damn hard to get it, I'd hate to see people coast through, your HR department obviously accepts qualifications from your University, yet by your own admission, there are people with an MAcc from there that haven't a clue when it comes to professional exams. How prestigious is it really? I'll tell you one thing, no one coasts through the 9 ACCA exams and thesis you need for the Brookes degree.

For the record, I'm studying ACCA, but I'm not pursuing the Brookes degree and naïve is not something I have been called before, it's defined as "lacking worldly experience", I have quite a bit of worldly experience thanks very much, probably gained while you were doing "group work" in your "prestigious University".

Look at a certain college in the city that has a Law Degree (that it is still running) that has lost its accreditation from Kings Inn. You can say you have a law degree from there but its not a real law degree. A degree is clearly not always degree.

:rolleyes: pointless comment and off topic, as far as I know, that degree is accepted in the UK for training as a solicitor or barrister, or the U.S. for the bar exam, or for pursuing a masters, or for working in many jobs with a legal aspect, so no not useless.

jessup

djk1000 wrote: »

:rolleyes: You're speaking from your position as a boards veteran, 12 posts and 3-4 months membership?

A 16 year old teenager making CAO choices knows that a 'degree is not a degree' as you put it. Did it ever occur to you that people follow threads here for a long time before they join up and post. :rolleyes:

djk1000 wrote: »

Obviously there are better Universities than others, I didn't say there weren't, obviously there are better degree than others, I didn't say there weren't.

You said a degree is a degree. Clearly that is not the case.

djk1000 wrote: »

My original point stands, no one has the right to disrespect the hard work that another person is doing, calling any University awarded degree a "wooden spoon" is not on.

Some colleges in this city, and not necessarily just the private ones are very close to being Diploma Mills like those that are common in the US. Those so called degrees deserve nothing but contempt. Cynical, and exploitative money making distance learning qualifications that are not viewed seriously by any self respecting employer fall into this category too.

djk1000 wrote: »

your HR department obviously accepts qualifications from your University, yet by your own admission, there are people with an MAcc from there that haven't a clue when it comes to professional exams.

If graduates from these courses are not all they appear to be then what is the situation for those with the 'same' qualification where the entry standards are less, the faculty are less qualified and the degree is not approved by HETAC.

djk1000 wrote: »

:rolleyes: naïve is not something I have been called before, it's defined as "lacking worldly experience", I have quite a bit of worldly experience thanks very much, probably gained while you were doing "group work" in your "prestigious University"

There's first time for everything. You're obviously automatically equating your age with quality of of worldly experience which is another example of your naivety. Did you accumulate your worldly experience in the real world or a special world where a degree is a degree

djk1000 wrote: »

:rolleyes: pointless comment and off topic, as far as I know, that degree is accepted in the UK for training as a solicitor or barrister, or the U.S. for the bar exam, or for pursuing a masters, or for working in many jobs with a legal aspect, so no not useless.

The sixty students that left DBS to finish their degrees elsewhere obviously felt it was useless. Hardly pointless and off thread. Another example where 'a degree is not a degree'. Some degrees are clearly 'kiss me ar*e degrees'.

djk1000

I'm bored, I really don't want to keep this argument going. Here is what I said,

Getting the degree is hard work and worth it, a degree is a degree, it opens up opportunities for graduate jobs (accounting related or not) and it can get you on masters courses.

I stand by it. A degree by definition is awarded by a University, if it is awarded by a University, it is by definition a degree, it will open up opportunities for graduate jobs and it can get you on a masters (which is the OP's aim).

Next time I post to reassure someone that their hard work has not been wasted, I'll think twice. We've taken this thread way off topic, so I'll leave it at that.

patmartino

how is the brookes degree viewed then? what about the masters. I have all my PER completed and I work in the bonds game now, so I NEVER want to go back to dull dreary practise. I am a qualified barrister since 91.