Changing from ACA to ACCA?

Anerak

Hi,just wondering has anyone the experience of changing from ACA to ACCA.
I am finding chartered exams hard with the layout of exam 1 day after another and that the course is so spread out and also the fact you have be in contract for FAE's.
I am thinking of changing to ACCA as you can sit 1 exam at a time and the course is more compact in a few weeks and also to be able sit abroad is great.
Would anyone have any advice about how you change or what advice would people have in relation to this.
Thanks:)

Kingdom Girl

Hi there,
I am doing the exact same thing as you.
For me I felt it was the right move. Like you said you can sit one exam at a time with no added pressure and you get 10 years to pass all subjects!:)

Anerak

Kingdom Girl wrote: »

Hi there,
I am doing the exact same thing as you.
For me I felt it was the right move. Like you said you can sit one exam at a time with no added pressure and you get 10 years to pass all subjects!:)

Have you changed over yet?
Ya no restriction to 6 sittings like chartered.

Prettyblack

Anerak wrote: »

Hi,just wondering has anyone the experience of changing from ACA to ACCA.
I am finding chartered exams hard with the layout of exam 1 day after another and that the course is so spread out and also the fact you have be in contract for FAE's.
I am thinking of changing to ACCA as you can sit 1 exam at a time and the course is more compact in a few weeks and also to be able sit abroad is great.
Would anyone have any advice about how you change or what advice would people have in relation to this.
Thanks:)

You don't have to be in contract with the Elevation programme - even for FAEs. I know you don't get to spread them out but at least you could take time off to prepare for them.

I wouldn't go under a contract - too mad to try and get all that done in that short a time! I'm going the elevation way - suits me really. Just think its better than ACCA, at least the people I know working in the company I'm going to say the ACAs get higher up than the acca's.

smeharg

Anerak wrote: »

...
you can sit 1 exam at a time and the course is more compact in a few weeks
...

Kingdom Girl wrote: »

...
you said you can sit one exam at a time with no added pressure and you get 10 years to pass all subjects!:)

<snip>

I

Thay have ince my day, but is ACCA not closed book, while ACA is open

SBWife

Yes, ACCA is closed book, they give you a few formulas for some of the papers but no books or notes allowed.

chursy

you can get up to 9 exemptions if you have completed Cap 1 and Cap 2 with the CAI 0 hence a direct entry to prof stage for ACCA!

ferike1

Doesn't sound like a bad option if the FAEs go pear shaped. Start at the P levels

Slasher

the culture of deference wrote: »

If you are ACCA qualified you can buy the ACA, CIMA or CPA quals.

Really? how does that work?

redz11

Does ACCA have the equivalent of the CA Diary, or some other form of minimum relevant experience required? And, if you've worked up this experience while studying for ACA before you change, can you use this for ACCA?

smcgiff

Slasher wrote: »

Really? how does that work?

That misleading post was deleted.

smcgiff

redz11 wrote: »

Does ACCA have the equivalent of the CA Diary, or some other form of minimum relevant experience required? And, if you've worked up this experience while studying for ACA before you change, can you use this for ACCA?

Yes and yes.

Jim2007

Anerak wrote: »

Would anyone have any advice about how you change or what advice would people have in relation to this.
Thanks:)

If you drop out of ACA and then take several more years to qualify with the ACCA, who do you thing future employers will view it??? That would be my concern....

Prettyblack

Jim2007 wrote: »

If you drop out of ACA and then take several more years to qualify with the ACCA, who do you thing future employers will view it??? That would be my concern....

Probably not hugely favourably.

Wheresmycoffee

Prettyblack wrote: »

Jim2007 wrote: »

If you drop out of ACA and then take several more years to qualify with the ACCA, who do you thing future employers will view it??? That would be my concern....

Probably not hugely favourably.

.... but it would be down to personal circumstances, what industry u are working in, position etc If it took u another 10yrs on top of the 1 or 2 yrs you have done with aca then fair enough it wouldn't be favourable.

I plan on transferring as soon as the cap2 results are released next week, I now work in industry and in my opinion acca are geared toward that route. In saying that I fully intend to complet the exams within 2yrs... I don't think I could face 10yrs of exams!!!

Anerak

Wheresmycoffee wrote: »

.... but it would be down to personal circumstances, what industry u are working in, position etc If it took u another 10yrs on top of the 1 or 2 yrs you have done with aca then fair enough it wouldn't be favourable.

I plan on transferring as soon as the cap2 results are released next week, I now work in industry and in my opinion acca are geared toward that route. In saying that I fully intend to complet the exams within 2yrs... I don't think I could face 10yrs of exams!!!

Is there much trouble with changing over I feel the same once results are out I will decide & plan on getting the ACCA ones does ASAP with the two sittings a year

Wheresmycoffee

Anerak wrote: »

Is there much trouble with changing over I feel the same once results are out I will decide & plan on getting the ACCA ones does ASAP with the two sittings a year

No its not that difficult at all. The only prob is u have to pay for ur exemptions.
Get ur ca diary signed off as soon possible (if ur under a training contract) it will count towards ur experience for acca.
Did u do CAP1 or were u exempt?

Prettyblack

Wheresmycoffee wrote: »

.... but it would be down to personal circumstances, what industry u are working in, position etc If it took u another 10yrs on top of the 1 or 2 yrs you have done with aca then fair enough it wouldn't be favourable.

I plan on transferring as soon as the cap2 results are released next week, I now work in industry and in my opinion acca are geared toward that route. In saying that I fully intend to complet the exams within 2yrs... I don't think I could face 10yrs of exams!!!

Wow I'm going into ACA via Elevation for the very reasons you mentioned! I think there are too many people who are ACCA in industry and I think doing ACA will set me apart a little from the rest of them. I know from people I've spoken to that management etc prefer ACA as they get better training whereas ACCA are ten a penny... that's just one view of course! :-)

Wheresmycoffee

Prettyblack wrote: »

Wow I'm going into ACA via Elevation for the very reasons you mentioned! I think there are too many people who are ACCA in industry and I think doing ACA will set me apart a little from the rest of them. I know from people I've spoken to that management etc prefer ACA as they get better training whereas ACCA are ten a penny... that's just one view of course! :-)

There is a little snobbery towards ACA for sure. Such as a preference to big4 grads etc.
I came from a ACA small audit firm, I have 3yrs under my belt from there covering all areas with the exception of liquidations, and now 1 full yr in industry as a junior financial controller (a role which would generally be given to someone more qualified exam wise than me), I just have been unfortunate exam wise ... exams have never been a strong point for me but I'm a flyer in work.

I think regardless of which qualification you have your cv should speak for itself, Experience will always conquer

Prettyblack

Wheresmycoffee wrote: »

There is a little snobbery towards ACA for sure. Such as a preference to big4 grads etc.
I came from a ACA small audit firm, I have 3yrs under my belt from there covering all areas with the exception of liquidations, and now 1 full yr in industry as a junior financial controller (a role which would generally be given to someone more qualified exam wise than me), I just have been unfortunate exam wise ... exams have never been a strong point for me but I'm a flyer in work.

I think regardless of which qualification you have your cv should speak for itself, Experience will always conquer

That's true. Its getting the foot in the door in some cases though. Can I ask, were you in a contract or doing elevation?

Wheresmycoffee

Prettyblack wrote: »

That's true. Its getting the foot in the door in some cases though. Can I ask, were you in a contract or doing elevation?

I was on contract when I was working in practice but now I'm in elevation. If I pass the cap2 exams I will be moving into fae level with elevation but I'm strongly considering doing the fae with acca. Did u sit te cap2 exams?

Anerak

Wheresmycoffee wrote: »

No its not that difficult at all. The only prob is u have to pay for ur exemptions.
Get ur ca diary signed off as soon possible (if ur under a training contract) it will count towards ur experience for acca.
Did u do CAP1 or were u exempt?

Ya I no about the exemption costs.
I was exempt from CAP 1 and awaiting the results of CAP 2.
So have you done the 3 and half year experience for chartered already if you are now elevation?
At the moment I would only have about 1 year training done under contract.

Wheresmycoffee

Anerak wrote: »

Wheresmycoffee wrote: »

No its not that difficult at all. The only prob is u have to pay for ur exemptions.
Get ur ca diary signed off as soon possible (if ur under a training contract) it will count towards ur experience for acca.
Did u do CAP1 or were u exempt?

Ya I no about the exemption costs.
I was exempt from CAP 1 and awaiting the results of CAP 2.
So have you done the 3 and half year experience for chartered already if you are now elevation?
At the moment I would only have about 1 year training done under contract.

Yes I have I just need to complete the diary for my final year, I just haven't got around to it yet (this weekend maybe if I'm feeling really dedicated!)
Your 1yr under contract will still count as experience. Did u sit all 4 CAP2 exams? Dreading Friday lol

Anerak

Wheresmycoffee wrote: »

Yes I have I just need to complete the diary for my final year, I just haven't got around to it yet (this weekend maybe if I'm feeling really dedicated!)
Your 1yr under contract will still count as experience. Did u sit all 4 CAP2 exams? Dreading Friday lol

Sat 2 and I failed them so prob will change and you?

Wheresmycoffee

Anerak wrote: »

Sat 2 and I failed them so prob will change and you?

Definatley changing ... Failed all 4. What 2 did u fail?
Just have to decide if it's worth repeating tax and audit or cut my losses and pay to sit the same exams through acca and study at home ... Decisions decisions...
I'll pm u

kmb86

I did my cap 1 and cap 2's and then decided to switch over to ACCA. I found that the ACCA's had a much better structure even though the material is just as difficult. I ended up qualifying before most of my friends doing the FAE's as they had to wait a year to repeat. It suits some people - I preferred not having 3months of study leave and having a choice over how many exams I sat at each sitting. I also found the lecturers (independent colleges) were excellent for ACCA. I would recommend switching if you think the format would suit you better. Also it definitely suits working in industry better due to the timing of exams.

sandy60

kmb86 wrote: »

I did my cap 1 and cap 2's and then decided to switch over to ACCA. I found that the ACCA's had a much better structure even though the material is just as difficult. I ended up qualifying before most of my friends doing the FAE's as they had to wait a year to repeat. It suits some people - I preferred not having 3months of study leave and having a choice over how many exams I sat at each sitting. I also found the lecturers (independent colleges) were excellent for ACCA. I would recommend switching if you think the format would suit you better. Also it definitely suits working in industry better due to the timing of exams.

any difficulty changing over? what about proof for exemptions? how did you go about getting the original copies of documents needed? many thanks

Anerak

sandy60 wrote: »

any difficulty changing over? what about proof for exemptions? how did you go about getting the original copies of documents needed? many thanks

I changed to ACCA and am sitting my first exam in December.You simply apply online and with my college degree I had all 9 exemptions so the college emailed on a copy of my results and attched them with the application its that easy.
Have you sat any ACA yet?

sandy60

Anerak wrote: »

I changed to ACCA and am sitting my first exam in December.You simply apply online and with my college degree I had all 9 exemptions so the college emailed on a copy of my results and attched them with the application its that easy.
Have you sat any ACA yet?

thank you. i have indeed failed for the second time today so I want to change institute. just worried about gathering the cap1 and cap2 exemption documents

Anerak

sandy60 wrote: »

thank you. i have indeed failed for the second time today so I want to change institute. just worried about gathering the cap1 and cap2 exemption documents

Sorry to hear that.
If you email ACCA they will tell you what exactly you need but I would imagine it should be straight forward.
If I can help in anyway PM me.
But its def the best decision I made changing you sit as many as you want and 10years to complete them and once you have your experience done you dont have to be in contract to sit them etc

sandy60

brilliant thank you very much ......