Studying CAP 1 externally after completing Accounting Technician adiploma

gismomurray

Have any of you sat the CAP 1 exams (Management Accounting and Finance) externally after completing Accounting Technician diploma?
I would like to sit these to complete the CAP 1 year and possibly be more eligible for a training contract in an area where these opportunities are rare.
I would like to know if the Management Accounting exam is much different from the 2nd year Accounting Technician exam and overall, how did you find the study?
Any advice/experiences would be gratefully appreciated.

spillit67

Maybe take a look at the Competency Statement on the student section of the CAI website and compare to the AT one for gauging difficulty?

Sorry can't held otherwise.

dyanne

I'm currently studying for the MA and Finance exams, to be held next week. It's very hard to compare with AITI - I found those exams fairly easy and did well but then again, the distance course delivery and the materials/support available were far superior.

There is approximately 30% more MA coursework if I were to make a general stab at a guess - The marking is also not as generous.

gismomurray

@dianne, have you covered the coursework for MA and Finance over a year? I'm wondering if it would be possible to cover it over the summer and sit them in September.

dyanne

Well that wholly depends on yourself and how you work best and of course, the mark you're looking to attain. Are you good at retaining a huge amount of information in a short space of time? When did you do the MA exam? If it was this May then that will definitely help as you won't have to re-learn loads of material (It's surprising how much you forget in a year!)

Personally, I didn't begin studying until very recently (the last few weeks), I'm optimistic that I will secure a pass at least. I'm good at cramming but I regret not starting a bit sooner, would have been nice to get a high mark - I intend to engage with the course work next year rather than self study/cram again. (I always say that though.)

I'm studying from the Slides posted online in the CAI website for MA and am using the F9 ACCA book by Kaplan for Finance (in my opinion it's excellent, so much better than the CAI material - granted, it doesn't cover the entire syllabus but it covers about 70%, you can view it online for free or pick it up second hand)

hth

gismomurray

Thanks Dyanne, that helps a lot! I think I might just bite the bullet and apply and spend the summer working on those two. While the management is still fresh in my head it would be good to keep at it rather than leave it for a year and I am good at cramming a lot of material into a short space of time. Thanks so much for your help! One last question if you don't mind, do you have to wait for results and apply for your exemptions before you can apply to sit these 2 exams? I have emailed chartered accountants but haven't managed to get a reply as of yet.

dyanne

Hiya,

Afraid I can't help you there - I don't know the ins and outs of the exam application process but you could try the girl mentioned below, you may have more success getting a reply:

Aisling Kellegher,
Cap 1 Exam executive
01-6377220
Cap1Exam at charteredaccountants .ie (won't let me post the email properly due to lack of posts!)

As an aside, I did the Finance exam today and am sure I passed, not a massively high mark but good enough considering the time spent studying! Hopefully the Autumn paper will be of a similar standard - I'm sure it will as the examiner got a lot of negative feedback last year due to a very difficult paper (from what I've read in the reports) so I doubt you will be in for any nasty surprises! Best of luck with it!

gismomurray

That's fantastic! Well done! Thanks for the advice, hope you get the results you need.

yosser hughes

Did anyone do the FA exam today? How did you find it?

dyanne

Just came across this thread again while browsing - I'm curious as to whether you did the exams and if so, how you found them?

gismomurray

Hi Dyanne,
I got roped into my old job again for the summer and decided not to put myself under the pressure. I am definitely going to sit the two in May, either externally or hopefully through a training contract (waiting to hear back from an interview I had a couple of weeks ago...everything crossed...)
It's not the end of the world though if I don't get it although I would love to be learning and gaining the work experience at the same time.
Did you get your results, and if so how did you do?
Mairead

dyanne

Hi Mairead!

I'm sorry, I saw your post way back when and meant to reply but I completely forgot until now! Well very best of luck sitting them in May, did you hear back from the interview?
I'm not gaining any experience at the minute which is unfortunate (very young children, new baby on the way) but I hope to begin next year when doing FAE, assuming all exams go to plan..
I passed both exams comfortably with mid to late 70s - starting CAP2 now next month and will get the head down as soon as possible and whenever possible to avoid having to cram at the end again!

Melina