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Fae exams 2021

  • 02-07-2021 1:09pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 515 ✭✭✭


    Hello, I’m just curious if anyone is sitting the fae core exam this year and finding the sheer volume of information to cover concerning?

    I know that’s a subjective question but curious as to what approach people are using to get it covered


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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 15,908 ✭✭✭✭y0ssar1an22


    i did the FAE's a few years ago. just remember the CAP2's are harder and they are used as a filter.

    last year 93% of people passed core:

    https://www.charteredaccountants.ie/docs/default-source/dept-exams/fae-2020-statistics-with-comparatives.pdf?sfvrsn=d005ac7c_4

    everyone has a different attitude to study, and how to maximise, so i wont really advise there, except for doing past exams.

    the volume to cover is large, but it still comes down to the big ticket items. nail those and you should be fine.

    all the best


  • Registered Users Posts: 515 ✭✭✭sharky86


    i did the FAE's a few years ago. just remember the CAP2's are harder and they are used as a filter.

    last year 93% of people passed core:

    https://www.charteredaccountants.ie/docs/default-source/dept-exams/fae-2020-statistics-with-comparatives.pdf?sfvrsn=d005ac7c_4

    everyone has a different attitude to study, and how to maximise, so i wont really advise there, except for doing past exams.

    the volume to cover is large, but it still comes down to the big ticket items. nail those and you should be fine.

    all the best

    Glad to hear that you felt the CAP2 exam were harder, that’s reassuring definitely


  • Registered Users Posts: 354 ✭✭Alan_007_


    sharky86 wrote: »
    Glad to hear that you felt the CAP2 exam were harder, that’s reassuring definitely

    IMO, it's not that the CAP2's are harder, but they are definitely more technical.

    That being said, if you've passed the CAP2's you shouldn't have any problems passing the FAE's once you adjust to the different style of the exam.

    As for studying, what I found worked for me was just attempting as many questions as I possibly could.


  • Registered Users Posts: 741 ✭✭✭baron von something


    sharky86 wrote: »
    Hello, I’m just curious if anyone is sitting the fae core exam this year and finding the sheer volume of information to cover concerning?

    I know that’s a subjective question but curious as to what approach people are using to get it covered

    I hear ya. So much to cover. I plan on spending a week per each Core module covering any outstanding videos and doing the question packs, then spend 2 weeks doing past papers.

    Have you done the mocks yet? What did you think of them?


  • Registered Users Posts: 11 crash_stardog


    I'm definitely finding the volume of material overwhelming too, I've been on study leave for 6 weeks and I feel like I've barely made a dent.

    Dropped 600 quid on the Chartered Grind School last week so I'm hoping I'll at least get some decent notes out of that once they start.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 515 ✭✭✭sharky86


    I hear ya. So much to cover. I plan on spending a week per each Core module covering any outstanding videos and doing the question packs, then spend 2 weeks doing past papers.

    Have you done the mocks yet? What did you think of them?

    Yeah I’m doing the same now, tax is my elective and actually found that one ok, i thought that I was doing well in the core mock until I took a read of the solution. Parts of the solution and mannerisms that never crossed my mind to put into


  • Registered Users Posts: 515 ✭✭✭sharky86


    I'm definitely finding the volume of material overwhelming too, I've been on study leave for 6 weeks and I feel like I've barely made a dent.

    Dropped 600 quid on the Chartered Grind School last week so I'm hoping I'll at least get some decent notes out of that once they start.

    Also the same here, here’s hoping that the grinds are good. Lockdown isn’t helping me to be fair. I’ve always studied outside of the house away from distractions but can’t do that now


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Can't spend €600 on the chartered grind school at the moment. Hopefully I'm not missing out on much.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    sharky86 wrote: »
    Also the same here, here’s hoping that the grinds are good. Lockdown isn’t helping me to be fair. I’ve always studied outside of the house away from distractions but can’t do that now

    noise cancelling earphones and white noise song might help.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11 crash_stardog


    whatnow! wrote: »
    noise cancelling earphones and white noise song might help.

    I'll second that, white noise has been a game changer for me since studying for the CAP2s last summer


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  • Registered Users Posts: 515 ✭✭✭sharky86


    Thanks for the advise, will try the white noise tomorrow for a couple of weeks to see how it goes



  • Registered Users Posts: 11 peanutgirl


    Hi Everyone

    Is anyone doing Tax this year that can advise me where can I get past papers pre 2018 and 2020 please?

    I cant see them on the website.

    Many thanks



  • Registered Users Posts: 2 sjb2321


    Hey everyone!

    Hoping I can get some reassurance here that it’s not just me.

    Been studying for a solid 2 months now but feel like I’m out of my league and know nothing.

    FR seems impossible on some of the cases.

    2 weeks out and not confident at all.

    How is everybody feeling?



  • Registered Users Posts: 741 ✭✭✭baron von something


    Not doing too good. I'm finding most of the FR indicators tough. I'm also have timing issues. Had a practice run on Cirrus today and didn't have the stamina to concentrate for the 4.5 hours so it'll be hard on the day itself.

    I haven't tried the STEPS cases yet so thats what I'll be focusing on this week and a couple of the past CORE papers. I'm banking on some models/frameworks appearing in the final exam as I'm comfortable with some of them.



  • Registered Users Posts: 2 sjb2321


    The concentration is tough, along with motivation! Can’t seem to focus at all!

    Agree with FR, it is very tough. The past papers seem to be easier than the cases so I’m hoping it’s the same in the exam although the FR on the mock was tough!

    What elective are you doing?



  • Registered Users Posts: 741 ✭✭✭baron von something


    I'm doing Advisory. I made the mistake of doing all of my elective studying in a 2 week block about 5 or 6 weeks ago which in hindsight wasn't the best approach. I'll try and set aside a couple of days next week to refresh my knowledge. The lecturer Joe gave a good run down in the mock videos about how to approach the exam.



  • Posts: 61 ✭✭[Deleted User]


    There is an FAE 2021 facebook group set up by the student society which might be some help to ye. I cant post links so you will have to remove the * in the address below.

    I'm forcing my way through the strategic management and leadership questions as we speak... looking forward to an ice cold beer at 9:30.

    If ye don't mind could ye tell me how long it takes in your firm to move from audit junior to audit senior to audit manager and if you can give me a rough idea of the salary I would appreciate it.

    facebook.c*om/groups/132924673982830



  • Registered Users Posts: 11 crash_stardog


    I'm personally finding the FR indicators very awkward as well, although the ones on last years exam were very manageable compared to the mocks and steps cases. It's probably a decent sign that so many people are feeling the same way though.


    The risk and data ones look like they'll be the handiest to pick up marks in just on the basis that there's less they can ask.



  • Registered Users Posts: 11 crash_stardog


    Also how's everyone feeling about the about the 2.1 and 2.2 stuff from finance and management accounting coming up?



  • Registered Users Posts: 2 KMCG5


    Hi,

    I am feeling exactly the same. I have been flat out studying crazy hours every day and still feel like I know nothing!! Have literally had a few breakdowns over the last 2 months worrying about them so you are definitely not alone.

    I don’t really have any good advice for study but what I have been doing is using the competency statement as a checklist and putting everything in my own words (hoping some of it will stick in my head). The sheer volume of information makes it impossible to learn off. Also, have you read the FAE Exam Guide? It mentions specific areas for DAAIET and RMAL - I don’t know if these areas will pop up on the exam but no harm going over them.

    Best of luck and try not to panic too much.



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  • Posts: 61 ✭✭[Deleted User]


    Have you printed off the accountancy standard accelerators that summarise each examinable standard the the PDF of sample journals in the FAE FR section?



  • Posts: 61 ✭✭[Deleted User]


    One bit of advice is to tab all the important info in the notes and books so that you don't have to learn the information, you just need to know how to get to it very quickly and having read it before and maybe done some highlighting and made some handwritten notes you will be able to answer the question quickly.



  • Posts: 61 ✭✭[Deleted User]


    They can't go into too much detail in the time allocated for each indicator and don't really want us to be doing a huge amount of calcs in the FAE so hopefully they won't throw too much stuff in that we might not have covered in a while.



  • Registered Users Posts: 11 crash_stardog


    So what's everyone working on one week out from the exams? I've had all of the cases done for weeks but I've been going back through the 8 indicator ones.



  • Registered Users Posts: 741 ✭✭✭baron von something


    I'm going through my elective past papers one more time and trying to get my notes in order. I'm still at a stage where I'm not able to attempt a couple of indicators per paper and I know that'll more than likely be the difference between passing and failing if it happens in the exam next week. The stress is fairly creeping in at this stage



  • Registered Users Posts: 11 peanutgirl


    Hi can anyone hint what is likely to come up in the tax elective.

    Also any tips to remember all the small rules?

    Ta



  • Registered Users Posts: 394 ✭✭HcksawJimDuggan


    Am I correct in thinking that the Proctor U screen is the only tab you can have open during the exam? Originally sat the FAE's a couple of years ago and passed core & elective but back next week to sit a different elective and the e assessment is all new to me. Can't find my IFRS book (which is probably out of date) so was thinking I might need to access accounting standards on separate tab if possible? The elective I'm sitting this time around is Audit.



  • Registered Users Posts: 11 crash_stardog


    As far as I know you can't have any other tabs open, most of what you need is probably in the accelerators and disclosures documents we already have from the AAFRP. It'll have to be some emergency for me to be opening the standards book



  • Posts: 61 ✭✭[Deleted User]


    You can print off all the standards after making a free account on ifrs dot org or CAI bookshop might be open at the weekend. Better to ask about the tab through the fae exam email address.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 741 ✭✭✭baron von something


    Best of luck next week everyone. Don't over do it with studying. As for me, I'm taking the weekend off to relax before the big day. Fingers crossed it goes our way



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