CAP2 Exams

rums08 · 18-08-2010 10:01AM

Failed all my CAP2s..Was close enough in 3 - so that is heartening.

Will have to hit the books again and hopefully get through in resits.

Congratulations to all those who passed and good luck to all who are in the same boat as me

honeymonster · 18-08-2010 05:01PM

Would anyone have the audit notes. Didn't get them before they were taken down.

Cheers

Rickyroma · 18-08-2010 10:38PM

honeymonster wrote: »

Would anyone have the audit notes. Didn't get them before they were taken down.

Cheers

Anyone missing any notes - send a mail to cassdinfo@gmail.com and request same.

For reasons of copyright they cannot be made publically available but I can email a zip file to anyone who needs them.

Rickyroma · 18-08-2010 10:40PM

AJ2010 wrote: »

Hey guys
Does anybody have nice SFMA Theory notes and Question pack?

I'd really appreciate if somebody could post it please!

As above - email cassdinfo@gmail.com and the notes from the Dublin lecturers can be zipped and sent to you.

RT2010 · 19-08-2010 10:26AM

Called up the Institute with a query about the appeals process and the person who is supposedly looking after this area is on annual leave - this is the week after the exam results and I presume the busiest period for students with questions about the appeals process.

You are not even given another contact name to call just an email address to send the query to - which might get a reply in a couple of weeks (if at all) going on previous form.

The thing is its not surprising at all.

Whiplash85 · 19-08-2010 12:33PM

RT2010 wrote: »

Called up the Institute with a query about the appeals process and the person who is supposedly looking after this area is on annual leave - this is the week after the exam results and I presume the busiest period for students with questions about the appeals process.

You are not even given another contact name to call just an email address to send the query to - which might get a reply in a couple of weeks (if at all) going on previous form.

The thing is its not surprising at all.

Jesus thats priceless.What a pathetic shower of wasters.This takes some beating though.Its up there with half an exam hall having the answer verbatim to the EPS question in the summer FR paper.So other students have a 20 mark handicap going in straight away.And then to make it worse they are going to fail half the people who sit the exam anyway.

You couln't make it up.

Whiplash85 · 19-08-2010 12:39PM

By the way, has anyone got any tips on how to study for Audit.I have to repeat it this exam in October.I work in tax and find this subject a bit over my head.

I have loads of work/audit programmes from the firm I'm working with.I have grind school notes along with course material and books. Would it be better to look at exam papers?

What do I need to do to pass this exam in terms of studying it and also on the day itself in terms of approaching the paper.Any help would be appreciated?Thanks.

EDudder · 19-08-2010 01:23PM

RT2010 wrote: »

Called up the Institute with a query about the appeals process and the person who is supposedly looking after this area is on annual leave - this is the week after the exam results and I presume the busiest period for students with questions about the appeals process.

You are not even given another contact name to call just an email address to send the query to - which might get a reply in a couple of weeks (if at all) going on previous form.

The thing is its not surprising at all.

That is actually shocking.

Nidot · 19-08-2010 01:46PM

RT2010 wrote: »

Called up the Institute with a query about the appeals process and the person who is supposedly looking after this area is on annual leave - this is the week after the exam results and I presume the busiest period for students with questions about the appeals process.

You are not even given another contact name to call just an email address to send the query to - which might get a reply in a couple of weeks (if at all) going on previous form.

The thing is its not surprising at all.

That is complete and utter joke.

Shame on you institute.

John Cincinnati · 19-08-2010 02:13PM

For anyone wondering about getting notes etc to help them study the repeats...

I failed first time round, partly because I spent so much time trying to organise the CAI notes and did very little question practice in preparation. I spent ages preparing notes and reading and re-organising everything. I wasted a lot of time when I thought I was actually learning. I did learn, but it didn't help me answer questions quickly in 30-45 mins.

Before the CAP 1/2, everyone just worked off old papers. If everyone wants to help their chance, get back to that. As we don't have exam papers to work off, use the ACCA exam kits for Financial Reporting, Audit and Performance Management. As the examiner showed, he based FR questions on the Irish CPA finals paper.

The CAI tried to update the syallabus and are looking at what other institures are doing. Examiners are looking at ACCA, CA UK and CPA. Doing their exam questions is at the same difficulty level and the best practice you could do. Forget the notes, just do those exam kits that those institutes prepare. They're ogranised and you feel like you're making progress.

Especially FR. Start from scratch, learn consolidation inside out and just do question after question. Audit, if you do a good job on the Controls questions, you're almost there. SFMA is tough, no simple advice there - it's just how you get on on the day. Tax, I just used the notes from the institute / chartered grind school and they were good notes.

I've got through my exams now, but I'd rather jump ship to another institute to do my finals. Look at the thread for the new FAE, it's sheer panic and confusion.

RT2010 · 19-08-2010 03:45PM

John Cincinnati wrote: »

For anyone wondering about getting notes etc to help them study the repeats...

I failed first time round, partly because I spent so much time trying to organise the CAI notes and did very little question practice in preparation. I spent ages preparing notes and reading and re-organising everything. I wasted a lot of time when I thought I was actually learning. I did learn, but it didn't help me answer questions quickly in 30-45 mins.

Before the CAP 1/2, everyone just worked off old papers. If everyone wants to help their chance, get back to that. As we don't have exam papers to work off, use the ACCA exam kits for Financial Reporting, Audit and Performance Management. As the examiner showed, he based FR questions on the Irish CPA finals paper.

The CAI tried to update the syallabus and are looking at what other institures are doing. Examiners are looking at ACCA, CA UK and CPA. Doing their exam questions is at the same difficulty level and the best practice you could do. Forget the notes, just do those exam kits that those institutes prepare. They're ogranised and you feel like you're making progress.

Especially FR. Start from scratch, learn consolidation inside out and just do question after question. Audit, if you do a good job on the Controls questions, you're almost there. SFMA is tough, no simple advice there - it's just how you get on on the day. Tax, I just used the notes from the institute / chartered grind school and they were good notes.

I've got through my exams now, but I'd rather jump ship to another institute to do my finals. Look at the thread for the new FAE, it's sheer panic and confusion.

Makes sense. Where can you get the ACCA exam kits etc? Can they just be downloaded off the BPP website or something and are they expensive? For Financial Reporting would it be the International FR pack?

Cheers

scouser82 · 19-08-2010 03:49PM

John Cincinnati wrote: »

I've got through my exams now, but I'd rather jump ship to another institute to do my finals. Look at the thread for the new FAE, it's sheer panic and confusion.

Best bit of advice you could possibly get. Once you have passed your CAP 2's change to one of the other Institutes. I'm sitting the new FAE's this year and they are a complete farce. You think they messed you around for CAP 2, well you havent seen anything yet!! Its shocking stuff and disturbing how they get away with being so incompetent.

Dont waste anymore time with these money-grabbing, make-it-up-as-they-go-along, clueless, incompetent clowns!!!!:mad::mad::mad::mad:

Whiplash85 · 19-08-2010 03:52PM

Apparently the institute are holding a meeting this saturday in response to the record failure rates and students are invited to attend.Here they will discuss how they will proceed to make it harder again in the autumn.it would be the biggest waste of 3 hours you could imagine plus they will probably charge you per inhalation of oxygen while you are there.

I think the meeting should be chaired by the students and an evaluation of the institutes performance should be carried out.A root and branch review.

Whiplash85 · 19-08-2010 03:54PM

scouser82 wrote: »

Best bit of advice you could possibly get. Once you have passed your CAP 2's change to one of the other Institutes. I'm sitting the new FAE's this year and they are a complete farce. You think they messed you around for CAP 2, well you havent seen anything yet!! Its shocking stuff and disturbing how they get away with being so incompetent.

Dont waste anymore time with these money-grabbing, make-it-up-as-they-go-along, clueless, incompetent clowns!!!!:mad::mad::mad::mad:

The words John Cleese and fawlty towers spring to mind.

scouser82 · 19-08-2010 03:56PM

Whiplash85 wrote: »

The words John Cleese and fawlty towers spring to mind.

Fawlty Towers Hotel was a professional business establishment in comparison to this shower!!

scouser82 · 19-08-2010 03:58PM

Whiplash85 wrote: »

Apparently the institute are holding a meeting this saturday in response to the record failure rates and students are invited to attend.Here they will discuss how they will proceed to make it harder again in the autumn.it would be the biggest waste of 3 hours you could imagine plus they will probably charge you per inhalation of oxygen while you are there.

Complete waste of time. They do this every year. Its a PR move to get gullible students to believe that they are looking out for them and are going to right the wrongs of what happened in the exams! Eh no chance!

wgk · 19-08-2010 05:11PM

Would anyone have a copy of that EPS solution that half the students were working off in the summer that they could post here or pm me, I'd really appreciate it!

Cheers

John Cincinnati · 19-08-2010 05:19PM

RT2010 wrote: »

Makes sense. Where can you get the ACCA exam kits etc? Can they just be downloaded off the BPP website or something and are they expensive? For Financial Reporting would it be the International FR pack?

Cheers

If you're in Dublin, buy them in Hoddges Figgis for about €20. Also available online. I bought the exam kits and pocket study notes and asked myself why I spent so long printing out exam papers, study notes and making my own notes from the CAI. It's really worth the money. Do one question a day and you feel you're getting somewhere. The question standard is just right. And if you read the syllabus, if you can notice the difference, you should be teaching the syllabus and not studying it.

Buy Audit, Financial Reporting - international editions. SFMA is a mix of Performance Management and Financial Management. Well worth the money. Tax is UK so not worth it unless you're in the North.

If you just need to get your head round doing Consol questions, Variances, Budgets, Controls - then those exam kits give you all you need. The rest is just how you get along on the day and tailoring your answer to an Irish business scenario etc.

I'm almost bored of slagging the institute as I haven't enjoyed studying with them the whole way through. I really tried to use their books and notes and went to the Chartred Grind school even. It made eveything feel so complicated and put you under more pressure.

In the end, I used the exam kits from ACCA and found some video lectures which really simplified everything. Then I passed. It was that simple. Do lots of ACCA questions and the rest is exam technique and getting used to a few odd questions in the CAI exam which come from nowehere. You can'gt take shortcuts or really guess what comes up. Although maybe EPS and Cash Flows was due in FR.

RT2010 · 19-08-2010 05:40PM

John Cincinnati wrote: »

If you're in Dublin, buy them in Hoddges Figgis for about €20. Also available online. I bought the exam kits and pocket study notes and asked myself why I spent so long printing out exam papers, study notes and making my own notes from the CAI. It's really worth the money. Do one question a day and you feel you're getting somewhere. The question standard is just right. And if you read the syllabus, if you can notice the difference, you should be teaching the syllabus and not studying it.

Buy Audit, Financial Reporting - international editions. SFMA is a mix of Performance Management and Financial Management. Well worth the money. Tax is UK so not worth it unless you're in the North.

If you just need to get your head round doing Consol questions, Variances, Budgets, Controls - then those exam kits give you all you need. The rest is just how you get along on the day and tailoring your answer to an Irish business scenario etc.

I'm almost bored of slagging the institute as I haven't enjoyed studying with them the whole way through. I really tried to use their books and notes and went to the Chartred Grind school even. It made eveything feel so complicated and put you under more pressure.

In the end, I used the exam kits from ACCA and found some video lectures which really simplified everything. Then I passed. It was that simple. Do lots of ACCA questions and the rest is exam technique and getting used to a few odd questions in the CAI exam which come from nowehere. You can'gt take shortcuts or really guess what comes up. Although maybe EPS and Cash Flows was due in FR.

Cheers John

Whiplash85 · 19-08-2010 05:59PM

Just wondering actually.Just thinking back before I started out doing CAP1 and would a masters have been worth it.

I know its a tough year and ultimately you would have CAP 1 and CAP 2 exemptions but who actually sets these exams and what is the difficulty like in them?Does the institute have any input or does it vary from whatever college/IT you do it in?

leanne249 · 19-08-2010 06:08PM

wgk wrote: »

Would anyone have a copy of that EPS solution that half the students were working off in the summer that they could post here or pm me, I'd really appreciate it!

Cheers

hey WGK,

Hope it helps!

levi · 19-08-2010 10:09PM

John Cincinnati wrote: »

If you're in Dublin, buy them in Hoddges Figgis for about €20. Also available online. I bought the exam kits and pocket study notes and asked myself why I spent so long printing out exam papers, study notes and making my own notes from the CAI. It's really worth the money. Do one question a day and you feel you're getting somewhere. The question standard is just right. And if you read the syllabus, if you can notice the difference, you should be teaching the syllabus and not studying it.

Buy Audit, Financial Reporting - international editions. SFMA is a mix of Performance Management and Financial Management. Well worth the money. Tax is UK so not worth it unless you're in the North.

If you just need to get your head round doing Consol questions, Variances, Budgets, Controls - then those exam kits give you all you need. The rest is just how you get along on the day and tailoring your answer to an Irish business scenario etc.

I'm almost bored of slagging the institute as I haven't enjoyed studying with them the whole way through. I really tried to use their books and notes and went to the Chartred Grind school even. It made eveything feel so complicated and put you under more pressure.

In the end, I used the exam kits from ACCA and found some video lectures which really simplified everything. Then I passed. It was that simple. Do lots of ACCA questions and the rest is exam technique and getting used to a few odd questions in the CAI exam which come from nowehere. You can'gt take shortcuts or really guess what comes up. Although maybe EPS and Cash Flows was due in FR.

For Audit is it F8 (Audit & Assurance) or P7 (Advanced Audit...)?

Did you get the Kaplan one? Might pick these up as I find the I waste a lot of my time printing :P

stefar · 19-08-2010 10:17PM

Hey all,
My understanding is that the CAI are having an optional feedback and debrief session on Saturday for CAP 2...we all seem to agree that the Institute is a disgrace, on a different planet altogether and working as hard as possible against the students...as someone who studied 10 hours a day for 2 months, and still managed to fail 2 exams, it´s pretty disheartening to say the very least...
Granted, the Institute will only continue to milk us all for excessive fees, abysmal exam solutions, examiners that don´t know how to set an error free exam that isn't copied from another paper, ie FR this year, SFMA last year...on top of that we lose our jobs due to ridicluous pass rates, not through a lack of trying on the part of the students...
I urge everyone sitting the repeats to turn up on saturday and air your concerns, and at least try understand how to pass these bloody exams...i think it´s the examiners themselves who will be taking questions..

Sean Bateman · 19-08-2010 10:49PM

John Cincinnati wrote: »

For anyone wondering about getting notes etc to help them study the repeats...

I failed first time round, partly because I spent so much time trying to organise the CAI notes and did very little question practice in preparation. I spent ages preparing notes and reading and re-organising everything. I wasted a lot of time when I thought I was actually learning. I did learn, but it didn't help me answer questions quickly in 30-45 mins.

Before the CAP 1/2, everyone just worked off old papers. If everyone wants to help their chance, get back to that. As we don't have exam papers to work off, use the ACCA exam kits for Financial Reporting, Audit and Performance Management. As the examiner showed, he based FR questions on the Irish CPA finals paper.

The CAI tried to update the syallabus and are looking at what other institures are doing. Examiners are looking at ACCA, CA UK and CPA. Doing their exam questions is at the same difficulty level and the best practice you could do. Forget the notes, just do those exam kits that those institutes prepare. They're ogranised and you feel like you're making progress.

Especially FR. Start from scratch, learn consolidation inside out and just do question after question. Audit, if you do a good job on the Controls questions, you're almost there. SFMA is tough, no simple advice there - it's just how you get on on the day. Tax, I just used the notes from the institute / chartered grind school and they were good notes.

I've got through my exams now, but I'd rather jump ship to another institute to do my finals. Look at the thread for the new FAE, it's sheer panic and confusion.

Great post. Which FR ACCA pack is best for someone doing CAP 2 FR?

Cheers.

MAX72 · 19-08-2010 11:06PM

stefar wrote: »

Hey all,
My understanding is that the CAI are having an optional feedback and debrief session on Saturday for CAP 2...we all seem to agree that the Institute is a disgrace, on a different planet altogether and working as hard as possible against the students...as someone who studied 10 hours a day for 2 months, and still managed to fail 2 exams, it´s pretty disheartening to say the very least...
..

Although I was lucky enough to have passed all 4, I would still like to attend this meeting to air my views on the lecturers/exams/pass rates/study material and notes.

I assume its in the Institutes building but does anyone know at what time?

rums08 · 20-08-2010 12:13AM

John Cincinnati wrote: »

For anyone wondering about getting notes etc to help them study the repeats...

I failed first time round, partly because I spent so much time trying to organise the CAI notes and did very little question practice in preparation. I spent ages preparing notes and reading and re-organising everything. I wasted a lot of time when I thought I was actually learning. I did learn, but it didn't help me answer questions quickly in 30-45 mins.

Before the CAP 1/2, everyone just worked off old papers. If everyone wants to help their chance, get back to that. As we don't have exam papers to work off, use the ACCA exam kits for Financial Reporting, Audit and Performance Management. As the examiner showed, he based FR questions on the Irish CPA finals paper.

The CAI tried to update the syallabus and are looking at what other institures are doing. Examiners are looking at ACCA, CA UK and CPA. Doing their exam questions is at the same difficulty level and the best practice you could do. Forget the notes, just do those exam kits that those institutes prepare. They're ogranised and you feel like you're making progress.

Especially FR. Start from scratch, learn consolidation inside out and just do question after question. Audit, if you do a good job on the Controls questions, you're almost there. SFMA is tough, no simple advice there - it's just how you get on on the day. Tax, I just used the notes from the institute / chartered grind school and they were good notes.

I've got through my exams now, but I'd rather jump ship to another institute to do my finals. Look at the thread for the new FAE, it's sheer panic and confusion.

Thanks for the advice. Where can I get the ACCA packs?

rums08 · 20-08-2010 12:14AM

MAX72 wrote: »

Although I was lucky enough to have passed all 4, I would still like to attend this meeting to air my views on the lecturers/exams/pass rates/study material and notes.

I assume its in the Institutes building but does anyone know at what time?

10am-1pm

Odats · 20-08-2010 12:27AM

rums08 wrote: »

Thanks for the advice. Where can I get the ACCA packs?

Get them on amazon,try people selling them on adverts.ie aswell remember International version for FR and Irish version for Auditing, Tax. Also, download their past papers and solutions from the web aswell. Don't forget CPA past papers and solutions also.

rums08 · 20-08-2010 06:17AM

Odats wrote: »

Get them on amazon,try people selling them on adverts.ie aswell remember International version for FR and Irish version for Auditing, Tax. Also, download their past papers and solutions from the web aswell. Don't forget CPA past papers and solutions also.

Thanks a lot.
Can you let me know which books to buy exactly? There are so many and I am confused.

NewSue · 20-08-2010 07:34AM

Hi the ICAI did it again short notice, of course no one has a life, we all just sit around waiting to be summoned by them!

I have requested that they video it (in case it is any good) and put it up online, the way they did for some of the lectures. Of course I got no response from the ICAI.

Can you all email them to do this and pass the request around as they may listen and do it if enough students contacts them.

Thanks!

CAP2 Exams

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