June - one of the two most dreaded months in an ACCA student’s calendar - the other being December, of course. It is far behind us now and the immediate feeling is one of relief at the exams being over. June, in a way, encompasses the breadth of the entire spectrum as we go from the culmination point of the past six months of effort, in the first fortnight, to the relative liberty of no classes or books to worry about yet, in the next.
Strangely enough, the anticipation of the exams being over and the expectant joy, outweighs the actual emotion for me. Particularly before the last paper - it becomes almost impossible to carry on with revision and not to think of the ‘freedom’ ahead in a few hours time. However, once the exams are over it's not so much overwhelming happiness but rather a slow, sweet reprieve which takes a day or two to settle in.
How were the actual exams though? Well, I do not believe in getting into a detailed post mortem of the papers as at that point the results are a long way off and once the exams are taken there is little that can be done about it. There is, of course, a vague perception of how good or sorry the attempt was, but other than that, it is difficult to assess the range in which the marks may be. I have come across a lot of fellow students whose results, like mine, were better or worse than expected. Soon it will be time to decide on the next papers to be taken and get on with them rather than ruminating about the past.
A piece of advice given by one of my wonderful lecturers is to start studying the subject straight away - not wait for the results to see how one has done in the previous papers before continuing to study. Spacing out study over the course of five months helps to digest the content of the paper. I suppose that is what all of us ought to be doing. When the pressure is relaxed, like now, to get going and try to figure out the basics of the papers.
This is the first of many blog posts to come and I am glad ACCA has given me this platform to air my views and to be able to know yours. Do drop in with your comments, suggestions, and views.
Hi,
I understand that students find it difficult to prepare for F4 and for some obvious reasons, they even do not do that well, as one would expect.
Actually, I am an F4 lecturer myself and my advice to students have always been to firstly understand their syllabus and second is to practise a lot. Its makes no difference at all how much a lecturer try to feed a student but if that person does not go home writing his own notes and practise examination-type questions, that person is in trouble. It's as simple as that.
Further, ACCA F4 students should also understand as their examiner has made clear that these guys are not preparing to be Lawyers and therefore all that they need to do is to understand the basic legal principles and being able to apply them to any given questions.
Hope the above prove to be of some help.
Posted by: KISHNA DHONDEE | 23 September 2008 at 19:40
Shivani
Thank you.
Posted by: M KATHIRESAN | 09 September 2007 at 18:27
Hello Kathiresan
Actually the score is for the earlier paper 2.4 Financial management and control not the law paper.
However I think law is very rule based and once you know your principles it is a question of application skills. Practicing questions helped me a lot.
Repetition of facts and building your knowledge in layers helps you to recall matter during the exam so try starting to study early.
Hope that helps!
Posted by: Shivani | 04 September 2007 at 18:37
Hi Shivani,
I am taking my Law F4 paper this dec.
I would like to know how you went about studying for the paper and managed such a score.
The amount of facts that needs to be memorised seems daunting. Wonder if you have any special techniques to do so.
Thank you.
Any other tips to ace the paper will be highly appreciated.
Posted by: M Kathiresan | 02 September 2007 at 17:11
Thanks for your comments Syed and Gideon. There is always the next sitting if one does not get through the first time. As results are just out, the next post will be regarding them.
Posted by: Shivani | 21 August 2007 at 21:05
Yep I just received my results.It was expected though and no shocker got 2 out of 3.Been waiting for my results all this time and havent started learning..Hope my next take proves more successful
Posted by: Gideon | 20 August 2007 at 11:55
Well wat you said about the exams is pretty rite.. i mean most of the times you get better or worst than you expect, its that once in a blue moon situation in which you score wat you actually expect nowadays...lol...
anyways results are going to be out today..so lets hope for the best...
Posted by: syed ilyas | 20 August 2007 at 05:23