I set out to write my blog for this month of May, thoroughly relieved of the pressures that often build on a student appearing for any professional exam and in memory of the sleepless nights prior to my recently concluded CIMA strategic level examinations, which I completed a couple of days before starting to pen this blog. At the juncture, few days away from the start of the June ACCA session, I believe it is appropriate to share from my very limited experience, ways and means of approaching professional exams like the ACCA exam, not in terms of the knowledge and the exam technique required for an exam, but about the approach and the process of creating a conducive frame of mind before entering the examination hall.
Some of the contents of this blog, if not all is common knowledge and may not be new to most of your friends, writing the ACCA exam starting in Jun 2008. And besides every student has a different way of approaching his or her examinations, as per one’s convenience and preferences. While there are some who prefer to continuously revise and relearn the concepts late on the eve of exam, there are others who merely prefer to relax and go into the examination hall with a sense of apparent confidence and an untroubled attitude. Though it may be practically difficult to assure one-self of having sufficiently revised all the subject areas and resist the temptation to continuously be reading late on the eve of the exam or just prior to entering the exam (in the hope of remembering everything word se), I have always found it helpful to keep myself away from books at-least 12 hours prior to entering the exam hall and spend this time giving myself sufficient sleep, sufficient time to take breakfast/lunch (as the case maybe depending upon the time zone you write the exam) and to unhurriedly travel to the exam hall. The nature of the ACCA exams demands not mere reproduction of knowledge or rote learning. ACCA examiners and markers have never discouraged students from adopting a very practical and real-to-life approach in answering the exams by means of examples and illustrations from work/real life (where needed), as long as the student shows an understanding of the subject. It is indeed this sort of flexibility ACCA has provided its members, students and affiliates (not merely in the exams but also in obtaining practical experience in organizations of different kinds) that has created leaders in them and also helped imbibe innovation and creativity in them.
Hence, to summarize, I have always believed that passing the exams is not merely about last-minute revision and rote learning but about one’s ability to translate questions requirements using a mix of prior experience & reading, application of one’s skill to the problem and to a certain extend the limited acquired knowledge. To facilitate this process of producing one’s best answers, it is to be noted that last-minute revision contributes little and in-fact reduces energy levels, thereby not getting the best out of students.
Now I must admit that I was a bit sarcastic at the start of this write-up about the sleepless night prior to my recently concluded CIMA exams, for I did ensure I gave myself the ’12 hour break’ and am certainly hoping and praying that this approach reaps rewards this time too and that I pass the examinations.
Let me also take this chance to extend my best wishes to all ACCA students appearing for the ACCA exams in June 2008 to pass. Good luck!!!
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