ACCA P5最高分學員心得分享

Please tell us in which country you live, and what work do you do.

My name is Mark Roberts and I live in Wales, UK, and currently work as a Management Accountant at Boots Hearingcare

How much time each week did you spend studying, on average?

I tend to break my studies into three phases and the time spent studying each week varies depending on which stage I am in. I typically start the tuition phase around 3 months before the exam date, where I usually spend 8 hours per week studying. Revision is the next stage, which starts around 6 weeks before the exam date, here I up my time studying to 12 hours a week. Finally the question practice phase, about 3 weeks before the exam. Here I would typically spend up to 30 hours a week working on my exam technique and areas of the syllabus which require work.

Which study resources did you use?

I used Kaplan’s classroom tuition, and resources such as past exam papers, technical articles and recorded tutorials from Open Tuition

Did you get support from your firm?

Yes, Boots Hearingcare were very supportive. They provided me with study leave around the time of the exam and my colleagues are always there to offer support when needed, often forcing me out of the office at 5pm during revision, to ensure I was on top of my studies.

What was your approach to your studying?

I set out a clear plan of how, and when I am going to study and stick to it. This helps to ensure I do not fall behind or neglect any part of the syllabus. I make substantial notes during my tuition phase which are then condensed into mind maps during the revision phase. I then try and recall any models or acronyms without referring to the notes each time I study. By the time the exam date nears I can usually recall them all.

I think it’s also important to find a good balance between study and downtime to avoid becoming demotivated. Working as well as studying can often leave little time to yourself, but by being organised and starting studying as early as possible you are able to fit it in.

What would you say was the most important factor that helped you to achieve such a high mark?

Exam technique is probably the most important factor in paper P5. Understanding what the examiner is asking for is sometimes half the battle. I found the best method for this was question practice, and carefully reviewing the standard answers. This helps in picking up little hints as to what the examiner is asking for from the requirements. In addition to this, time management is also a key skill to passing P5. I tend to use the reading time in the exam to calculate how long I should spend on each question based on the number of marks available, and then strictly stick to this.

How did you find out about OpenTuition, and which of our resources did you use?

I heard about Open Tuition from a friend who was also using the site. I found that it’s useful in that all resources you could possibly need are located within on place, under the specific paper you are studying for.