CIMA - Accountants and perhaps people who have done the course through ICS?

Kayalana99

Thanks everyone, I did get some somewhere I had to do three years experiance but the idea was to get a job somewhere in the middle and *if* I completed the course before I got a job then so be it....Its ok saying its competive but if I let that put me off thier would be a very limited doorway for me to go through and I havn't got that many as it is!!

I emailed Kaplan about whether I can take the ACCA without doing the AAT but im still not 100% whether the ACCA I have above is everything I need to be an accountant? (And yes ofc the experiance. )

I know *ideally* I should do the AAT anyway but I am a part timer/mum I am really going to be struggling to pay for this ACCA without having to do a AAT before hand. Were looking about an extra 2k for the AAT not including the extra fees.

I've already decided against the OU as I might as well do the full course for the ACCA then go down that route just to skip the knowledge part (which is probally the easier part of the ACCA anyway)

Pennywise

I really do think you'd be better getting the AAT first. It is a "door opening" qualification that should get you an entry level job in either accountancy practice or industry, maybe even the public sector. It should take fewer years to get and I'd say is more valued by employers as it teaches the practical basic skills.

ACCA and CIMA take longer to get and you'll still only get entry level jobs as you won't have the practical experience. Both are at a higher level, harder to pass, and don't really cover the basics in the same kind of detail as the AAT. Employers may well look more favourably upon an AAT rather than ACCA/CIMA without experience.

There is also a higher drop out rate with the ACCA/CIMA - they take longer and are harder, so fewer people last the course. The last thing you want is to end up half way through and giving up with nothing to show for it.

If you do a bit of searching there are plenty of posts on this and other forums (esp. uk business forum) from people who are newly qualified ACCA/CIMA but really struggling to get any kind of job due to lack of experience and unable to "practice" because without approved experience, they can't get a practising certificate and aren't allowed to practice, so can't even go self employed doing peoples' tax returns.

Kayalana99

Got my Email back from Kaplan and have found what I need to know about the ACCA from online.

Thanks everyone for your help, turns out I will have to do two A levels before I can even start the ACCA but it will give me some study pratice before hand and I know I can do at least 1 A level without going through the ICS but just doing it myself, will have to look what other one I can do as well.

Thank you for your post about the AAT but as I said above I'm going to struggle/if able to even afford the ACCA without doing the AAT on top and just isnt feasable in my situation.

saintjammyswine

Contact your local FE College that offers AAT as they may well have funding available for your depending on your circumstances.

MoneySavingUser

Kayalana99 wrote: »

I know *ideally* I should do the AAT anyway but I am a part timer/mum I am really going to be struggling to pay for this ACCA without having to do a AAT before hand. Were looking about an extra 2k for the AAT not including the extra fees.

Actually doing the AAT could be cheaper as you could:

1. Do the AAT which is cheaper than ACCA
2. Get into some entry level job with AAT
3. Get your employer to pay for ACCA!

If you have to do 2 A Levels before you can get onto ACCA I think you will really struggle unless you build up with AAT first. The reason for this is that people with first class degrees who go to full time tuition and work for large companies getting lots of practical experience even struggle at times with the course. You are underestimating the difficulty of the course I expect.

AP007

You will be surprised to hear the JC and WP tell people that with an AAT or similar and NO experience you can get a great job in accounts.

Kayalana99

I have no interest in the AAT ...Sorry! Don't no why your all being so pushie about it to be fair but the fact is I won't be looking for a job with this qualification for another 5 years so even *if* I did the AAT it would be more expensive as your only saying that on if I got a job & employer who would pay for it.

Either way I spoke to Kaplan and thiers another route I can take which is the FIA, which they say is basicly the same as the ACCA's first three modules (which I skip when I go onto the ACCA) and I don't need the A levels.

Maybe it seems like im over estimating the difficultly of the course but no offense I'm not going to let something like that put me off. As long as I put the work in I'm sure I will pass! And its not like I havn't got time on my hands to study.

Probally going to cost me about £600ish more to do the FIA but its the only thing I can do short of doing the A levels and I can pay for each module so I can do it all in little parts and spread the cost out.

Sorted. (As for the collage response I can only do it at home so thats a moot point to)

AP007

No offence but maybe you need to learn first the difference between 'pushie' & 'pushy', 'their' and 'there', 'your' and 'you're':P

Kayalana99

AP007 wrote: »

No offence but maybe you need to learn first the difference between 'pushie' & 'pushy', 'their' and 'there', 'your' and 'you're':P

I type faster then I read I don't bother to check spelling as I dont see the point for an online fourm

Your not the first to comment but im not really bothered anyway.

:cool:

AP007

Kayalana99 wrote: »

I type faster then I read I don't bother to check spelling as I dont see the point for an online fourm

Your not the first to comment but im not really bothered anyway.

:cool:

No but when you do ACCA or CIMA or AAT LOL they may mind

good luck