MyCIMA

So, how did those exams go for you?

Posted: Friday 27 May 2011 by Owen Watson
Replies : 8
Category: Networking and social, Studying CIMA
Keywords: CIMA Exams, Exam, studying
Owen Watson's picture

Usually I’m not one for exam nerves, but I don’t mind admitting that in the final minutes ahead of my F2 exam I was feeling the pressure. So the feeling of relief when I turned over the paper and thinking 'hey, I can answer all of these questions' was amazing.

Though it did take until about 3 hours after the exam had finished before the tension had fully seeped out of my system!

If it’s good news on the 14th July – presuming I hit the magic 50 when that untimely email lands in my inbox around 4am – then I’ll only have the strategic exams & TOPCIMA to go.

It’s weird to think that I’ve sat six exams in the last 18 months, it doesn’t really feel like it, and there’s only four to go. I’ve passed the tipping point, I’m definitely going to be an accountant, and I’m still not convinced I’m a numbers person (I'm sure I've used that line before, but I'm still in exam mode, sue me!)

But when that day does arrive what letters will I decide to have after my name? After all, CIMA members can now take the alphabet soup approach to their designation, in that they get to have a choice of letters (rather than slopping around and generally making a mess of things...or am I the only one who eats soup like that?)

According to Accountancy Age, us CIMA members can use the new CGMA letters 'at will'. Well, call me a traditionalist, but I quite like the ACMA so I’ll probably stick with that. My parents already gave me two middle names, adding anything extra on the end just seems greedy.

What do you guys think? Something old or something new...and please do let me know what you made of the exams, I sat P2 and F2.

I sat F2

Posted by Zain Hameed on Saturday 28 May 2011 08:42

Hi owen,

First of all, i loved the way you wrote.  I sat F2 & E1 this time. Both went well. I am also kind of you in case of exam nerves, i take tention 1 day before exam, and a 3 hours before exam confidence comes from heaven to me.

 

I started F2 with Analysis of Financial Statements Question, it took me an hour. The good thing is i am sure i produced 80% quality of what i saw in examiner's answers. The i went on Consolidation.  One hour again... but Balance Sheet was Equal... and I felt like jumping in the hall. Most surprisingly, i finished all rest of 5 Qs in remaining 1 hour. It was the good momentum from 1st Q that helped. I took some risk with starting from Q7 n it worked.

 

More than hopeful to pass and looking forward for P2 & E2 in Nov 11 & then....  Strategic..

 

Best of luck for your Strategic Level..

 

 

P3 & F3

Posted by Chrispine on Monday 30 May 2011 08:28

Hi,

i was making my third attempt on these two papers and i think i had an overall better chance of passing than the previous sessions.

i was comfortable to answer all the questions. but like it usually is, the examiner will always get you one way or the other, the examiner got me on time, i hardly answered 90% of both papers.

my only hope is that my answers were of the hihgest quality to get me 50% thats all i need.

anyways, i look forward to 14th July

appeared for CGA

Posted by Vishal Kanodia on Wednesday 01 June 2011 20:37

Hi,

I appeared for CGA examination and it was ok . I was not nervous but confident that i will attempt all the questions at least as I was no time to study dye to high preesure of office.

I tried well but l have not completed all the answers, whether i will get marks for my attempting as i have not reached till final answer?

 

God knows what will happen on 14 th July......

P2

Posted by Fahmeeda Jogee on Thursday 02 June 2011 11:01

Hi Owen

 

Great blog. Think it quite correctly epics all of us CIMA students.

I sat for P2.....wasnt too comfortable with the paper. So ive got my fingers and toes cross for a miraculous 50% 

My plan now is to completely forget about the exams, so as to not build anxiety for the results

All the best :)

Exam Technique

Posted by Owen Watson on Saturday 04 June 2011 14:55

Thanks all...

I went a bit random on P2...I did the first two questions then was getting a bit jittery on how much time I had taken, so I then jumped to Q7 and did that one...working on the basis that I didn't want to use too much time on the first section & then realise that I didn't have enough time to do the last two questions!! 

Not sure how that'll work out for me, but in terms of timing it helped me out a bit...might've spent a bit too much time on Section A had I not gone and done one of the bigger questions near the start - after all, you're most likely going to get most of your marks on the last 2 questions at managerial level, so you want to know you've done those justice!

Something that you might find helpful is a tip that both Kaplan & BPP have told me while studying with them, which is try and spend 1.8 minutes per mark...if you're using more time than that there you're losing time from other parts of the paper where there might be easier marks to get. 

Hopefully you all pass, but if you don't then that might be a good tip for you...use some discipline and stick to the timings, allows you to give yourself the best chance of picking marks up across the paper - and you only need half marks in each question to pass! 

Nice Blog

Posted by Ashraff Jawfer on Sunday 05 June 2011 10:51

Holla Cima Students!

I sat for the Performance and Financial subjects in both the pillars. I found it very tough since I added more complexity. I am very good with the numbers and I believe I will pass the operational level subjects quite comfortably.

Management Level subjects were tough. P2 was completely different as i am a number type person and P2 was a surprise to me since 75% of the weightage was allocated to theory related question. I expected questions on Linear Programming and short term decision making (none of them turned up and it made me very worried). Though depressed I was able to manage to answer all the questions on the answer sheet. DIDNT MISS ANYTHING and EXPECTING a 50 +%. (If god wills I may get it).

How did you all categorise question six (25 marks question)? I believe it created a lot of confusion. (Some of our CIMA mates have declared it as ABC, some folks interpreting it in different ways). I thought it out as a short term decision making. Just the variable costs coming into the equation to find out the profitable seasons.

F2 was quite okay exept for the confusion CIMA created in the consol question. In which it was not clear as to whether division or multiplication is the correct approach. 

May Gods' mercy be on us to guide us and achieve a 50+ score!

Hola CIMA students

Posted by Irwan Md Lahuri on Sunday 05 June 2011 15:16

It was like a trip down memory lane reading those blogs,notes and comments, as I have been there and done that during my time as CIMA student. Like many of you, I never target more than 50 % for each paper [ actually it was one of my lecturer who told me that - " All I want from you is 50 % nothing more, nothing less ". I still remember that vividly. For now keep your fingers cross and hope for the best.

What is now ? I remember one of my physics subject teacher used to tell me " No need to discuss about the paper. If you think and feel you did good, there are many who did better, and if otherwise there are many who did worse too " and just wait for the magic 50 % on 14th July 2011. All the best of luck to all !

With regards to designation, I prefer ACMA. Somehow, it gives me the good feeling both personally and professionally and I feel "sexy" lol 

Irwan-ACMA

 

P2

Posted by Ibrahim Syed on Monday 06 June 2011 07:55
Well, the p2 paper didn't come as had been expectee, atleast by me. As stated above, I had been hoping for the same topics such as linear programming and short term decision making. However, as far as Question 6 is concerned, I don't think it was based on ABC. I applied the contribution maximisation approach, and checked out which sessions and activities earned the most contribution. And my succedding answers for closure of hotel in low sessions were the same too. This was my third attempt for the paper and even though the paper didn't come as expected, I don't think I might flunk this time. I did the paper in an ordinary way. Starting from question 1 and ending up with question 7. However, the last parts of Quest 7 did make me confuse and I left some 10 to 15 marks in the paper. Wish me luck :-(