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FAILED all 3 again!
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Just got my results and I failed all 3 strategic papers again. I am on the brink of slitting my throat!
I actually thought P9 and P6 were not that bad, but I got 40 and 42. I have been sitting (and failing) strategic level for the past 10, yes 10 years and now feel that I am in above my head. Seriously when you fail that many times, it gets easier to believe. I have missed a few in between, but God, part of me wants to give up but I know I will remain unfulfilled.
I am 34 and just feel like I am getting old and less competitive. What to do.....
One at a time
Posted by SP on Thursday 14 January 2010 15:23Strategic Level- Exams
Posted by VK on Thursday 14 January 2010 22:35Hi Pam,
Please don't feel that bad on failing Exams. I have been sitting Strategic level exams since 2005 , have only passed FS yet.
I must admit my technique was very poor in the first few sittings but in the last few sittings all that changed and I started to score in 40's, today I got my results thinking before the results I surely must have passed P6 with ease as I found the paper to be OK but the result was in 30's, it made me wonder what on earth is all this about, I still haven't figured it out as it's too early to think again.
I am only going to sit BS in May 10 now, you know what they say, slow and steady wins the race..., I suggest you do the same.
Hi VK
Posted by Rekha on Friday 15 January 2010 08:43HI,
Even my situation is like u,Just P6 is left out for me,and was so confident of getting thru this time,but I got just 35,its unbelievable. I am thinking of requesting review.
Do anyone of you,have any idea about Script and Admin review? Is it worth those Pounds???
Never worry
Posted by Mohamed Fariq Dawood on Friday 15 January 2010 09:08Hi guys,
I did manage to pass all 3 & this was my first time,what i think is that you guys are approaching the exam in a wrong way,for Bs ive got to say that its more of a practical paper never try to study the contents (theory).Igot 64 for this subject i know i did loose 36 marks & i am no master in the subject but right from the time i started the exam & until i recieved the results i was confident enough to pass.
This is how i studied take ure theory notes READ IT CAREFULLY JUST ONCE THEN SATRT WRITING ABOUT IT IN A PAPER & THEN COMPARE IT WITH THE THEORY NOTES.NEVER TRY TO LEARN THE MISSING THEORY JUST READ IT AGAIN AFTER A WEEK OR SO & REPEAT THE PROCESS.This advise was given to me by one of my friends who did BS in 2008 & who was able to score arnd 80.
& it sure did work for me.hope u guys benifit frm this no worries you guys will pass definetly come may 10.
Pamela
Posted by Ronaldo McDonaldo on Friday 15 January 2010 10:19Pamela
Posted by Ronaldo McDonaldo on Friday 15 January 2010 10:19Admin Review
Posted by VK on Saturday 16 January 2010 21:12Hi Rekha,
Basically Admin review is only going to give you what you scored per question. Please note they will not give you detail of marks achieved at sub question level...
Everyone makes assumptions on the kind of marks they would have scored per question however if this turns out to be different which it does in most Cima cases, admin review would assist in revisiting Strategy.
I will be honest, I am beyond caring with Cima's Final level, prior to sitting Nov09's sitting, I had asked FTC to mark some questions set by them which they did, I scored 16, 15, 8, 11, and 28 in part A set by them, as per their assessment, I needed to give more points in the ones where I scored 8 and 11 to score a pass mark in real exam.
I did exactly that and was more then confident to have passed P6, maybe not P3 as part A caught me offguard but scoring in 30's with advice from a professional Training Org is beyond a joke.
I used to score in 30's when I used to write theory only as opposed to answering question set.
Absolutely crazy mark, was not expected...
I am going to sit only BS in May now as passing exams has now taken a back seat....
Ronaldo
Posted by VK on Saturday 16 January 2010 21:10Just because someone takes longer then other's in passing exams, it does not make them less competitive.
Sometimes: family circumstances (young children...)/work pressure etc can affect an individual's performance in exams.
Pam needs uplifting comments and support from Forum not comments like " Is this a windup"....
- Reported
VK
Posted by Pam on Monday 18 January 2010 14:52Thanks for your encouragement. I will also just take 1 or 2 papers (not yet decided) less pressure! I do realise that I have been putting immense pressure on myself as someone pointed out by repeatedly taking all 3. I do have a full time job and I do have a family with young children, so I guess I do need to be a bit more realistic.
I took my first strategic exam in 2003, not quite 10 years but close, with a few missed sittings here and there, but it does still get you down doesn't it? Needless to say, to have come this far means we are more than capable of passing the exams. I was confident I passed P3 and P6 as I did a lot of question practise and didn't find the exam particularly difficult.
If at first (or in this case umpteenth time) you don't succeed, try try again..... that's what we can only do.
Pamela
Posted by Andrew Ward on Thursday 21 January 2010 14:40Hi Pamela,
For what it's worth, i started the strategic level at about the same time you did. I nearly gave up as well and even started looking into other professional courses. very hard to explain to others who haven't sat them how frustrating it is not knowing what you need to do to pass them. I felt i knew all the material but what i found out for me was that it was my technique was letting me down.
But i eventually finished my last one in the Nov'09 sitting. I'm onto TOPCIMA now.
I just took them on one by one and that seemed to work for me. And by just getting the first one it gives you great encourgement and replenishes your enthusiasim for the next one and to keep going.
Don't give up!
Andrew
Posted by Pam on Thursday 21 January 2010 15:44Hello Andrew,
There really is hope yet as you have proved! I hope it all pays off for you in May as you seem to have discovered the magic formula! What did you change about your technique, I'm in a similar situation in not knowing what to do next as I feel I have studied all the material and for this last sitting I did lots of question practice to no avail.
I have thought of switching to other professional courses but CIMA ticks that box for me so I will stick it out.
Thanks Andrew and thank you everyone for your encouragement, it helps knowing there are people in a similar position and even more so to hear that it can be done.
Would you advise that I take one or 2? Tempted to take 2 as I was so close but that may not be so wise
Pamela
Posted by Andrew Ward on Monday 25 January 2010 14:04Hi Pamela,
What turned it around for me was when I went to a revision course with Gamel Taher (FBT Birmingham). Previously everytime I started to study again I'd open the manual. But I'd sat it so many times I already knew all the material. Gamel basically cut through all the rubbish and just said only use the manual as a reference and just do exam questions.
Spent the entire weekend just doing question after question and taught us how to keep "moving on" with questions (don't get bogged down trying to answer all the question as you only need 50%) and try and become really disciplined with time management. Also how to pick out what the question is really asking and where the marks are.
So for my other 2 exams what I did was print off all the exam papers and kept on practicing them. Seemed to work for me.
I definately think you should only do 1 in the next sitting. Once you get that then you will know yourself whether you can tackle 2 in the next sitting after.
Good luck and thanks
3 papers for first syllabus change sitting
Posted by Thevika Ganeswaran on Thursday 28 January 2010 03:07Hi,
From wat I heard recently, since d syllabus is changing, U have to re-sit all 3 together 4 d 1st sitting.I'm doubtful of buying the materials since less attention will be paid to it.I was very sceptical abt which paper to sit n i kept failing.
Ur main concern shud be to focus on one particular paper.and aim at ques.my bet is the manual is in ur head by now so u dun have to go thru ur theories.aim at ques and answers.join a revision program,get advice from lecturers and professors.
Have study groups or shall i say discussion groups.Discuss abt current issues.Its not so hard to read one article a day rite.Gather information but do not memorise them.
Study bcoz u love d sub not bcoz of the need.I'm sure u will succeed.
.
Posted by MS on Thursday 28 January 2010 11:30Hi,
From wat I heard recently, since d syllabus is changing, U have to re-sit all 3 together 4 d 1st sitting.I'm doubtful of buying the materials since less attention will be paid to it.I was very sceptical abt which paper to sit n i kept failing.
Ur main concern shud be to focus on one particular paper.and aim at ques.my bet is the manual is in ur head by now so u dun have to go thru ur theories.aim at ques and answers.join a revision program,get advice from lecturers and professors.
Have study groups or shall i say discussion groups.Discuss abt current issues.Its not so hard to read one article a day rite.Gather information but do not memorise them.
Study bcoz u love d sub not bcoz of the need.I'm sure u will succeed.
No offence, but I hope you do not "text write" your exams as this might be a reason of failing...
Strategic paper re-sits
Posted by Julia Harrison on Friday 29 January 2010 10:51Hi
Just to clarify, if you have attempted all three Strategic level papers already under the 2005 syllabus you do not have to re-sit all three of them at the same time under the new syllabus.
Best wishes
Julia Harrison
CIMAsphere moderator