MyCIMA

Self study for T4

Posted: Tuesday 05 July 2011 by Alex Hitchcock
Replies : 8
Keywords: Self Study, Top Cima

Hi All,

I'm hoping my preemptive question doesn't come back to haunt me when results are released next week...

With regards to sitting Top CIMA in August. I'm self financed and having recently paid for lectures and materials at strategic level I'm loathed to pay the considerable fees for the Top CIMA lectures.

Am I being overly optomistic to think that I can infer enough about technique etc from the examiners past paper guidelines to pass? Given that this paper, more than any other, is about prior knowledge and industry understanding am I still best biting the bullet and paying up for the lectures?

Any advice and opinion would be gratefully received.

Thanks

I wouldn't

Posted by Terence Du Preez on Tuesday 05 July 2011 11:32

Hi Alex,

I suppose you could do what your suggesting but it really isn't something I would recommend. 

When I was coming up to T4 I also looked at some of the huge fees being asked for T4 lectures and I just couldn't afford it as I am also self-financed.

Luckily I came accross Topcimapass.com.  They are much more affordable, online and the feedback that they give is invaluable from all the mocks and teqniques they teach.

I've been at BPP and Topcimapass both and I prefered the second much more than BPP, with my T4 pass in May11 backing up my decision :)

Hope this helps.

t4 study

Posted by Paul Winter on Tuesday 05 July 2011 13:35

Hi Alex,

 

I will be traveling in the US and am looking for an affordable online tutor.  I think some of the best gurus offer mock exams at about £25 each and exam correction for about £75 or £85.

I failed the May exam by 1 mark and wouldn't recommend studying t4 for the first time on your own.   I studyed at BPP and found them good last time round.  However, I think it is practice, practice, practice at mock exams that I now need to get this last exam.

 Kind regards,

Paul Winter.

Self Study for T4

Posted by Alex Hitchcock on Tuesday 05 July 2011 15:57

Thanks for your input guys. Certainly gives me something to think about.

Paul - best of luck with the final hurdle, sure you'll be fine. Where would you recommend finding these gurus? Do they work independently of the big institutions (ie. BPP & Kaplan)?

Thanks again.

t4 study

Posted by Paul Winter on Wednesday 06 July 2011 12:09

Hello Alex,

Try:

CSA (Case study aide) link is http://www.casestudyaide.com/

 and

http://www.topcimapass.com

and

google Nick Best. Nick Best offers some free videos and is very knowledgeable.

 

Kind regards,

Paul Winter.

T4

Posted by Jamie on Wednesday 06 July 2011 12:53

Also, get hold of somebody's old notes from BPP or others that they no longer need.  (Assuming they haven't burnt them!)  You will get an enormous amount from these even though they don't relate to the current case study.

Many would suggest there's far too much emphasis placed on the case study anyway.  A lot of people pass with barely a mention of what's in the pre-seen.

t4

Posted by Mwansa Chalwe on Thursday 07 July 2011 19:16
All i will say is save yourself some £££'s and go straight to topcimapass.com , you will not regret it.

BPP

Posted by Elaine on Friday 08 July 2011 12:22

Hi Alex,

 

I considered switching to topcimapass even though I had been studying with BPP for nearly all previous exams.  In the end I went to my local BPP as I knew which tutor was taking the course and he hadn't let me down before with his knowledge and enthusiasm.  I'm glad I did as the class discussions and timed mocks really helped me to focus and meant I didn't have to do much revision outside of class and happily got 33 credits on my first attempt.

 Had I been self-funded though I may have chosen an online provider, although BPP also offer an online option at a reduced cost to their classroom courses.

If you can find a study buddy or someone to brainstorm ideas with regarding the case study I would say that would be the most helpful, that and definitely trying as many timed mocks for the new case study as you can get hold of. 

Good luck!

no problem

Posted by Nicholas M on Friday 15 July 2011 03:12

hi alex,

you should be fine if that's what you have done for past exams - here in NZ there are no courses to take for any of the CIMA papers so everyone sitting does it self-directed, or in study groups. I passed using the Kaplan t4 kit - which had some online videos from an industry expert, a textbook explaining the various parts of the report you should prepare, and a specific revision kit for the industry suggesting topics, interpretation etc. much cheaper and much more convenient doing it all whenever you want