Exams

Having to repeat exams can be a tough setback, but it’s not the end of the road. Edel Walsh shares insights to help you learn how to reflect on your past attempts, reignite your motivation, plan your study effectively, and prioritise your well-being as you embark on your journey to exam success Failing an exam is challenging. If you didn’t succeed in your last exam round, give yourself time to process it and recover before thinking about the repeat exam.  When you feel ready to tackle your studies again, know you are brave. It is hard to tackle an exam for the second or third time around.  However, there is some good news. You are not starting from the beginning. Much of the subject matter will be fresh in your memory. You may need to change your study approach. Reflection  Before you get stuck into studying for the repeat exam, take time to pause and reflect. While it might be difficult, there will be some valuable lessons and insights you can gather from the previous time you sat this exam.  In the words of John Maxwell, author of The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth, evaluated experience is the teacher of all things.  As you reflect on your previous exams, ask yourself some questions that will help you gain insight into the experience.  Reflections on your study What went well for you as you studied for your last exam? What could have gone better while studying for your exam?  What study strategies might you use this time to get better results? Reflections on the exam Did you have enough time to answer all the questions in the exam? Which topics or subjects were you least/most confident answering? How did you feel during the exam? What did you learn from this exam experience? Motivation For some, motivation and enthusiasm for studying might be low after not passing an exam.  Motivation is not an organic process. Students often wait to become motivated, but you will not wake up some morning and be suddenly motivated.  If you can urge yourself to take the smallest of actions to restart a study schedule again, even though you don’t feel like it, motivation will follow.  I often compare motivation to going for a run. I am never truly motivated to go for a run, but the most challenging part can often be putting on my running gear. Once that is done, motivation tends to follow.  Planning It is important to plan your study in line with your available time.  First, factor in your syllabus or competency statement for the subject by using a simple traffic light system:  Green represents the topics where you are confident; Orange represents areas that need some work; and  Red represents areas that need to be prioritised.  Marking these areas by the traffic light system gives you an idea of the road ahead. Next, consider your weekly plans. This plan should be fluid and flexible. Consider which days you have available for study.  Finally, when it comes to daily planning, always start by setting a learning goal for your study session to keep you on track.  Be sure you are consistently testing yourself on the materials under exam conditions. This is the key to success. Many students avoid testing themselves.  Testing yourself and making mistakes is the key to succeeding in the exams. You might feel uncomfortable seeing the mistakes you have made, but it is better to see them as you study rather than make them in the exam itself.  Lean on your support system If there is support available to you, take advantage of it.  Speak to your lecturers. They may be able to provide invaluable information about what went wrong for most people in the exams.  Speak to your colleagues and classmates. They have been there and will be able to offer you a helping hand.  Your well-being and exams Looking after your well-being in the lead-up to the exams is of utmost importance. You can manage your wellbeing by: planning – we have looked at how to create a simple plan. Planning can help reduce stress levels. scheduling productive deep breaks – This does not mean turning your attention to a phone or social media. A productive deep break is taking ten minutes or so between study sessions to go for a walk around the block, listen to music, do a meditation available on YouTube or listen to a relaxing podcast.  breaking it down – If you are overwhelmed by what you need to cover, break everything down into small, manageable chunks. When we look at the end goal (also known as the performance goal), passing the exams, it can feel overwhelming. If we break this goal down into small learning goals, it feels a little more manageable.  Finally, remind yourself of the bigger picture. Failing an exam is part of your journey. It won’t feel pleasant, but you will learn so much from this experience that you can bring to future exams.  Edel Walsh is a student and exam coach. She supports her clients with their studies and exams by focusing on academic success, personal development and looking after their well-being. For more information, check out www.edelwalsh.ie

Prospective Chartered Accountants Ireland students ponder the timeless question: how much study time is enough? Bryan Rankin, Head of Student Operations at Chartered Accountants Ireland, reveals his recommended hours and expert tips to ace your journey to qualification The burning question for prospective Chartered Accountants Ireland students is often, “How much time should I dedicate to my studies?”  While the answer comes with a few caveats, we recommend approximately 150 hours of focused study per subject throughout the academic year. This commitment goes hand in hand with viewing live webinars and preparation, setting the stage for your success in the field. The breakdown   During CAP1, the first year of professional studies, there are five subjects, including law, which may be considered a half-subject in terms of the volume of learning content.  The Institute’s learning platform, the Learning Hub, provides on-demand learning content. Each subject is broken down into 11 to 14 different sessions.  For each subject across the academic year, approximately 30 hours of learning video content and about 20 hours of live webinars need to be viewed.   In addition, there are several other types of learning material with which students will be expected to engage, including slide decks, discussion forums where you can connect with academic team members, and ‘knowledge check’ quizzes.   We place great importance on studying by answering questions from the question packs. It would be best to focus on ‘active learning’ early to aid recall.  You will be expected to attend induction webinars to kick off the academic year and undertake sample papers (similar to past papers) and mock examinations later in the year.   You will also want to try out your skills on the online exam platform Cirrus using a ‘practice paper’ where you’ll have four attempts at each subject.  So, students can see how vital it is to start the academic year ready to maintain a steady, committed approach to their studies. For the above approximation, I have used the typical study routine for CAP1. Expect the second year, CAP2, to require around 15 to 20 percent additional study time, and again similar in the final year, FAE.   Start as you mean to go on It is essential to work hard during the initial months before Christmas. Our qualification is hard-won with challenging, internationally regulated exams, which represent a significant step up from third-level qualifications based on the sheer amount of material it covers.    Cramming won‘t cut it; instead, adopt effective study techniques, establish a study calendar, and consider forming a study group or finding a study buddy early on.  Organise your time and notes meticulously, and be ready to devote a weekend morning and a couple of weeknight hours to studying alongside your daily commitments.  The caveats    Now for the caveats!  For obvious reasons, it’s tough to put one figure on the required hours of study. Every student who enrols with Chartered Accountants Ireland is different: some with primary degrees in accountancy, some with prior experience working in the sector, some more mature and with more life commitments to balance.  This is only a guideline aimed to help prospective students on what to expect, and neither a minimum nor a maximum requirement. Who you are, your past experience, commitment level and study techniques all contribute to your success. On top of that, there is no guarantee that, because a student is committed, they will automatically pass exams.  While the hours recommended above may seem daunting, it’s worth noting that all professional-level qualifications in accountancy require serious commitment. Other accountancy bodies recommend their students devote very comparable levels of home study during their first-year programmes.  Embrace the challenge, and remember that a well-deserved summer break awaits once you conquer those exams.  Best of luck on your Chartered Accountants Ireland qualification journey – we hope you enjoy it!  

In the quest for academic excellence, the age-old inquiry about the perfect study plan endures. Edel Walsh delves into the art of crafting study plans that align performance objectives with the cadence of life One of the most common questions students ask is if I can give them a study plan or schedule that will help them get the grades they are looking for in the exam.  When it comes to study plans, there is no magic bullet. There is not one study plan out there that works for all students. We are all different and have different learning styles, so your plan needs to work for you.  Not only do you need to consider the amount of study required to complete your exams successfully, but how your study will fit into your busy life.  When creating your study plan, you must consider your extracurricular activities, relationships and other commitments. Creating your study plan The first step when creating your plan is setting a performance goal. That goal might be to pass your exams or get a particular grade.  When you set this performance goal, you must understand what is required to achieve it. What is expected of you?  Next, do a time budget, looking at what you must cover with available time. Is it realistic? If not, how can you go about re-prioritising?  Try not to be too rigid with your study plan. You are looking for a bird’s eye view of the road ahead, not a minute-by-minute schedule for every day. Once you have created your high-level plan, break the study schedule down weekly. Weekly study plan At the beginning of each week, set yourself weekly priorities. Ensure your study plan is realistic. Otherwise, it can feel overwhelming, which might result in procrastination and feeling de-motivated. Ask yourself the following questions as you plan for your week: What are my top priorities? What are my learning goals? What subjects do I need to spend the most time on? What obstacles might I face this week? How can I overcome these obstacles? What extracurricular activities have I planned? How am I going to look after my well-being? Daily study plan At the start of each daily study session, set a learning goal outlining what you would like to have learned or achieved by the end of the day.  When planning your day, schedule time for examining yourself on what you have learned and time for breaks.  If you are doing focused, deep study, it is vital to schedule productive deep breaks.  A deep break is not like your lunch break, which may be 45 to 60 minutes long.  A deep break is a mind-cleanser that doesn’t fracture your focus like social media or doomscrolling can. Instead, go for a walk, make a quick snack or daydream.  While every student is different, I recommend taking a deep break of about 10 minutes after 60 to 90 minutes of study.  After your study session, reflect on what you did that day. Here are some questions you can ask yourself: What went well with my study today? What could have gone better? What do I need to learn or study more of for more learning mastery? What one thing can I do tomorrow to make it better than today?  Staying on track While studying, it can be so easy to lose focus. Having a good study plan will help you stay on track and help you stay focused.  A good plan and setting realistic learning goals is the key to success. Ensure your plan is flexible, and be open to changing it if it is not working for you.   Edel Walsh is a student and exam coach. She supports her clients with their studies and exams using the holistic approach of focusing on academic success, personal development and looking after their well-being. For more information, email edel@edelwalsh.ie

Edel Walsh explains how to transform negative self-talk into empowering, positive prompts to help you on your path to qualification Do you find your internal self-talk is overly negative?  Now, ask yourself a question: would you speak to a friend or a family member so negatively?  The answer is nearly always no. If you wouldn’t speak to others so negatively, then why is it OK to talk to yourself like this?  It’s time we turn negative self-talk into positive prompts. Mindset Mindset is a powerful belief you have about yourself.  There are two types of mindsets: the fixed mindset and the growth mindset.  In a fixed mindset you believe you are good at something or you are bad at something. There is no in-between. You believe there is no room to grow or to get better at things.  In a growth mindset, on the other hand, you believe your skills and intelligence can be improved with intentional practice and effort.  Fixed mindset When we are studying, we sometimes feel the pull of the fixed mindset. We fall into thinking traps, and negative self-talk takes over.  For example, if you feel out of control about passing your exams, you might hear yourself say, “I never get anything right. I am never going to be able to pass these exams.”  When you believe you don’t have the confidence to ask for help with your studies, you might hear yourself say, “I am worried about what other people will think if I ask for help."  If you think you don’t have the competence or the intelligence to pass your exams, you might hear yourself say, “My colleagues are better than me”, “I am not good enough”, or “I fail more than I succeed." The human brain is a sophisticated organ. However, if you keep telling your brain you can’t do something, it has no option but to believe you. Our brains cannot distinguish between perception and reality.  Unfortunately, when you tell yourself you can’t do something, this often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Growth mindset and positive prompts The opposite is also true. The growth mindset starts in the brain. The key is to catch the negative thinking traps and re-frame these thoughts into positive thinking prompts.  Positive thinking prompts are positive messages or self-talk that help you stay motivated and inspired.  Positive prompts help you to take progressive action by seeing things from a different perspective. They also serve as positive reminders to motivate yourself. By changing how you think and re-framing your self-talk, you can move from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.  Here are some positive prompts: “This topic is difficult for me, but I know when I study effectively, I will improve.” “Sometimes, the way I study does not give me the results I want. I can change my study strategy to get better results.” “Failure is not the end of the world. I can learn a lesson to improve in the future.” These positive prompts are about appreciating that challenges occur and are stepping-stones towards something better.  Mistakes are OK When we make mistakes in our studies, the volume of negative self-talk can get louder.  For example: “If I was any good, I wouldn’t keep making mistakes.” What we need to remember is that learning is messy and filled with mistakes and setbacks. Without mistakes, there would be no learning.  The important thing is what you learn from making the mistake.  Tone down the negative self-talk and re-frame it into a positive prompt, such as “Mistakes are valuable learning opportunities.”  Not knowing vs not knowing YET The word 'yet' is magical. This little three-letter word packs a big punch.  The use of 'yet' is particularly useful when encouraging learning. Let’s consider these two statements: I don’t understand double-entry bookkeeping; vs  I don’t understand double-entry bookkeeping yet! The difference in meaning between the two statements is significant.  The first statement suggests you have no understanding of double-entry book-keeping. While the  second statement says the same thing, the word “yet” implies that you will get there. You may not understand double-entry book-keeping at this moment, but you     will understand it at some point  soon.  A simple way to start changing to a growth mindset is by using the word 'yet'. Here are some more examples: I can’t do this…yet. I don’t know…yet. It doesn’t make sense…. yet. I am not good at this…yet. I don’t get this…yet. Catching negative thoughts and turning them into positive prompts takes time and effort but the results will have an overall positive impact on your mental and emotional well-being.  Edel Walsh is a student and exam coach. Her website is www.edelwalsh.ie

Our greatest teacher is the past, and former FAE students have much to say about the exams. Bryan Rankin, Head of Student Operations at Chartered Accountants Ireland, outlines their thoughts For FAE students, 15 and 17 August 2023 have been red letter days for some time, culminating in years of dedication and study.  After each main exam sitting, the student representative body CASSI issues a survey to candidates to garner their views on the exam and the education programme.  In 2022, the FAE CASSI Survey indicated that students found the following as the most beneficial resources in exam preparations – they could be equally as helpful for you in 2023. The FAE Exam Guide series Launched in 2021, the FAE Exam Guide series is an online resource carefully curated to help FAE students prepare for their examinations with ‘insider’-style views and tips from examiners.  The articles bring clarity to a range of FAE areas and contain valuable insights into the priorities and concerns of the examination teams.   At the time of writing, the 2023 Guide is expected to be published at the end of July. It is a must-read resource for all FAE exam candidates. You can find past issues online. Integrated case days By this time, FAE students will be aware of the series of integrated case days (ICDs) and have satisfied the requirement to engage with at least five of the seven available.  The considerable value of ICDs is that they help bring the four Core subjects together and integrate the knowledge and skills obtained from earlier studies and the work environment.  Attendance at five of seven live ICDs webinars is deemed mandatory and the bare minimum, but it’s a great idea to undertake all seven.    The feedback from past FAE students is that working through case days is perhaps the best way to prepare for the requirements of FAE Core.  All seven cases are available on the Learning Hub.  FAE Committee Report The FAE Committee Report (FAEC) from 2022 and earlier years can assist current FAE students in their exam preparation.  The reports explain how the papers are authored, marked and adjudicated while providing an overview of how 2022 students performed and examiner comments for each question.  The 2022 report provides key insights to current FAE candidates on what last year’s candidates did to pass the examination and, more importantly, highlights the areas where candidates continue to struggle, reiterating, where appropriate, advice from previous FAECs. FAECs are available in the exams section of the Chartered Accountants Ireland website; a student login is required.  FAE mocks Through the mock examinations, students can test their current knowledge, replicate their exam setting, gain vital first-hand experience and ensure their technology is working all before the FAE main exams start.  Students can avail themselves of a brand-new paper that’s closely aligned with the layout of the actual paper.  Past FAE students have underlined the importance of the mocks in preparing them for the real thing.  The FAE mock examinations for Core and Electives may be sat from 1 July to the evening of 9 July, with solutions, marking schemes and videos of lecturers recording their solutions available on 10 July.  Exam prep webinars The coming weeks will also see some key webinars that are not to be missed.  Following the FAE mocks, a series of post-mock exam webinars will bring clarity and answer questions students might have from the mock papers.   Then come the exam prep webinars in the last week of July, which promise to provide further guidance and some final tips on exam preparation, time management and technique.   All webinar times are detailed in the FAE timetables, available on the Institute’s website.

If you're thinking about study leave or your next steps in becoming a member – hold on! Hugh Carroll, Manager of the Training Support Unit at Chartered Accountants Ireland, wants to put you on the right path As we move into the second quarter of 2023, the Training Support Unit are conscious that you are likely to be: getting yourself organised for the forthcoming exam season or; approaching the end of your training contract/period. In both scenarios, it is important to be aware of some important information about your CA Diary.  Get the CA Diary on your pre-study leave to-do list  For those of you who will be taking Institute exams this year, it is important that you put time in your personal diary to bring your CA Diary up-to-date and submit the experience for approval. By updating your diary now, you can focus completely on your studies without interruption over the coming weeks.    While it is good practice to keep an offline record, you do need to upload and submit entries to the online system.  Springing into membership? For those who are approaching the end of the training period, there really is no better time than now to check your diary status, bring it up-to-date and put your mentor on notice that your remaining experience will be forwarded soon for approval.  You should note that you won’t be able to get access to a final mentor review until you have reached the end date of your training contract (even if you have all experience days and competencies).  If you have reached or are soon to approach the end of your training contract, but still have elements of your exams outstanding, you can still complete your CA Diary up to and including the final mentor review.  The requirements for the final mentor review are noted under section 1.7 of the CA Diary Guide - Trainees, along with the process for applying for membership.  Common mistakes to avoid Please bear in mind that the Training Support Unit will conduct a quality review of your CA Diary record at the point of admission to membership (and possibly beforehand as part of our monitoring review procedures), so it’s best to check that your record is accurate now.  The team is often impressed by the standard and quality of CA Diary records, however, some of the errors we see mean delays for trainees who wish to get their ACA membership.  Of the errors, the most common are: First entry predates contract start date; Last entry extends beyond the contract end date; Zero-day entries or entries solely for periods of leave; Understating competencies (technical and non-technical); Overstating competency elements (e.g. did you really conduct an IT audit?); Entries which contain limited information in competency descriptors; Overlapping entries. Entries need to be consecutive, not concurrent; and Duplication. Don’t copy and paste your competency descriptors across multiple elements or across groups. To ensure that you avoid the common pitfalls, review the Sample CA Diary Entries for Trainees (check out the Do’s and Don’ts section, in particular). We also introduced a Trainee Checklist, which should help you when creating/submitting entries.  These, and all of the other resources, are available on the CA Diary Resources webpage.   If you find you are struggling with any aspects of your Diary, or are seeking some reassurance, contact the team at Trainingsupport@charteredaccountants.ie or call 01 637 7202.  Lastly, keep an eye on your inbox for notification of any of our forthcoming CA Diary online webinars. Important e-assessment news: new browser download required  All students should note an important change in the technology supporting Chartered Accountants Ireland exams, starting with CAP1 exams in May 2023.     Our online invigilation partner, ProctorU, relies on a browser extension to monitor students, and that extension has to be manually applied to students’ laptops.  As a result of significant recent updates to other browser extension frameworks, ProctorU has launched its own secure browser, Guardian, which provides an enhanced service.  Guardian is now ready and a link to download has been sent to students by email.  For CAP1 exam candidates, your final download deadline is 15 April 2023. By this date, all CAP1 students should have completed the Guardian browser installation on the laptop they plan to use in the main exams. CAP1 ‘practice onboarding’ session is scheduled for 03 May 2023.   The requirement to download the new Guardian browser will also apply to CAP2 and FAE students.