December 2023
Dorothy Wood stresses the importance of careful planning when it comes to timetabling your exams.
In a recent article we looked at ‘3 simple steps to success in your first accountancy exam’ (PQ, October ’23). Those steps are:
- Book your exam as soon as possible.
- Be prepared – get to know your exam format and available study resources.
- Practice, practice, practice.
In this article we’ll delve deeper into why you should book your exam as soon as possible, looking at practical, educational and motivational reasons to do this. Although I’ll use ACCA examples, the themes should resonate for all accounting students.
Get practical
Booking your exam early has benefits whether you are taking an on-demand exam or sitting on a fixed date in a quarterly exam session.
For on-demand exams it will give you the best opportunity to get the date you want at your ideal exam centre. For those sitting on a specific date it will allow you the widest range of exam centre locations to choose from. For those sitting exams at home, you will have the widest choice of exam times the earlier you book.
If you need to travel to an exam centre you will also be able to book any travel or accommodation in advance and hopefully secure the best prices.
There are also real educational benefits to early exam booking. It facilitates proper planning and allows you sufficient time for a thorough learning and revision phase. Ideally this will be through a study programme with an approved learning partner to give yourself the best possible chance of success in your exam. Proper planning also gives you flexibility to deal with the curve-balls that life throws at you that get in the way of studying.
And probably most importantly, booking your exam early avoids one of the biggest dangers to exam success – procrastination. By booking early you are setting yourself a clear goal and committing to it, which leads me on to the final area – motivation!
You’ve made a commitment and you’ve a clear goal in front of you. You’re able to plan a route to exam success as you’ve time to create a realistic and thorough study timetable. Booking early will add that little bit of pressure and this will help you stick to your plan. As you make progress towards your goal you can tick off your work done and seeing these small steps being completed will give you a sense of achievement and further boost your motivation to reach your goal.
Just one more piece of advice and another benefit of making that early commitment to booking your exam – make sure you tell those around you about your plans so they can support you as well. Whether it’s friends or family, or both, we all know that passing your ACCA or other accountancy exams takes commitment and time. The more your support network is aware of your plans, the more they can support in small ways.
Remember, exam success is very much achievable with the right planning and dedication, and making an early commitment to your exam just helps you on the way.
- Dorothy Wood, head of education relationships, ACCA
