You’ll be used to hearing a lot from me about my advice, exam tips and studying resources, but it can also be helpful getting an outside perspective sometimes.
As helpful as I can be to students on my Accounting Exam Accelerator Programme when aiding you in your accountancy exams process, I am also only one person and find great merit in providing my students with other insight.
A former client of mine recently passed his final Accounting exams last year, so whilst his knowledge of the process is more readily available in his brain, I thought it would be beneficial to hear his tips on how to successfully study.
Here are 10 of Neil’s top tips, all of which mirror my views and are certifiably great ways to improve your studying.
1. Get a Mentor/Coach
You need someone to put pressure on you and keep you focused, someone that can bring everything together – the motivation, timeframe and even just having someone that will understand what you are going through.
These exams are life changing so having that extra support was invaluable to me, with James being a great source of morale when I struggled with my accounting exams.
2. Organise, Organise, Organise
I keep a list on my phone every day for what I have to do from start to finish, including small to big tasks, work, life and studying.
Make sure all of your tasks are manageable, because you don’t want to put yourself off doing them.
I am also ruthless about getting rid of anything that doesn’t add value to my life, because if it isn’t productive, it isn’t worth my time.
Organise your work, life and studying into days and weeks and leave a buffer of a few days at the end of each 2 week period for anything that you don’t foresee.
If you think a study plan sounds like it might be beneficial to you but don’t know where to start, my handy blog How To Create An Effective Study Plan For Your Accountancy Exams details everything you need to know.
3. Plan For An Exam
I like to use this routine to study as it provides a great basis for a study plan that suits my needs and includes the ways I best like to revise.
The foundation block takes 3 weeks to do it, covering typing out my own summary notes in order to take in the chapter information.
4 weeks of my own “tutorials” is where the real learning comes into effect and you can test yourself from the summary notes and flashcards you have made, stopping the quick checks through books and really testing your memory recall.
The final four weeks are when I hone in on exam technique, practising past papers and exam style questions.
4. Technology Is Your New Best Friend
Use a computer/ tablet to your advantage, as most people can type faster than they can write these days, so it can be useful to go digital rather than draining time trying to handwrite notes.
It’s also useful if, like me, you find it hard to take in information by reading, so try typing it out instead and maybe this will be a more effective way of remembering information for you too. Another thing to note is the new generation of apps available – there are so many useful apps that can help you study, including ‘Notability’, ‘Mind map’, “Study’, ‘30/30’ and ‘Mindful’.
5. Focus On You
Don’t care about what your peers are doing, because you will always find that one person in your life who supposedly doesn’t study and this can negatively impact you to do the same.
If you are 2 weeks before the test knowing that you are on top of things it’s a great feeling and how other people are progressing isn’t relevant to your success – a harsh but true fact.
6. Take Ownership Of Your Life
If you take ownership of your life and are passionate about self-improvement it is only a matter of time before you are the best at it.
7. Killing Procrastination
One way of reducing procrastination is keeping really busy and using pressure in a good way.
The whole way through university I used to procrastinate all the time because it was far easier to play on my games console than it was to go to the kitchen table and study.
Since I started working I realised I actually have more energy to study because I don’t have time to sit around and mope about.
If you are very busy and these exams are the most important thing to you at present, then you will find a way to get it done and as soon as that 15 minute window opens up.
Being so busy with work, exams and study actually helps as you don’t have time to do anything else so you’re fully focused on the task at hand.
8. Have Something To Look Forward To
It is important that through all the mayhem of exams, you not only have a long term goal but also something short term to look forward to.
A holiday is usually the one event I organise to count down and look forward to, that way you know you’re putting in all this time and effort but you’ll have something to look forward to.
9. Sometimes 10 O’clock At Night Works
Sometimes I enjoy staying up past 10 o’clock to study or at least type out my chapters because that’s my quiet time and it’s what works best for me.
Find your time and enjoy it, regardless of if it’s at the crack of dawn or after you’ve had your evening meal.
10. Exam Time – Bit Of A Reality Check
Just remember before you go into an exam, no matter what happens in the exam, you have put in one hell of an effort, and at the end of the day, it is an exam, not the end of the world.
Your worst case scenario is you re-sit it, but don’t stress, you won’t fail.