AAT exams Top tutor Karen Groves explains how to bounce back from exam failure

I have failed my AAT exam – what next?

Karen Groves explains how to approach a re-sit exam to ensure success

Taking exams is never easy, life has a bad habit of getting in the way when we least need it to and throwing curveballs at us. That is on top of long working hours, children, and family commitments before we start.

So, you have taken an exam and failed, and wonder what to do next. Some students I have seen over the years immediately re-book their exams as quickly as possible, whilst for others, it can throw them offtrack and make them question whether to continue.

My advice is simple, do not be defeated, pick yourself up, dust off your study books and start revising again and have confidence that you can do this.

How do I know I hear you ask? Well after taking one of my ACCA exams 5 times (yes, I know, it was for me, the worst unit ever), having a two year ‘sulk’ after the first attempt as I hated it that much, I then had to pick myself up and start the unit again. Believe me, the two-year gap made it worse too. As my Dad recently said after I finally passed my ACCA exams and received my certificate “there’s lots of hard work in that piece of paper but even more sheer stubbornness and a refusal to give in”, I think that pretty much sums it up. I often say to students, you must ‘want’ to achieve and pass the exams. If your heart is not in it, then you will not do well. I also say to my students ‘try and fail, but don’t fail to try’ (quote by John Quincy Adams).

I have based my approach on AAT exams for this article and will consider what you should do next. As a student, you will have different study resources depending on your method of study and training provider, however you all have one thing in common, in that you all have access to the AAT Lifelong Learning portal.

Over my many years of teaching, I have witnessed some students not even working through the AAT practice assessments prior to taking their exam. I view this as pretty much the same as taking a driving test with no lessons, how on earth do you know what to expect, the format and layout? You can practice as much as you like with other resources that will all be great, however until you work the AAT practice assessments, you do not know what to expect in the actual exam, layout wise.

The other pitfall students make is just clicking on ‘submit’ once they have finished their practice assessments. For the current AQ2016 syllabus you will then receive either a ‘Competent’ or ‘Not Yet Competent’ result. Whilst it is nice to be told you are competent, what if you only achieved 70%? Well, unless you check your answers BEFORE you click submit, or screenshot your answers and check afterwards, you will never know. Personally, I would like to know where I have gone wrong so I can make notes and go back over revision, and I’m sure you would too.

The AAT practice assessments will also ensure you are ready for the exam from a time management point of view. Each exam is timed and whilst working on other revision papers and questions is important, you are not timing yourself here. The practice assessments are important as it gives you a feel of what the exam will be like as it will time you the same as in the real exam.

My other advice would be to read the Examiners Reports carefully. Where are other students making mistakes, what are the weak areas in a unit? Then, go back over these to ensure you are confident.

Finally, don’t forget to use the other AAT resources including the green light tests and e-learning and good luck! • Karen Groves is an AAT tutor and Faculty Director – Accounting, at e-Careers