Start the clock
As outlined in my earlier blog, CIMAstudy.com is probably a more preferable way to study than sifting through xerox powder and heavy bound books with a large red stripe down the center of ever page.
And even better, there are big discounts available through promotions.
One of the best discounts is available through IIB, a Ukrainian University at http://www.iib.com.ua. (click here to view the page in English, and here to view the page about distance learning programs in association with IIB)
"IIB as the participant of CIMA Affiliate Sales Partner Program offers students a unique possibility to get 60 % discount through the use of a Special Offer Coupon. The coupon is free off charge; it’s possible to get it by completing registration form."
CIMA also has promotion from time to time, such as their last one offering all students in Pakistan the opportunity to buy three CIMAstudy courses at a 33% discount, quoting 33MAPA as the promotion code. Unfortunately, this promo was only available to CIMA students in Pakistan buying any three operational, management or strategic level courses and valid until the end of May 2010.
Internet search for keywords like 'cimastudy special offer promotional code passcode' may yeild some results such as a link to this forum.
However, the heavy bound books did provide some backup support and a paper environment. There are also more practice questions in the Elsevier textbooks than on CIMAStudy.com which has only one or two long questions at the end of each module, though the interactive learning experience more than makes up for that.
Scheduling study time was quite an administrative task, but my spreadsheet wizardry made sure that I had a colorful, organized schedule that I just wouldn't keep.
Sure, having some idea how much you have covered with reference to how much time you have left is wonderful, but everyone knows that revision time becomes study time eventually for a large portion of the course.
But still, scheduling days of the week for a particular subject and knowing how many chapters you need to complete in a every session is very important.
Revision and practice are key, and should be more important than making fancy slides that will serve as mind maps during revision time, but unless you have practiced even a single official CIMA question on that topic, it is unlikely that your genius will be able to successfully apply that bit of information in a methodological manner.
The best source of confidence before going into the exam is having had solved the available CIMA past papers and specimen papers with timing. This was a life saver in my earlier attempt.
Information and study resources for Management Level can be found on the CIMA website on this page.
A good read through the full syllabus of the management level learning outcomes is a good start to the study program.
One thing to keep in mind for the management level is a note that kind of scares the hell out of you. It reads: "material included in any of the papers within the operational level may also be relevant for the purposes of assessment", which means that you now have to go back and revise all your operational level topics as well :p
Take stock of the study course and divide the number of chapters evenly among the days scheduled for each subject. Try to move steadily through the subject matter and absorb it into your general knowledge rather than strain to memorize for the exam. Discover, explore, question and apply the knowledge. Make sparing notes that merely serve to trail the learning curve rather than replace it.
Aim to finish studies at least 2 - 3 weeks before the exam to allow for revision and more importantly, a number of timed practice test sessions.
If the exams are in the last week of November 2010 and I can start studying on the third day of the Eid Holidays on Monday, September 13, 2010, then I have 68 days, or no more than 10 weeks to prepare for the exams.
If I keep a regular pace, I may just be able to cover the syllabus, though my last attempt was quite stressful within the same time frame. However, the calendar dates have just so many days between registration and examination and a four-month holiday.
Going by my last experience, each week of study will include 1 day for E2, and 2 days each for P2 and F2. The weekend will hopefully be spent reviewing the topics and practicing test questions rather than simply catching up with the schedule.
In contrast to my last study period, I plan on keeping a register in which I will make hand-written notes rather than only making slide shows with Google Docs. This will hopefully ingrain my learning more deeply and keep me in touch with my writing ability rather than having to lankly manage scribbling during the exam.
Once I check with some peers about how much importance to give to the operational level syllabus, I will need to refresh the topics anew, so including this in my study may be necessary.
I guess I should have used the time between examinations to refresh my operational level syllabus, but we all know that that kind of attitude is only akin to kings and geeks, and rarely people with kids.
May be next digest when I read back, I can pull my socks up and start studying within 2 - 3 weeks of the November examinations (around the beginning of the Islamic year or mid-December 2010).
At the very least, I should familiarize myself with the syllabus of the Strategic Level and absorb all the pre-seen material and other information pertaining to the level, as outlined on the webpage.
Starting revision of operational and management level course material without waiting for my results to come out first will give me a precious few weeks more to study and will be useful whether I have to repeat any papers or start studying for the next level.
By Monday then, I need to have the following in place:
1. Registration for the November exams
2. The texts for the management level exams
3. Online purchase of CIMAstudy.com course
4. Registers and stationery
5. The study schedule
6. Fixed study time and place
And even better, there are big discounts available through promotions.
One of the best discounts is available through IIB, a Ukrainian University at http://www.iib.com.ua. (click here to view the page in English, and here to view the page about distance learning programs in association with IIB)
"IIB as the participant of CIMA Affiliate Sales Partner Program offers students a unique possibility to get 60 % discount through the use of a Special Offer Coupon. The coupon is free off charge; it’s possible to get it by completing registration form."
CIMA also has promotion from time to time, such as their last one offering all students in Pakistan the opportunity to buy three CIMAstudy courses at a 33% discount, quoting 33MAPA as the promotion code. Unfortunately, this promo was only available to CIMA students in Pakistan buying any three operational, management or strategic level courses and valid until the end of May 2010.
Internet search for keywords like 'cimastudy special offer promotional code passcode' may yeild some results such as a link to this forum.
However, the heavy bound books did provide some backup support and a paper environment. There are also more practice questions in the Elsevier textbooks than on CIMAStudy.com which has only one or two long questions at the end of each module, though the interactive learning experience more than makes up for that.
Scheduling study time was quite an administrative task, but my spreadsheet wizardry made sure that I had a colorful, organized schedule that I just wouldn't keep.
Sure, having some idea how much you have covered with reference to how much time you have left is wonderful, but everyone knows that revision time becomes study time eventually for a large portion of the course.
But still, scheduling days of the week for a particular subject and knowing how many chapters you need to complete in a every session is very important.
Revision and practice are key, and should be more important than making fancy slides that will serve as mind maps during revision time, but unless you have practiced even a single official CIMA question on that topic, it is unlikely that your genius will be able to successfully apply that bit of information in a methodological manner.
The best source of confidence before going into the exam is having had solved the available CIMA past papers and specimen papers with timing. This was a life saver in my earlier attempt.
Information and study resources for Management Level can be found on the CIMA website on this page.
A good read through the full syllabus of the management level learning outcomes is a good start to the study program.
One thing to keep in mind for the management level is a note that kind of scares the hell out of you. It reads: "material included in any of the papers within the operational level may also be relevant for the purposes of assessment", which means that you now have to go back and revise all your operational level topics as well :p
Take stock of the study course and divide the number of chapters evenly among the days scheduled for each subject. Try to move steadily through the subject matter and absorb it into your general knowledge rather than strain to memorize for the exam. Discover, explore, question and apply the knowledge. Make sparing notes that merely serve to trail the learning curve rather than replace it.
Aim to finish studies at least 2 - 3 weeks before the exam to allow for revision and more importantly, a number of timed practice test sessions.
If the exams are in the last week of November 2010 and I can start studying on the third day of the Eid Holidays on Monday, September 13, 2010, then I have 68 days, or no more than 10 weeks to prepare for the exams.
If I keep a regular pace, I may just be able to cover the syllabus, though my last attempt was quite stressful within the same time frame. However, the calendar dates have just so many days between registration and examination and a four-month holiday.
Going by my last experience, each week of study will include 1 day for E2, and 2 days each for P2 and F2. The weekend will hopefully be spent reviewing the topics and practicing test questions rather than simply catching up with the schedule.
In contrast to my last study period, I plan on keeping a register in which I will make hand-written notes rather than only making slide shows with Google Docs. This will hopefully ingrain my learning more deeply and keep me in touch with my writing ability rather than having to lankly manage scribbling during the exam.
Once I check with some peers about how much importance to give to the operational level syllabus, I will need to refresh the topics anew, so including this in my study may be necessary.
I guess I should have used the time between examinations to refresh my operational level syllabus, but we all know that that kind of attitude is only akin to kings and geeks, and rarely people with kids.
May be next digest when I read back, I can pull my socks up and start studying within 2 - 3 weeks of the November examinations (around the beginning of the Islamic year or mid-December 2010).
At the very least, I should familiarize myself with the syllabus of the Strategic Level and absorb all the pre-seen material and other information pertaining to the level, as outlined on the webpage.
Starting revision of operational and management level course material without waiting for my results to come out first will give me a precious few weeks more to study and will be useful whether I have to repeat any papers or start studying for the next level.
By Monday then, I need to have the following in place:
1. Registration for the November exams
2. The texts for the management level exams
3. Online purchase of CIMAstudy.com course
4. Registers and stationery
5. The study schedule
6. Fixed study time and place
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