I'm just completing AAT level 2 having used a local college as a distance learning provider. As far as I can tell they use BPP learning material which I have found really good. So good in fact that I haven't had to use the tutor support at all. Which leads me to think that although the tutor seems really nice she is not a good use of my money! So for level 3 I am considering buying the books and just booking the exams somewhere. It halves the cost!
Has anyone else done this and if so were there any disadvantages? For example did you get into an exam and realise that you needed to know something you didn't. Or anything else? Are there any really good reasons why I should pay out hundreds of pounds more just for the safety net of having a tutor for the occasional time I may need one?
Is level 3 a lot harder than level 2 or just different stuff? I have friends who are accountants that can help me with the occasional query but don't want to impose too often.
One disadvantage I can see so far is that if I was to use Kaplan or BPP as an exam centre, they only offer exam times during the day and towards the end of the week neither of which suit me as I work. They also seem reluctant to give out dates in advance which doesn't lend itself to good planning.
I use this approach for ACCA (except I've migrated from BPP to Kaplan texts which I find better).
I thought that with the AAT you had to have a training provider? I've not really kept up with things since they changed their syllabus but don't you need a training provider for the project at level 4?
Each level of AAT is a little more difficult than the previous one but not in a quantum leap sort of way and the levels build on the foundations that you have already learnt. At level III you should be abble to start using old ACCA papers for papers F1, F2 and F3 to advance your knowledge prior to exams.
With the exams even if you don't have the exact dates you know approximately when they will be so if you just work towards sittings in early June and December you should be on track.
Personally I don't think that there is anything that you cannot self teach and if you are able to find a training centre that is happy for you to sit exams there (they will charge) then go for it for level III but not so sure about level IV... Or at least not the project bit.
Good luck with your level III,
kind regards,
Shaun.
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
Towards the end of Level 3 AAT I had no choice but to learn from the books and just attend the exams. My tutors weren't happy to do this but they did. All I can say is...............I failed 3 of the 7 exams and I was almost dropped from the course. Level 3 is very hard work WITH tutor support, without it your chances of passing are drastically reduced.
Levels 2 and 3 are very different because you're moving away from the double entry stuff and onto budgeting, costing, forecasting.
I thought I'd put an update to my investigations into AAT training costs. For level 3 my current training provider (local college distance learning) want over £1200. I have spoken to Kaplan and they have said that it is possible to buy each paper as a separate unit. So for example I will be buying the books and studying on my own for most units. When I'm ready to take the exam I will then pay the AAT exam fee plus a £15 admin fee to Kaplan (or any other local provider) to sit the exams with them - they have several exam sittings a month so shouldn't have to wait too long. For the spreadsheets unit I need them to mark it so I will buy that unit as a distance learning unit and pay a bit extra £125 I think but that includes the learning material. I've worked out that doing it that way I will save myself about £500. It's quite a significant saving if you feel capable of learning what you need from the books alone.
