I am at the point where I am ready to take my first exams for AAT Level 2 (Basic I & II), and despite getting 94% + in my practice exams, and having done the job at this level for 15 years I really don't feel ready at all. I am so nervous - I was never even nervous when I did GCSE's and A Levels, I just went with the flow. I think I am having a major crisis of confidence and seem to be the only one thinking that 90-something % isn't good enough, and surely I should be getting 100%. One of the things I lost points on was that one of my calculations was 1p out - I've done the calculation over and over again on my calculator and it still comes out the same, however the calculator on my phone came out with the value that would have been correct. For some odd reason this is really stressing me out - I'm pretty sure they won't allow me my phone in the exam, yet my calculator could potentially lose me marks.
Has anyone else ever felt like this? - its all alien to me and I've been putting it off because I'm so worried, which in turn means its going to take me longer to qualify and get my business off the ground.
I took both of those assessments last week (and passed). My tutor told me the pass mark is around 70% so if you are getting over 90% in test papers you will be fine as the assessments are a similar format to the test papers. They are not trying to catch you out but giving you the opportunity to demonstrate your competence. Good luck, enjoy it! Let us know how you get on.
exams are always a stressful time but at some stage you will find that they become quite addictive!
I've hit situations before where the night before the exam I've thought that I'm going to open the paper and not be able to answer anything at all as after months of studying I just felt as though I had forgotten everything. However, come the day of the exam when you open that exam book it will all come back to you.
Try to arrive for the exam in plenty of time so that at least doesn't stress you (I often arrive at 5 a.m. for a 10 a.m start!!!). Have index cards with all the things that you need to memorise like ratio formalae so that you can have a couple of hours brush up before you go into the exam hall rather than worrying about what's going to be in the paper.
If you have no confidence in your calculator then get a new one. Go and try putting the calculation that you have into a few in staples and then narrow your choice down to the one that feels right for you. For 1p out it sounds as though the rounding is going in different directions between your phone and calcualtor.
Don't worry about the loss of a couple of points. Just aim at a pass. You know how good you are in the real world but exams are time pressured tests that (generally) don't really expect candidates to get 100% (I'm thinking that the ICB self assessment test is the exception here).
All the best,
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.
Shaun is spot on as per usual, exams don't reflect the real world one bit, i gave up trying to get full marks and a pass at 70% is as good as a pass at 100% for me as long as i'm giving 100% in my job. Exams are pretty stressful for 99% of people the other 1% are just weird lol. (i'm currently using %ages quite a lot). Good luck in your exams Sammy! Had to aquire a calculator with a square root function on it for my next CBT, funny what the kids bring home from school.
-- Edited by Spamkebab on Monday 22nd of August 2011 12:55:45 PM
Thanks everyone for your advice and support. I'm struggling with finding time to study at the moment with the summer hols (I have 3 boisterous boys ages 1, 3 &5), but am going to knuckle down and concentrate as soon as they go back to school/pre-school. Hopefully I will take my exams sometime in September - I will let you know how I get on. I'm sure once I get the first one out of the way it will get easier and less nerve-wracking. Its good to have this forum though, as when I try to discuss bookkeeping and accounts stuff with my husband he starts snoring (I have to admit to doing the same when he discusses his job though lol)
