Common Mistakes to Avoid in the ACCA Exam

Preparing for the ACCA exam this year? Make sure you read this post to avoid common mistakes during your exam.

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) is a prestigious accounting body situated in the UK. Established in 1904, it remains a global standard for accounting degrees and financial education.

While the ACCA degree is accepted across 179 countries with multiple approved learning partners, passing the ACCA exams can be challenging.Last year, only 3,763 students out of 89,719 managed to crack the ACCA Professional exams and gradusyllate. (Source: ACCA)

While the syllabus can be challenging and may seem like the main reason ACCA exams are tough to pass, small preparation mistakes usually cost you heavily.

In this article, we will reveal the most common mistakes to avoid in the ACCA exam and provide you with ACCA exam tips to avoid them.

5 common mistakes to avoid in the ACCA exam

Before the ACCA exam:

1.   Neglecting preparation and study of the ACCA exam structure because you assume you will pass the ACCA exam without much study.

2.   Not managing your time and procrastinating studying until the last minute. This may be one of the most important ACCA exam tips to consider.

3.   Succumbing to exam stress. This is most prevalent in those preparing for the ACCA exams. Did you know that stress can make you forget what you’ve studied?

4.   Not having a structured study method. This is one of the significant ACCA preparation mistakes to avoid.

5.   Not revising your ACCA subject before the exam

In the ACCA exam room:

1. Not planning how to attempt the ACCA exam: Choose your question based on the marks or points allotted to it. Never spend too much time on a question with fewer marks.

2. Not answering the examiner’s question directly: This can cost you heavily. Always answer the question that has been asked, and never beat around the bush.

3. Not understanding the meaning of the question: Learn to differentiate between the many types of verbs used in ACCA exams. Learn what ‘define’ means compared to ‘describe’.

4. Some ACCA subjects, like Advanced Audit and Assurance, require you to answer the questions based on real-life scenarios. Theoretical answers may not help you obtain good scores in such exams.

5. Not spotting the easy questions in the ACCA exam: Push aside the stress of attempting the exam and think clearly with a calm mind, skim through the question paper and highlight the questions that are easy marks. Always attempt these.

After the ACCA exam:

Once you have finished submitting your ACCA exam, you can see the results within 72 hours on the ACCA website. Most students tend to feel discouraged by the low marks they’ve obtained.

Remember, there are 13 papers to attempt, so you must keep your enthusiasm for learning and willpower strong. Here are a few mistakes students commit after the ACCA exam that cause more trouble to their career goals.

1. Negligence. If you don’t attempt to improve by re-checking your ACCA exam, you may never learn from your mistakes.

2. Not going through the examiner’s report

3. Not seeking support through ACCA preparation courses if you have scored low

4. Not immediately applying for a re-sitting in case you have failed the paper

5. Choosing to ignore the exam results through distractions and unprofitable pursuits

10 exam preparation mistakes to avoid

1. Going into the exam distracted and making careless assumptions about exam questions.

2. Not practicing ACCA past papers and mock tests.

3. Not managing your preparation time wisely.

4. Not creating a study schedule and timetable until the day before you visit the ACCA exam centre.

5. Not keeping yourself updated with the ACCA curriculum. For example, if you prepared for the Strategic Professional exams the same way you prepared for the Applied Skills module, this strategy may backfire as both subjects require other methods of learning and thinking.

6. Avoid distractions and other non-profitable pursuits, and maintain laser-like focus.

7. Avoid attempting the ACCA exams without understanding the ACCA exam structure.

8. Not enrolling yourself on support courses when struggling with the ACCA syllabus.

9. Being disorganised and rushing to the ACCA exam hall at the last minute.

10. Underestimating the difficulty level of the ACCA professional exams based on past papers like the Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills modules.

If you would like help preparing for your ACCA exam, consider the ACCA courses at the London School of Business and Finance, UK (LSBF UK). The school has won many awards under various categories and is the perfect study partner on your ACCA journey.