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Exam Counselling

A

Alex87

Member
Anybody been on exam counselling for CA3? I've failed for the second time (just needing this to qualify) and wondered if this would be of use? A bit concerned given the low pass rate could easily add a couple of years on to qualification!
 
If you are really stuck with knowing where you go wrong, try it.

I'd say its worth it only if you were close to a pass.

Do you know anyone who passed at the sitting you failed? Ask how they tackled the question but remember, memory does play tricks.
 
I think the exam I passed was in the same session as you. Assuming you posted this on results night. (My first name isn't actually Jane, the username comes from a song).

While I don't want to discuss the actual exam paper I'm happy to give some general pointers if that helps.

Not sure about exam counseling as I've never been able to afford it, but I think someone I know found it helpful.
 
I did the exam counselling and then passed the next time. I do know someone else that did it as well and they got told different things to what they were told in the acted tutorials (I didn't do the tutorials and don't know what the different advice was before anyone asks!).

They go through some general dos and don'ts and things that you should always do in each exam paper.

Not sure I found watching my presentation particularly helpful or going into specifics of my exam paper particularly helpful as obviously you will never get a similar question again but it does open up a discussion about what things may mark you down and what things you can do to get those 1 or 2 extra marks.

And although it isn't cheap, it is cheaper than sitting the exam so if it saves you that extra 1 or 2 attempts to get there it is money well spent. So I would definitely do it if I were you - you may only be doing 1 thing wrong and don't even realise it.
 
It is hard to address the comment about aledged inconsistency of advice between ActEd tutorials and exam counselling without a specific example to respond to.

Whenver I hear this and, subsequently, obtain information on the specifics of the aledged inconsistency, the situation is never as clear cut as the high level comment implies.

We (ActEd's team of CA3 tutors) take great trouble to liaise with the profession to ensure we present information and advice that is consistent with the views of the examiners. In addition, ActEd is actively monitored by the profession - who review our written materials and observe our tutorials. If there was a material difference between the information and advice we present and the views of the examiners then it would be spotted quickly as part of that QA process.

It is on this basis that I am confident in saying that ActEd's materials and tutorials are an excellent way of maximising your opportunity to pass the CA3 practical exam.

If anyone has specific examples of where they feel they have been given incomsistent advice then I would be very pleased to receive them and respond.

David

davidwilmot@bpp.com
 
Thanks for the useful comments.

Is it possible to find out how you performed in each section of the exam? I think they should offer for a small administrative fee a breakdown of the two sections (e.g. Communication - Clear Pass; Written - FB). I'm assuming this isn't currently available?

Thanks
 
LazyLinePainterJane said:
I think the exam I passed was in the same session as you. Assuming you posted this on results night. (My first name isn't actually Jane, the username comes from a song).

While I don't want to discuss the actual exam paper I'm happy to give some general pointers if that helps.

Not sure about exam counseling as I've never been able to afford it, but I think someone I know found it helpful.
Click to expand...

Hi,

Any pointers would be of most use. As you state, obviously no mention of the actual paper as it would breach the confidentiality we adhere to on this paper.

Thanks
 
Alex87 said:
Thanks for the useful comments.

Is it possible to find out how you performed in each section of the exam? I think they should offer for a small administrative fee a breakdown of the two sections (e.g. Communication - Clear Pass; Written - FB). I'm assuming this isn't currently available?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Something like this would be very useful.
If you fail a written exam, you have free access to an examiners report and can then pay for counselling.
If you fail CA2/CA3 you just have your failing grade. (& conselling)
 
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My thoughts on what went well.

1) Make sure you attend the online session the week before the exam.
- There were several things mentioned that it had never occurred to me could come up. I spent the weekend before the exam trying to think about how I would tackle this stuff.

2) Lots of practice at work.
- I was lucky enough to have lots of work practice in the run up to the exam. We have a team at work who deal with clients a lot, and often get questions beyond their level of technical knowledge. In the months before the exam, I got them to pass these to me to draft answers. You soon get a feel for what to include and not to include.

I know this isn't always possible but any client work / graduate training / plain English documentation you can get your hands on is very useful.

3) Visualize people you know
- by this I mean, if you know your FD at work, or anyone who works in sales / marketing / new grads etc, try to imagine you're talking to them when you're drafting. (This only works if you actually know them well enough to know how much they actually know and not how much you assume they know!)

4) You can model something without fully having to explain how you modelled it
- by this, I mean that (depending on your audience and objectives) you can show numbers that take into account factors such as mortality, price inflation, salary inflation etc, without having to explain how you did it. Just say the numbers take [x] into account.

5) If in doubt, define a term, but find a non-patronising way to do it
- When I'm doing a presentation, and there is something I think the audience will know, but it is still a technical term, I like to use the phrase "just to re-cap for those who have not come across this term before".

6) Knowledge is not the same thing as intelligence.
- Your recipient may not have come across certain terms before, but they are not stupid.


Hope you find this useful, but bare in mind that I have no idea whether I passed because of or despite this strategy!

Good luck next time.
 
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