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CA1 re-sit

S

sarahr

Member
I wrote CA1 last April and got an FA so I'm thinking of doing it this April but don't know if I should risk the £600! I really struggled with it because my technical skills are a lot stronger and I struggle with generating enough ideas :( But I did pass ST2 in October so it gave me a bit of confidence.
I've gone over all the core reading and I've started doing past papers but haven't been able to study this past week so I'm really stressing now.
So I have a few questions:

Is 6 weeks enough to revise and do past papers too? (I listen to sound revision on the train every day so I'm hoping that will help me too)
How many papers is enough to feel comfortable in the exam?

It also takes me so long to mark a paper once I've done it so I feel like I'm doing something wrong - any ideas on the best way of marking these so that I can get through as many papers as possible before the exam?

Will appreciate any advice at this point - thanks!
 
Things to consider:
1. What time for 6 weeks can you commit to beyond your train journey - trains aren't good for active revision like doing papers. Yes you will absorb some bits from sound revision and if you like it that's a positive.
2. Which core reading do you have? If it's last years were there any syllabus changes you haven't picked up on.
3. Can someone else mark a paper for you as they are the best judge - Acted mocks for example
4. Past papers are essential as you realise and the more you do the better.
5. When you write your answers put key words in CAPITALS. That helps examiners in marking to see your ideas and helps you keep track too and may help your self marking.
6. It wasn't a complete disaster last time you did ca1. 6 weeks you can do it! Two exams a week will give you 12 papers.
7. Do you know what happened in 016 - do you think you had one really bad question or two looking at the paper and thinking back? Is it just one topic you are weak on? These give you specific weaknesses to work at
Yes it's a big outlay but there will never be a certainty. I used to have a wobble at this time but in a way it Drives you on. It's your decision. Finally if you don't do it, have you lost the session entirely and what was in your head for the Autumn plans? I don't have the magic answer. I think you could do it. Over to you!
 
Thanks, bystander. You make some really valid points.

I'm leaning towards just having a go at it because if I don't then I've just wasted a session. CA1 is just a real monster for me because it's the first exam I failed so trying to stay motivated!

I'm going to try purchase the additional mock pack with marking then atleast I will have an idea of what I'm doing wrong. I know for last year's exam I only did a handful of papers and I didn't do them under proper exam conditions so when I sat the exam I just freaked out and ran out of time. So I guess I'm on the right track by doing papers under proper exam conditions. I'm also using ASET which I find more useful than the examiners reports.
Do you think 12 papers is enough? I've heard of people trying to do atleast 20 but that won't be manageable at this point which makes me worry.
 
It's better then say 10. People do what they have time for. And remember the further back you go the more likely you'll come across syllabus differences. It's what you learn from them that's important. It's your practise and it will highlight what to work on. You might manage 3 some weeks. I think you are working yourself up a bit. Remember those who are new to ca1 might only just have finished the course so you aren't in any worse position than they are. On exam day itself keep calm and always make good use of reading time - eg the longer qns where you have more to take in and think about.
 
I think you can do it! It's my second time sitting CA1 too, and my approach is to do the additional mocks with the marking too. I think a lot of it is time practice and I've started jotting down things that I frequently forget to consider in my answers, e.g. tax, so that I don't forget those points. Sometimes with CA1 I've found it's the easy marks that I tend to miss! You got an FA so you were really close - that's just unfortunate! I'm pretty sure you will get it this time if you put in the work between now and then :)
 
That's a great tip of keeping notes on the points you consistently miss. And you are right, in the exam don't be afraid to state the obvious and if you run short of time get the easy stuff down first. Also as you know what you often forget, refresh that in the reading time also. Good luck to both of you.....And remember you can defer the decision a little while longer as there is still time to enter. However, if you commit now I think that will spur you along.
 
I personally think CA1 is all about Acronyms! I passed third attempt when I was the most dejected and studied less than the first 2, the only difference was I learnt the acronyms. My advice would be go on the acted acronym app and learn as many as you can then in the exam don't look at a question and try and generate ideas - work out which chapter it relates to then generate the acronym. Then answer with the points from the relevant acronym but tailored to the question in hand obviously.

One persons experience doesn't always work for everyone so maybe others will say I've oversimplified it but honestly, I studied a lot less for sitting 3 and doing that and stopping to think about the chapter, it actually became clear what they wanted me to write which I didn't feel the first 2 attempts and I was a lot more confident I got the bulk of the marks in most questions because I was sure I'd generated a list basically matching the mark scheme.
 
Thanks everyone! You've all given me really helpful tips.
I entered for the exam during the week and I'm feeling a lot more focussed and driven now so I just hope it pays off :)

I've also just received the AMP - so going to try do those under exam conditions and get honest feedback from the markers. I'm still struggling to finish a paper in time but I'm hoping I will get better the more papers I do!

Frances - I've also been keeping a log of obvious things I missed or if I misinterpreted the question. Then I'm going to go over my notes often so that I don't forget. I hope this is a better approach because I didn't do that last year. Good luck :)

Tarbuck - I've learnt so many acronyms and I'm revising them everyday :) They're really useful in giving better structure to my answers!
 
Yes I hadn't written down a list of stuff I keep forgetting but I'm hoping as well that that's how I'll find the extra couple of marks! Good luck with your studies :)
 
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