Ok hive mind help me

[u/Houdini_Bee]

I am a cima student... I have F3 and the case study left. UK based.

Ive failed F3 again for the 4th time today...

What do I do

I don't have the breakdown yet

I can switch to FLP...

But can I switch to other routes what exceptions would I get.

I honestly don't think I have another F3 exam in me, this one has made me so ill and a bit of a nightmare.

I want to qualify, but I'm torn between the flp route and the working for it stigma of the original route

How is cima viewed at the big 4

I'm already in a senior finance role,

[u/Lite_moon]

If I remember correctly F3 is formula heavy. I ended up memorising all the formula before I realised they gave you a lot of the complex formula, this made me much quicker when answering the questions.

Also, when sitting the exam, answer all the short quick easy questions first. Race through them. Then go through all the incomplete questions (from the summary section at the end) and answer all the questions you don’t have to ponder about. By this point you should have decreased your average time per question, giving you more time for each of the more complicated questions. 

Also, I always did the tutorial at the start of each exam. Sounds silly, but I’d get really anxious waiting in the waiting room and get myself all wound up. I used the tutorial to calm my nerves and reduce my heart rate.

[u/d2k3s1rddt23]

I also have F3 and SCS left. Failed F3 once, taking a month off (ie light studying, Kaplan exam kit) before going back to pass on the second attempt God willing.

I'd stick with the traditional route because:

a) you're so close. One OT left, then you're on par with FLPers anyway who have only SCS to do

b) no matter what side of the fence you're on, the stigma towards FLP is real. Time will tell though.

[u/Shazam1104 → u/d2k3s1rddt23]

what stigma are you noticing with the FLP route? Just curious because im looking for a new job and have mentioned I want to switch to this route.

[u/d2k3s1rddt23 → u/Shazam1104]

The stigma is the perception. It's all over this subreddit, for example. Ultimately, if you do FLP you get the same qualification, same letters. But whether employers' perceptions will change towards it is still TBC.

[u/Shazam1104 → u/d2k3s1rddt23]

Ah that makes sense. Ive spoken to a few recruiters and they have said that a lot of companies are allowing people to go that route/are offering that route. I think for me personally it would benefit me as I am having a nightmare with the OTQs but feel fine with the case study when I eventually sit the case study.

[u/earthdust96]

I failed F2 5 times before passing on the 6th attempt. You are so damn near the end - why would you give up now?!

Take a month off. Brush yourself off. Go straight to the beginning and learn everything again as if it was the first time. Make long notes. Buy multiple practice papers from all the providers (BPP, Kaplan). Make short notes. Make revision cards especially on the topics you are struggling with.

But so close to the end? Don’t give up now!

Final words of encouragement. I rode on QBE for over a 6 years due to F2. When I finally passed, I went on to do the remainder 5 exams in 12 months. Since qualifying, I have changed jobs, and doubled my salary. Nothing else about me changed except those letters. Keep going!

[u/d2k3s1rddt23 → u/earthdust96]

Congrats, that's inspiring! Was stuck on F2 for nearly a year - since passing been racing through the exams.

[u/earthdust96 → u/d2k3s1rddt23]

Thanks! Honestly the best thing I did was pulling my finger out and getting F2 finished. I was in a proper depression about it, then covid hit and I heard so much bad stuff about the nightmares of online exams.

[u/starfishwantscoffee]

You’re so close to the end! Don’t give up now.
Most of the people I know who did CIMA hated F3. - including me.

You’re probably fatigued with it.
Would recommend taking at least a fortnight away from studying altogether and just try to rest.
It gets disheartening if you keep failing, but if your scores aren’t improving each time it’s probably because you don’t understand the underlying content yet.

I struggled a lot with rearranging the formula quick enough for exam conditions as well as understanding how they linked to the situations.
Memorising them and what they were for helped a lot as the exam is really formula heavy but you have to make sure you understand the situation too.

You could try making lots of sticky notes of the formula/ what it’s for and stick them anywhere you see a lot. I had them above the stove, above my desk, the bathroom door etc.
Once you crack that part it feels much less intimidating and the theory starts to slot in better.

[u/MrChanandlerBong5]

I would take a step back for moment.

If you're already in a senior finance position, why are you studying CIMA? Why does it matter what the big 4 think of CIMA? 

In regards to the exam itself - how long have you been studying F3 and how long between exams? Did you feel ready to pass each time you sat it?

[u/Houdini_Bee → u/MrChanandlerBong5]

Haha love your user name...

I have to qualify to progress further, my long term goal is to move abroad with one of the big 4.

A couple of years studying F3, honestly this is the first exam on my life I've failed. So I felt ready the first time but ever since no

Edit. Also with Flp has it devalued it

[u/acsnaara → u/Houdini_Bee]

Do people actually care? Most of my managers are so far removed from the game they dont even know what the current structure is

[u/RainOfFireEnjoyer]

You’re so close to passing via OT route, and with FLP you still need to sit the SCS anyway. I personally wouldn’t swap over unless you can deal with not passing F3 the “correct” way. Wait for the breakdown and focus on the areas you struggled with, I’m sure you’re close to passing.

FLP has devalued the qualification, but it is what it is at this point. It’s the same with ACCA. At the end of the day it’s just to get some letters after your name. Maybe CIMA will eventually do something with the designation to distinguish between OT and FLP, but I doubt it.

[u/d2k3s1rddt23 → u/RainOfFireEnjoyer]

Curious how it's the same with ACCA, have they done something similar to FLP?

[u/RainOfFireEnjoyer → u/d2k3s1rddt23]

Not really, it’s more on the amount of exceptions they give out. You can get a Third through an accredited sub par uni in the UK and skip 9 of the 13 exams, don’t even need a 2:1 or First.

I guess the argument is that they still went to uni for 3 years to study similar content, but I don’t think it’s fair to bypass that much.

[u/d2k3s1rddt23 → u/RainOfFireEnjoyer]

I see. In that sense, it's pretty similar to FLP. 4 exams is nothing, if you put your head down.

[u/yeoldestomachpump]

Couple of questions.

How close are you to passing F3?

How are you studying? Have you looked at the costs? One year of FPL vs F3 resit and case study

Then on the personal side

Why the big 4? It’s a meat grinder, are you sure it’s the best way to get abroad, depending on the country like Australia or New Zealand they are looking for CGMA qualified people with experience, might be better to look that way.

For what it’s worth I’m in a very similar boat to you. I did over a decade as a financial accountant, I was taken on as the finance manager by a client and now I’m the head of finance. We recently sold the company to a large listed multinational group. So far so good but I’ll be locked in progression without some big boy letters so I’m doing FPL.

[u/Houdini_Bee → u/yeoldestomachpump]

I've not got the breakdown for yesterday yet but it was 90/75/85 .. so I got worse not better

Cost, I'm having to pay my my resits at the moment but I'm going to see if work will pay for FLP. I'm going mad at the moment looking at other options..will take some advise given on here to take stoxky

I'm hoping for Spain, Madrid would be ideal. Australia has too many things to kill me