Welcome to a transcript of this podcast
Hello, and welcome to this short ACCA podcast. My name is Isobel Wroath, and I'm part of the learner experience team here at ACCA.
Today I want to introduce to you another great and free ACCA resource - the Compass planning tool.
One of the main advantages of the ACCA Qualification is, of course its flexibility. But we do know that this can sometimes be a challenge as there is no single pathway to membership.
So before we get on to the planning tool, I wanted to give a quick mention now to the ACCA pathway videos, which will help you design a strategy that suits your individual circumstances. Our pathway videos help you understand your best route through the qualification. That's an introduction video, which helps to set the scene and then there are short informative videos for each of the three stages of the ACC a qualification. These videos provide key information that you can flex to your personal circumstances giving you the best chance of success. So do check them out on the ACCA student YouTube channel or via the preparing for exams hub on the ACCA website.
Now, once you've decided on a route through the qualification, it's time to think about your approach to the exams. So let's now move on to the subject of this podcast. That's Compass - your ACCA planner.
You're much more likely to meet your goals if you plan a realistic exam schedule. Being well prepared will increase your enthusiasm for learning and improve your overall study experience. Having goals to work towards is a real motivating factor and can help you track your progress. Of course, creating a 12-month study plan might initially sound just as daunting a task as the studying itself. But the good news is that the Compass planning tool helps you develop a high-level study plan that allows you to clearly visualise the study year ahead.
Just as with the pathway videos, you can access Compass via the preparing for exams hub on the ACCA website. Do note that this tool is designed for general planning purposes. And it should be used in combination with detailed information on progression rules and exam methods. To familiarise yourself with the exam cycles, just head to the student section of the ACCA website. When you open Compass - the planning tool, the first step is to mark any exams already completed, and you'll be prompted to include any exemptions and exams that you're retaking. You'll be setting a study period, and you can begin planning the exams that you'll be taking over the next 12 months. Taking into consideration the preparation time that you'll need ahead of each exam setting. The default study period for each exam is set to 12 weeks. This is based on studying one exam per quarter, and starting studies the week after the previous exam session. However, this study period is configurable to suit your own study pathway. So you can set it to fewer weeks if you intend to and complete your studies within a shorter amount of time. You can also follow a link on the planning tool which takes you to the exam booking page of the ACCA website so you can get those exams booked in. The planning tool includes all exams of course the Applied Knowledge, Applied Skills and Strategic Professional stages of the ACCA Qualification.
You can also plot time to sit the ethics and professional skills module. So you'll have a full view of your ACCA journey and the likely planning, learning and final revision time required to successfully attempt the exams.
Then, once you're ready, you can take a snapshot of your plan. And if you'd like to, you can share it with others. I hope this has been a useful overview of what I think is a brilliant ACCA resource. We really recommend that you check out and begin planning your study. As always, I'd like to thank you for listening. Goodbye.
Look out for more in this series wherever you listen to podcasts.