CTA exam distance learning

Has anyone got experience using Kaplan or Tolley distance learning to pass CTA advanced technical exams? How good is the material? How many months of preparation per exam is necessary? Do you sit one or more papers together?

Reply 1

Neri B

4

I am looking to find out the same. Have you started your studies yet?

Reply 2

Neri B

4

Original post by timmieZ

Has anyone got experience using Kaplan or Tolley distance learning to pass CTA advanced technical exams? How good is the material? How many months of preparation per exam is necessary? Do you sit one or more papers together?

Hi,

I am not able to send you a private message. I am also looking to start with the first exam in 2023 May. I think I will go with Tolley's distance learning.

Reply 3

Sooblessed88

2

I'm doing my first exams in Nov using Trolley material. The material seems great. I picked distance learning but I think I could have gone for a cheaper option (material only) cause I don't seem to be utilising the extras I got with the distance learning option. I have no idea how the exams are gonna go though. There seems to be a lack of information online and communities due to a small number of people studying towards this qualification :/ Oh, I'm doing awareness and one AT in Nov!

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 4

Neri B

4

Original post by Sooblessed88

I'm doing my first exams in Nov using Trolley material. The material seems great. I picked distance learning but I think I could have gone for a cheaper option (material only) cause I don't seem to be utilising the extras I got with the distance learning option. I have no idea how the exams are gonna go though. There seems to be a lack of information online and communities due to a small number of people studying towards this qualification :/ Oh, I'm doing awareness and one AT in Nov!

Let us know, how your exams go! I have ordered Tolley Distant Learning Material for the Awareness exam a week ago. Taking it in May 2023. Are there any CTA students' FB or Instagram groups?

Reply 5

timmieZ

OP

3

Original post by Sooblessed88

I'm doing my first exams in Nov using Trolley material. The material seems great. I picked distance learning but I think I could have gone for a cheaper option (material only) cause I don't seem to be utilising the extras I got with the distance learning option. I have no idea how the exams are gonna go though. There seems to be a lack of information online and communities due to a small number of people studying towards this qualification :/ Oh, I'm doing awareness and one AT in Nov!

How long did it take to get through the AT materials? Did you use the question bank? Are there recordings in the material with explanations of the tough topics?

Reply 6

Sooblessed88

2

Original post by timmieZ

How long did it take to get through the AT materials? Did you use the question bank? Are there recordings in the material with explanations of the tough topics?

Original post by Neri B

Let us know, how your exams go! I have ordered Tolley Distant Learning Material for the Awareness exam a week ago. Taking it in May 2023. Are there any CTA students' FB or Instagram groups?

The results were published today. I passed awareness but wasn't as lucky with the AT tax for individuals paper. My score was pretty horrendous. I had 35 lol. But yeah, I'm happy I passed awareness. I will attempt 3 in May's sitting. As far as I'm aware, there aren't any group on social media (should we start one?) If you find one, please let me know. But I think Trolley has their own forum. I rarely used it tbh. I might post something there today. I actually rushed through the materials in 2 months. In hindsight, I guess I should have spent more time.

Reply 7

Neri B

4

Hi, you can create a Facebook Group, it would be easier to chat. Which subjects did you do for the Awareness exam? How did you find it? Did you answer all the questions? I am taking IHT, Unincorporated Business, and VAT for Awareness exam sitting in May. I just finished the course material and slowly start practicing on Tolley papers, 3 hours for 36 questions does not seem to be long enough. I actually started doubting my choices, as AT Tax for individuals looks daunting. I have no idea how you can take 3 exams in May. What subject are you taking for your second AT paper and Application and Professional Skills?

Reply 8

Sooblessed88

2

Yeah I guess I could but it can be a lot of work to maintain it ie monitoring people posting inappropriate stuff so yeah if you want to write to me you can dm me my insta ID is @soomancho. I mean it's been almost 2 months since I sat it so my memory's a bit fragmented. But yes, I recall answering most questions. As you probably know Awareness questions are short answer ones. And I'm not sure if you know but the Nov 2022 sitting was the last time when they were doing in an open book format. So it will be a closed book one from your first sitting. The subjects I chose were VAT, CT and IHT. As for the AT IND exam, I don't think you should take advice from somebody who just scored 35 lol Some people seem to do 4 exams in one sitting. Yeah, I will be doing OMB for both AP and APS. My strategy is to just attempt as many as I can since they only offer 2 sittings a year. If I fail all of them in my next sitting, I guess I can look into adjusting my strategy a bit. I'm sure you can do far better than I did so I hope you don't get discouraged by my results. Oh, by the way, I think one of the elements from Awareness was extremely hard. I think it was CT! I was almost certain that I won't score the minimum for each element (35) for that element but I guess I did after all. Once the past paper is out, I will check and let you know if there's a chance.

Reply 9

Neri B

4

Thank you for the insight!

Reply 10

shinytoy

18

Original post by timmieZ

Has anyone got experience using Kaplan or Tolley distance learning to pass CTA advanced technical exams? How good is the material? How many months of preparation per exam is necessary? Do you sit one or more papers together?

This is an old thread but I am sure many people are wondering about this since if you are self funding your studies, or you are paying for retakes which span a tax year, then you are looking to go cheap and fast.

Tolley's materials are the gold standard. I read somewhere they produce the material and licence to Kaplan or something, not sure if it is true. There are two distance learning options with them. 1) "Academy " and 2) Materials only. Materials mean you get PDFs of question banks and study texts but that's all. Academy access lets you access the student forums, online videos on each chapter, mp3s and tutor support as well as marked mocks and memory joggers.

The materials you get are not user friendly unfortunately, there are around 4 lever arch files of black and white text for EACH module. If you want funky notes and mindmaps and colourful diagrams you have to DIY.

Time? If you are distance learning, most courses last around 3-4 months . Tolley sets their first mini mock for distance students, 3 months away from the real exam. I think if you are doing 3 papers and have to work full time too, around 6 months is realistic. Generally allow double time compared to full time students. Let me emphasise, you need to go through around 3-4 lever arch files per module which are around 400 pages EACH. This is a huge volume.

What if you want extra support as a distance learning student on a small budget, with hard areas or exam technique? Many students buy the Tolley materials and also pay for a CTA "study mentor" or private tutors. If you want 1:1 private tutor support it is around £150 per hour. CTA study mentors run online study groups at 1/3 the cost of the regular taught courses where they help the students go through key topics. Pards Mattu sometimes is on these forums and he offers this service and is a qualified experienced tax teacher although he has mixed reviews on Linkedin and other forums and for the cost you don't get much compared to paying BPP or a big name where you get tutor support and permanent materials to keep etc.

For me, whenever I have been distance learning various things, community, accountability and structure of study time are huge issues. I like to feel I am with other students all studying together (which is why I am here for so long!) . Free resources that allow you to do this are Studyverse, or StudyRooms which are camera on live virtual study rooms. Studyverse has themed virtual rooms with music, and you can connect as study friends with people, and publish your to-do list for that session and go camera on, and also offers scheduling and pomodoro timer. There are also great youtube channels like CelineStudy and StudytoSuccess and StudywithAntonio and Merve where you watch someone else going camera on and studying to make you feel like you are studying with other people.

Hope this helps!

(edited 2 months ago)

CTA exam distance learning

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