MPES’ 10 Step Guide to Effective Study
Before you begin studying it is worth identifying your reasons for committing yourself right from the start (e.g. promotion, pay rise).
To enable you to maximise your chances of achieving your goal, you must:
Remember, things that are worth having tend to be difficult to acquire.
You’ve got a lot of work to do, but you have got plenty of time if you plan your study effectively. If you need help, don’t spend ages trying to puzzle it out-call us.
There is no such thing as a stupid question, only things you don’t know yet.
Before you pick up a pen, set aside a couple of hours to identify your study motivators and to set realistic targets. Careful preparation now will save you a lot of time and unnecessary stress later on.
Plan to study for 30 hours a week from day one and you will probably fail. You won’t be able to maintain your concentration levels, you’ll become tired, work slower, absorb less and you’ll end up feeling miserable.
Be realistic; plan in advance when you are going to study and for how long. It is much easier to get down to some quality study time if you know when the study period is going to end! It is just as important to have time when you are not working as time spent in front of your study text.
Your MPES study programme breaks each subject down into manageable study periods of about 2-2 1/2 hours. Using the study planner at the front of your textbook, add up the total number of study periods for all your subjects.
Then, work out how many slots you need to fit into each week, remembering to allow time to attend an MPES revision course.
Timetable study periods into your study planner, remembering to be realistic. Don’t forget to leave time for your favourite TV programmes, visits to the gym and time with friends.
Finally, enter the dates for each study period into your programme so you can be sure you haven’t missed anything.
Students taking exams every 6 months should be prepared to dedicate a minimum of 12-15 hours each week for study; this means 5-6 study periods every week for Home Study students.
In working out how to study, there are friends and there are enemies. ‘Friends’ like MPES can help you study and can work positively alongside your own personal desire for success.
Remember…
Just because you are not on a MPES classroom course, does not mean you can’t ask for help. Use the "Contact Us" tab to directly contact the office.
Make the most of your travelling by using Pocket Notes and Success Tapes to review topics that you have already covered, keeping them fresh in your mind.
Never forget why you want to qualify as an accountant- it will help you focus on the task in hand.
Most enemies come from within yourself – knowing why you want to study, what the personal rewards will be and being realistic with your targets will help overcome some of these.
Enemies: Television, The telephone, Flat mates, Weak memory, Intimidation by sheer volume of work
It is important throughout your study that you test your knowledge not just by reading through the text but also by continually practicing questions.
MPES advise you to revise topics regularly and not just before the exam. Read through the key points section at the end of each study period and use the progress tests to make sure that your study is effective.
There are 2 course exams for each subject, which are scheduled into your study programme. Your practice exam timetable suggests the dates you should attempt them. Your marked script will provide you with a detailed performance analysis, enabling you to identify weaknesses.
By sitting the course exams you can increase your chances of passing by up to 50%. If you do not have time to sit them both then attempt the 2nd exam as this covers the whole syllabus. If you do not have time to sit either of the exams then at least work through the exams with the solutions provided or consider deferring.
The final revision phase should take place in the month prior to the exam. The first part of this should focus on the subjects you find the most difficult, leaving the easier subjects until nearer the end.
Practice plenty of past questions, where possible under exam conditions. Use the Practice & Revision kits for an extensive range of exam standard questions to test yourself effectively in your last month.
If you get stuck……Contact us here at MPES!
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