Full Name: Aparna Hari
Occupation: Employed
Organisation: Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
CIMA Entry Route: Cert BA
Status: Member ACMA , CGMA
1: How does it feel to pass your CIMA exams?
Its a great feeling to see the hard work pay off, when you receive the mail stating the new suffixes to your name. It gives you a sense of excitement when trying to perceive what is in store for you in the future with the newly achieved membership and qualification.
2: What was your chosen study method? Why did this work best for you?
I would always try to read CIMA text books at least once to get a basic understanding and then focus more on solving as many past exam questions as possible, whilst checking my answers with the provided answer plan for each exam. I would also go back to the text book for a better understanding if I feel the answer plan wasn't clear to me.
3: What did you find the biggest challenge and how did you overcome this?
I always felt the biggest challenge was time management, be it whilst studying or attempting the exam. When studying I learnt to manage it along with my job by starting well in advance so that it gives me the leniency to only spend 2 to 3 hours per day on studies. When attempting the exam my way of managing time was to jot down all the points I can remember next to the question during the 15 minutes reading time given, so whilst attempting the exam I didn’t waste much time.
4: If you could give one key piece of advice to another student scheduling their exam tomorrow, what would it be?
Don’t panic and ensure you have a good nights sleep. This will ensure a smooth thought process. Don’t underestimate any thought you have as a point for an answer, even the smallest point if logically explained, CIMA seems to give consideration as they are more application based than theory.