Full Name: Zainab Fawaz Thaliffdeen
Occupation: Intern
Company: Association of International Certified Professional Accountants
CIMA Entry Route: Certificate in Business Accounting
Status: CIMA Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting
1: How does it feel to pass your CIMA exams?
The minute you spend waiting for your result to be printed is the worst but once you see the word 'Pass' on your sheet, this huge sense of achievement and euphoria passes through you, giving you an instant high!
2: What was your chosen study method? Why did this work best for you?
I think self studying gives you the courage to work harder. I was able to focus and concentrate on every part of the syllabus that was being tested. This is because I didn't have a tutor to tell me which section was more important enabling me to be fully prepared.
3: What did you find the biggest challenge and how did you overcome this?
I think the biggest challenge is finding time when you're at home. Somehow, there's so many other things coming up and you tend to lose focus. I had to set aside a certain number of hours each day as if I was at an actual class, making sure I studied the set number of hours and leave the distractions for the rest of the day.
4: How did you balance studying with your personal life?
I plan my days in advance so that way I know how many hours I have for studying and how many hours I have for everything else.
5: If you could give one key piece of advice to another student scheduling their exam tomorrow, what would it be?
Don't rush through the 15-minute tutorial. Use that time to relax yourself and write down any formulas or key points you think you're going to forget.