Thursday 21 December 2017

Top Tips on how to revise during the holidays!


Revising during the holidays can be tricky. If you celebrate Christmas, you may find yourself reading through the CIMA pre-seen between canapés and carols, or practising a CIMA mock exam whilst tucking into a mince pie. But have no fear – there IS a way to study during the holidays and get that all important pass in the New Year!

So, read on to find out how to revise well and still keep that festive spirit!

Monday 4 December 2017

Why did I fail my CIMA Case Study exam if I performed well in all competencies?

CIMA’s Case Study marking can be tricky to get your head around. I’ve spoken to countless students who found it difficult to understand why they’d failed their Case Study. Often, students receive a ‘fail’ mark even when their results show they have a reasonably good understanding of all subject areas. 

So, what can you make of your Case Study results? With your February Case Studies not too far away, it's a good time to explore what CIMA are looking for in order to grant that allusive ‘pass’! 

Thursday 23 November 2017

Find out what these OCS students thought about the November exam!


For our Astranti November students, the exams are all finished and it's time for a moment of relaxation. The ink had barely dried on the student's handwritten notes, however, when we sent out a survey to get their thoughts on the exam, our materials and any golden nuggets of advice for future students.

What we found was eye opening, to say the least! Take a look at our results below:

Tuesday 7 November 2017

How succesful have CIMA Operational students been in 2017?

One thing I know is that finding out how other students have handled exams is a great way to help you build your own tailored study plan. Statistics don't lie - if lots of other students struggle to pass an exam, the likelihood is you will also need to study extra hard for it.

As we enter into the final months of 2017, now is the perfect time to look back at how students have performed with CIMA this year . The following Operational CIMA results can show you how to tailor your own revision patterns to ensure CIMA success at Operational level...

Monday 30 October 2017

Top Tips for when your CIMA exam is just around the corner!


Your CIMA exam can come around quickly. One minute you are signing up for the exam and thinking to yourself, 'this is a long time away – have I booked this exam too far in advance?'.
But before you know it, those months have turned into weeks….which is where these tips come in handy!

Read on to find out our top four tips to help make the most of the time you have left.

Friday 27 October 2017

This student's story will change your revision forever...

Trust me, signing up for an online course will mean the difference between you passing and failing your exam. When striving to succeed in a CIMA exam, going it alone without the support of an online tutor, is not a good idea - as one of our recent graduates will contest!

Tim*, who spent four years trying to pass the Strategic Case Study exam, managed to finally achieve  his pass on the August 2017 sitting. How did he manage this after failing for so long? Read on to find out!

Tuesday 24 October 2017

Why online studying is the key to CIMA success

Do you ever find it difficult to fit in your CIMA course around your busy working life? If you do, you should seriously consider online learning for CIMA.

All of Astranti's CIMA materials are online. This means no classrooms, no waking up at the crack of dawn for an early morning class or dashing to a late evening session after a hard days work. Online courses and materials mean you can study in your own time, at your own pace and in your own way. 

As a tutor for the CIMA qualification, I know this is THE best way to study if you want to master the CIMA syllabus and achieve that all important pass. Here's why...

Friday 13 October 2017

Three reasons why marking and feedback make a BIG difference!

When you are revising loads, it can be tempting to go it all alone and rarely get feedback from a qualified marker. If this is you, then don't let it continue! Getting feedback and having an experienced outsider's perspective could really make the world of difference. Don't believe me? Read on and see why!

Thursday 12 October 2017

Want a sneak preview of how your Objective Test exam will look?

A problem that many CIMA students face before taking their first exam is lack of familiarity with the specific exam format. The last thing you need on exam day is to find yourself feeling confused about how to use the exam software! Mark my words, this kind of distraction will totally disrupt your concentration and mean you end up failing! 

Luckily, Astranti are the experts when it comes to CIMA objective test exams - we know the exam formats that CIMA use inside out. We've decided to share our expertise with you now, so that you can get comfortable with the exam format and approach the exam with confidence.

Read on to get the low down on the CIMA objective test question formats!

Tuesday 3 October 2017

You can't miss this guide to CIMA's practical experience requirements!




There's an element to the CIMA qualification that you MUST know – the practical experience requirement. This is an ESSENTIAL part of the qualification and a great opportunity to gain valuable experience along the way and show employers that you can use your knowledge and skills in the professional world!


Here at Astranti, we've got you covered for the theory side of things – but that's not the only aspect we can help out with! We're also here to help provide a MUST READ comprehensive guide for the practical aspect! Take a look at our key points below.



Thursday 28 September 2017

Help - it's the night before my exam!

It's the night before your CIMA exam and you're nervous and unsure how to proceed. Should you stay up and try and cram in as much extra revision as possible? Should you get an early night? Should you go for a run to try and clear your mind?

We've all been there - it can be a tricky decision. Many of us end up buckling under the pressure and trying to revise as much as possible until the early hours - but time and time again studies have shown this is not the best approach. Read on to find out how you can make the most of your pre-exam evening and set yourself up for CIMA success the next day!

Wednesday 27 September 2017

Guarantee CIMA success with this time management plan!

Good time management is essential for succeeding in any occupation - but to succeed as a CIMA qualified account, excellent time management needs to become second nature to you!

Of course, you want to get qualified so that you can kick-start your career - but you should also see your CIMA revision as an opportunity to perfect the time management skills that will be so essential to you as you progress. Read on to find out how to manage your time and master your CIMA revision!

Tuesday 26 September 2017

How to study WITHOUT getting distracted!

I have been teaching students for years now and know that not every tip works for every student. Some students, for example, may find it easiest to revise through videos - whilst others hate the idea and much prefer study texts! There are a few tips, however, that apply to everyone and can simply make the world of difference when it comes to passing!
This is one of them - when you are revising, limit ALL distractions. Sounds simple, but it's easier said than done!
So, how can you limit your distractions? Here's three things that I personally do...

Thursday 21 September 2017

Kick-start your revision - using algorithms!

What is one of the most important inventions of the 20th Century? Computers. It seems that in the modern day the whole world is computerized - your CIMA exams will even need to be sat using a computer! We rely on computerized systems so much because they are infallible, in a way that other human-controlled systems are not.

Sometimes, when work or revision is stressful, we all wish we could perform tasks as well as computers can. But what can we learn from these devices and how can this help your CIMA revision? Read on to find out...

Tuesday 19 September 2017

Part 2: Make the most of your mocks!

I'm sure you know how important it is to take mocks before your real CIMA exams, however, many students fail to make the most out of their mocks, and I don't want you to be one of those students! 

In Part 1 of this blog post, I discussed the ways to make your revision questions dynamic, interesting and engaging. Well, now it's time to turn our attention to mock exams - so keep reading to find out the best techniques for using mock exams as part of your CIMA revision!

Part 1: Make The Most Out Of Your Revision Questions!

Sometimes, CIMA students condense their revision so that they go straight from learning subject material to taking mock exams, without any testing in between. This inevitably leads to bad performance in the mocks which can mean a poorer performance in the real exams. Don't make this mistake!

There are many dynamic and interesting ways you can test yourself as you revise - read on to find out how you can make your revision questions fun!

Thursday 14 September 2017

How videos can help with your CIMA revision!

When I was at school, one of my favourite subjects was physics. There was a catch, however – I only really understood the theory when the lesson included a video. This could be cars whizzing around a racetrack to demonstrate the doppler effect, dolphins communicating underwater to show the differences in their communication or, my very favourite, a simulation of a rock being thrown through space and whizzing past all of the planets in our galaxy. With videos, physics suddenly jumped out of the dull textbooks and became alive – and the same can be said for videos and your CIMA revision!

So how can videos help your revision? Here's four reasons why!

Monday 11 September 2017

Find out how your learning type can shape your OT revision!

Everybody is different and we all learn in different ways. Experts agree that there are four main learning groups into which individuals fall - visual learners, audio learners, linguistic learners and physical learners.

Read on to find out more about these different learning groups and how your own learning type could effect which type of study material is best for you!

Friday 1 September 2017

Check out our four motivational facts for CIMA students!

I'm sure you know how tough studying for CIMA exams can be. Revising in the evenings, in the early mornings, even during your lunch breaks - it seems like you're always working. What's more, some of the material can be really difficult to understand. Even the most hardworking students might sometimes question - is all this really worth it? 

Well the answer to that is 'yes it is'! Top accountancy jobs are among the highest paid jobs in the world, meaning your hard work will quite literally 'pay off' as you progress through your career. 

Check out our four fun accounting facts below - they're guaranteed to put a smile on the face of all prospective CIMA accountants! 

Thursday 31 August 2017

Getting a head start towards success!

Few people have experienced as many roller-coaster highs and lows within their career as Steve Jobs has. After being fired from his own founding company Apple, Jobs spent years trying to launch a new sleek computer called the Cube. The plans didn't take off, although Jobs did eventually return to Apple when the company was financially flailing. Instead of driving Apple into the ground, as many thought he may, Jobs instead took the company to new heights. A fantastic role model for everyone who is afraid of failing and making mistakes, Job's never ending resilience and talent for spotting opportunities ultimately carried him through to success.

So what do Steve Jobs and studying for your CIMA exam have in common? The answer lies in this quote from Jobs: “if you look really closely, most overnight successes took a long time.” The same can very much be said for your CIMA qualification! With this quote in mind, here are four things that you can be doing in order to create your own CIMA 'overnight' success.

Thursday 17 August 2017

Here's how to study away from your laptop...

Sometimes it feels as though students' other commitments prevent them from studying as hard as they should. Well, this doesn't have to be the case - not all CIMA revision has to be done at a desk. In fact, you can learn well no matter where you happen to be, as long as you are prepared. 

Here's how to revise when you can't get to your computer... 


Tuesday 15 August 2017

How to stay organised ahead of your exams

You can’t be a good accountant if you aren’t organised. Revising for your CIMA exams is the perfect way to prepare yourself for the high levels of organisation and time management that you will need to consistently retain throughout your career as an accountant. With this in mind, what changes can you make to help yourself stay organised ahead of your CIMA exams?

Wednesday 26 July 2017

Here's why continuous studying is not a good plan...

Working life can be stressful enough without the burden of CIMA exams. While trying to juggle other responsibilities, it’s incredibly easy for working CIMA students to think ‘I can always do my revision another time’. But can you leave your revision until the last minute and still get the results you want from your CIMA exams?

Thursday 13 July 2017

How can the Compound Effect change my revision?

Have you ever walked into the self help section of a book store? If you have, then you may have noticed that there are a good number of books claiming to perform near miracles in a very short amount of time. Become happier in six days? Sounds good! Stop smoking after one session with a hypnotist? Sign me up! Learn how to grow your own money tree? This book comes with free saplings to get you started!

Okay, so maybe some of these aren't exactly the real deal – but it doesn't stop a lot of books from claiming to change your life in under a week. As great (and easy) as it sounds, the effects are unlikely to last long term. In order to see real results, you must keep working on your goals consistently. How can we do this? We have some great tips from one of the most successful self help gurus - no money trees included!

Tuesday 4 July 2017

The memory trick that will change your revision forever...

When revising for CIMA exams, memory power is very important. In many ways, exams are like sophisticated memory tests – if you can remember all the material from the CIMA syllabus and apply it correctly in your CIMA exams, you are on the path to success! 

The following technique will help you to unleash your full memory potential, including the power to remember everything you need for your CIMA exams! 

Thursday 15 June 2017

Why online studying is a great way to learn!


At Astranti, all our CIMA materials are online. This means no classrooms, no being up at the crack of dawn for an early morning class or dashing to a late evening session after a tiring day of work. It also means that there are no heavy books to carry and no study texts to suddenly lose when you need them most! Although online learning does have its drawbacks, there are a lot of advantages to studying with me, myself and I. Here's four reasons why we believe that online learning will be the future.

Friday 9 June 2017

How can mocks increase your chances of success?

Imagine that you are about to take your driving test. You've practised all the manoeuvres, driven along both quiet country roads and busy city streets and spent more than your fair share of free time memorising all of the different parts of the car. However, on the day itself, you do not pass the test. Why could this be? Well, one of the reasons could be that you haven't practised a trial driving test. You've become so used to driving along, chatting to the instructor and knowing that it's okay to make mistakes, that you are not fully prepared for what the test will actually be like.

In the same sense, not taking mocks when preparing for your CIMA exam could cost you exam success. Why are these so important? It's actually for a number of reasons. Read on to find out more!

Friday 26 May 2017

How to stay calm whilst waiting for exam results.

After months of hard work and nights watching the moon as you do your revision late into the night, the CIMA case study exams are finally over for May! How do you feel? Excited for your result or anxious and fearing the worse? If it's the former, then great! We are sure that you will all get the result you deserve and enjoy the celebrations that will soon follow. But what happens if you are feeling a little nervous? We have some tips that may just help...

Monday 22 May 2017

Pass your CIMA OT exam with these handy tips!

Are you preparing for your CIMA OT exam? It can be easy to feel overwhelmed, with so many different topics and possible questions! If you are feeling like you are not sure which route to take, have no fear. I was speaking to an examiner the other day and they told me about a route through the exam that will navigate you towards success!

Tuesday 25 April 2017

Key information from the examiner's report!


One of the best things you can do when revising for the exam is read over the Examiner's report- after all, they will be the ones looking at your exam paper in May! In order to help you get started, we have collected some of the key themes from the Examiner's February report. The full report is available right here: OCS February 2017 Examiner's Report. We suggest that you read through this yourself very carefully! 

Learning lessons from those who mark and assess the exam themselves could be all the difference between a pass and a fail this May. For every sitting I analyse the report and share the important findings, so students do not make the same mistakes. The examiners often have to repeat themselves on where students are going wrong, which we don't want to happen for the next sitting! With this in mind, here are the top three key themes from the newest OCS report.


Monday 24 April 2017

Revision Tips: Which style of learner are you?

When I first started secondary school, one of my teachers really enjoyed creating mind maps when we were learning. If you are not sure what these are, think of lots of colour, information and thin, wiggly lines connecting everything together. Mind maps often start with one word in the middle and link in all of the topics that are related to this. Let's take CIMA, for example. Topics that link to this could be the case study material, key theories and Ethics.

Many of the students enjoyed using the mind maps, but they didn't do much for me. Why is this? Well, it could be because we all have different learning styles. One method of learning may do wonders for one student, while it could be a disaster for another person.
We all have different learning styles. Research has shown that there are up to eight different types – here, we will look at the main four. Which one are you? Read on to find out.

Friday 7 April 2017

A revision guide just for you!

I was speaking to a student recently who narrowly failed the exam. Why was this? He had good intentions and studied the material, but unfortunately his planning let him down. With so much information needed for the Case Study exam, it can sometimes be overwhelming. It's tempting to give more attention to certain theories or texts, but you do need to have a balance!
Fear not, however, if you struggle with this – Astranti have a general study plan right here. Don't worry about sticking to the exact dates, as I know that you are all very busy, but this can be used as a helpful guide for your CIMA journey.

Tuesday 4 April 2017

Humming to the tune of success...how music can help us with revision!

Flashcards, pens every colour of the rainbow, chunky neon yellow highlighters….there are many tools that we use when revising for the CIMA exams. Some of you may prefer to write in plain black and on snow white paper, whilst others will pin notes all over the house to remind themselves of the key areas of the syllabus.


Friday 17 March 2017

A trio of materials to combat the CIMA exam!




 It's not long until the CIMA pre-seen is released! How is your revision going? Do you feel like your mind is blossoming with knowledge or do you currently feel like a stick in the mud who is feeling a little overwhelmed? Have no fear, we are here to help!

Our very first piece of advice would be to start your revision now. Yes, right now, before you start reading that 900-page book, begin studying origami or planning a walk that will take you as far away from the CIMA exam as possible. But without a pre-seen available from CIMA yet, how can you start revising? Well, we may have the materials just for you! The answer is in our Ethics pack, Course Videos and Study Texts. With these three, we have a trio to combat CIMA!

Monday 27 February 2017

What is an Algorithm and how can this help your revision?

It was in the news today that many people are now learning to code. What is coding? Simply telling a computer exactly what it has to do. Coding is like the magic wand of computers and it is an extremely useful life skill in this technology obsessed world.


Before we jump into coding, there are a few steps that must be considered. First of all, we need an algorithm. An algorithm is a set of rules that solve a problem. These need to be done in the right order, otherwise they will not work.
This structure can also apply to life and revision. Would you take an exam and then revise afterwards? Hopefully not! When you write an algorithm, the order of the instructions is very important.


Friday 27 January 2017

Exam Success: Luck vs Hard Work

It's a fact of life that some people seem to have been born lucky. If they are running late, for example, their train or bus is magically running late too. They are never without an umbrella on the day it rains out of the blue or they always have just the right pair of sunglasses in their bag when the sun is shining bright.
Another example of luckiness is when people pass their exams with flying colours...or is it?
A lot of students will come out of the exam and say that the final result is down to luck. If they pass with flying colours, it is because they had a lucky charm on their exam desk. If they don't do so well, their reason for failing is attributed to a simple lack of luck.


Thursday 5 January 2017

How eating well can help you prepare!

So the Case Study exam is not far away..how are you finding it?

We know that revising is important for learning the theory. But what about looking after ourselves? If you want to do the very best you can, here is an extra tip for you: what you eat can have a huge impact on your preparation! Countless studies have shown that eating healthily can improve concentration, memory and overall well being.

Interested in the food fiends and brain favourites? Read on…

When faced with revision, it can be tempting to eat foods that are not the best for us. Most of us have done it. You've had a long day of revising for the CIMA exam and feel tired. Your brain aches with all the knowledge you have learnt. Or, perhaps, you feel as if nothing is going into your mind! You go out with your family for a meal and have a look at the menu. Which is the most tempting? The salad, complete with extra carrots or the pizza that is surrounded by chips? If you're stressed, it is much more likely to be the foods loaded with fat, salt and sugar. But don't get too angry at yourself. Science is behind this.

If we start to feel very stressed, our body has a flight or fight response. This means that hormones are released that help us to replenish energy stores. How do they do this? By increasing sugar cravings and fat storage, these hormones tell us to look out for any form of sugar in sight. Back in evolutionary times, our problems often centered around running away from predators. For anyone taking an exam, it's going to be less about running from a Saber tooth tiger and more about what lays in store for the exam! Unfortunately, our brains cannot tell the difference and so the hormones that tell us to look out for high energy foods are released even if there is no running involved.

What can we do to combat this and set you on the road for success? Like many things in life, starting as you mean to go on is key. Before you start revising in the morning, it is important to eat a good breakfast. This includes slow release carbohydrates, which includes whole grain bread, porridge or muesli. Bring in some protein, such as eggs or yogurt. It's also important to keep drinking fluids. You should aim to drink 8 to 10 200ml glasses a day. Most fluids count, such as water, milk or tea. Fizzy drinks or those high in sugar are still counted, but they should be kept to a minimum.

Vegetables, fruits, protein and whole grains should make up a substantial amount of your diet. There is such a wide range of these foods that the lists of recipes are endless and it's good to be colourful! It's also important to eat Omega 3 fats, such as olive oil, instead of butters. Avocados are a particular good source, as are most types of fish, including salmon and mackerel. It is also thought that blueberries are particularly useful for improving memory.

Finally, the night before your exam, try to have your last meal at least three hours before you go to sleep, as eating too late can effect your sleep cycle. If you do feel peckish before bedtime, it's best to have a bowl of high fibre cereal, such as porridge. Avoid caffeine, drink plenty of water and try to relax, knowing that you have done as much as you can.


If you take on these food tips, you will be doing the best for yourself. It will ensure that you are preparing in every way for the CIMA exam and could have a real impact on the big day!