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Our CIMA blogs have moved...

You can now find our CIMA Objective Test & CIMA Case Study blogs on our brand new site here:

CIMA Objective Test Blog

CIMA Case Study Blog

Head over to the links above, add them to your bookmarks and stay up to date with all of our latest posts!

Want to plan the perfect answer in the CIMA exam? Read on!

In the CIMA exam, you really DON'T want to waste time by planning too much and writing too little!

I have often spoken to CIMA students who are looking for a set plan to help with their writing. I have outlined my tried and tested plan in just eight EASY steps in my OCS study Text Part 1.

For now, however, here is just one key step that I would HIGHLY recommend you use in the CIMA exam for a successful answer...and to get that pass! Read on to find out more...

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!

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’! 

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:

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...

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.

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!

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...

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!

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!

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.

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!

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!

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...

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...

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!

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!

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!