Has anyone done ACA?

[Abouttogiveup6]

I’m three exams from finishing but feel ready to give up/overwhelmed. Don’t know if I can do it!! They’re three weeks away and still so much to do

Yes but I'm ancient! Stick at it will make a huge difference to your career. Once it's done it's done.

Really? Thanks! I don’t want to stay where I am now (advisory but the duller side), how transferable is it realistically? It has been three years of pain to be honest and I’m still not done

Completely transferable. I decided a career with the big 6 as it was then wasn't for me. I left after 4 years so a year after qualifying. After a few years doing finance training I moved to the public sector and I'm now a Finance Director for a growing trust of schools. I didn't realise at the time but it really does open doors especially as you move through your career. I've only moved to FD in the last year and nearly 50.

Sorry that sounded negative! What I mean is it remains important years after you qualify. The speed of my career relates to decisions I made/having children etc

It's absolutely worth it.

I much prefer working in industry, and your experience will be sought after. Think about the tasks you enjoy and try and find roles with more if those tasks than other ones. Sounds very obvious but the amount of people I know that don't apply this to work surprises me!

Good luck, it's so very tough but you're close!

Thanks! Think I want to do more business development type things. Possibly equity research? Maybe corporate governance.

I have done 12 so far and it has been painful. So close (these are re sits), I do think I can do it but just exhausted

It's 100% worth it but agree that it's very hard work and if you're doing it with kids in the mix then I salute you as it was hard work when I was in my early twenties and had comparatively few responsibilities.
Having an ACA is very transferrable - I left the big 4 on the day I qualified as I hated it so much. Now, 8 years after qualifying and 2 maternity leaves later I am working in a really varied role in an interesting industry which is a 10 min commute from home. It pays well and is flexible and without the hard work put into my ACA it would have been a lot harder to get to this position. Good luck!

Definitely worth it!! I qualified with (what is now) PwC in 1993 which feels like hundreds of years ago. It's enabled me to work abroad, bring up a DD completely alone (not suggesting that's ideal) and take career breaks along the way. I've been self employed, a contractor and everything up to FD. Stick with it - I've also worked as a proof reader and a recruiter but you always have something to fall back on.

Thanks all. Have to confess I don’t have kids so it’s ok that front. Im in a big 4 and just gone past the three years mark but still taking exams due to a couple of previous resits. What do you all do now?

I worked my way into investment analysis. Have been 10 years in it, 3 DC later mid management which suits me nicely. I now work 2 school hour days a week as a consultant. I value renewable development projects for a large European energy company. Great money, work from home. I feel incredibly fortunate to have such a family friendly job that I enjoy.

In a couple of years I'd like to start working more hours and towards to Head of level of possible.

Stick with it, it's a long slog, but you are so close. Book something fun to do after the exams so you have something to look forward to

There has been a glut of ACA posts recently on the Education threads from posters who are resitting all 3 exams. Quite unusual to see so many from people in the Big 4 in the same position as you. Lots of useful advice was given about how to approach revision from people who have a real insight into the current exams. It may be worth taking a look at those.

Hey op

I qualified 4 years ago. It is very tough but totally worth it. I did it with the big 4 and left as soon as I could because it was too stressful for me. But the ACA is worth its weight in stress! I just saw it as doing my time and now I'm free :)

You're so close, final push

I did ACMA, but, even so, you really should finish as it will pay you back many times over, good luck

I’m not re sitting all three! This is the first post I have done on the matter But thanks

Sorry, I wasn't implying you were as your username isn't one of theirs. They've been cropping up over there every few days recently, so you're definitely not alone in feeling stressed about it all. I think it's natural at these stage when you're probably about to start revision this week. At least there's nothing to learn for Case, even though the other two are painful.

I suggest you do plenty of industry research on the bakery business by making yourself lots of hot buttered toast and eating doughnuts. You need to keep your stamina up! Good luck, get those passes and then you can have a fantastic Christmas & start planning a new career.

I've seen ACAs move into the cruise industry, FD in famous name businesses, FD at the ICAEW, NHS, internal audit, HR (eventually setting up a multi-disciplinary practice), FC at a premier league football club, hypnotherapy, not to mention teaching at tuition providers. It really is the gateway to a whole host of careers, exactly as they tell you when you first start. Don't overlook roles in smaller organisations than you are used to dealing with either. You would get broad experience and get involved in big decisions at a fairly early stage in your career.