AAT Qualification

[CarrotPuff]

I'm thinking of signing up for AAT Accounting course. It will be online/distance learning as I work and have small children.

There's so many providers there though - do they really differ that much?? They all prepare you for the same exam. I mean, for distance learning it's just the quality of learning materials, no? Is there anything I should watch out for?

Prices seem to range from £300 to over 1k, so I'm not sure which one to choose. All of them seem to have over 90% pass rate...

I had a look at these course and was completely baffled by the choice available.

I would take a look at 3 or 4 providers in your ideal price range - schedule out what they offer. Then look at a couple of the more expensive ones and see what the difference is in their offer.

For some - they might offer different types of materials or methods. Eg some might just offer study materials, others might offer practice tests or online classes. Some might offer access to a tutor to help with queries.

Like any product you pay a bit more for branding - so a big well known provider might charge a bit more than a smaller local provider.

I would advise against what was Home Learning College, now Avado. They had a patchy reputation as HLC and I know someone who has had recent poor service as Avado.

I have been involved in putting people through training for AAT exams.

First Intuition were good when we used them.

You can also just purchase the books from Bpp or Kaplan if that would work for you, study materials, workbooks, revision book, access to online resources. It allows cheap self study.

You do need a training provider for one or two modules but can keep the cost quite low if you just buy all the materials directly without tuition.

BPP or Kaplan are the best. A local FE college is likely to be a quality cheaper alternative

Kaplan provide a Live on Line or On Demand course where a qualified tutor talks you through each module (BPP probably have something similar). The Live on Line courses are in a virtual classroom, whereas On Demand courses are pre recorded. These are easier to get to grips with than having a big stack of books to wade through by yourself. Have you got any accounting experience? If not, please go for a course with a proven tuition provider who can talk you through what it all means. It's expensive, but worth it. Are you working as you may be eligible for a level 3 apprenticeship.

I don't have accounting experience, but I do have a business degree so I did have some accounting courses at uni, but that was 10 years ago. So not starting from absolute zero.

You do need a training provider for one or two modules but can keep the cost quite low if you just buy all the materials directly without tuition

@theboxofdelights can you enter into exams etc without a training provider? I've done basic bookkeeping and accounts a few years ago, but would like to take the AAT exam so using the materials only would be ideal for me

I did Level two with a local college in the evening. I was funded which I hadn't expected so I used the money I was planning to pay for the distance course to pay a sitter instead. It might be worth looking at those options too.

Yes you can, anyone can take the exams regardless of whether they are employed or studying with a training provider. Many people are now following the apprenticeship route instead of going it alone though, so that their employers can use their apprenticeship levy funding. I would always recommend using a training provider to get you through the exams though, as I've had to pick up the pieces too many times. One local college ran evening classes taught by an art teacher!

Make sure you start with the basic bookkeeping modules rather than leaping in and studying something like costing or the Indirect Tax course. You will get such a great sense of satisfaction as soon as you start to get those passes. The key thingvwhether you study in the classroom or just using the books is to work through as many mock exams and sample papers as possible. You will definitely see some familiar questions in the real exam if you do.