I tell you my story during last time I sit for exam.

So far I sit for exam for so many sitting, I already many times didn't bring the student card, but they still allowed me take exam. When they ask me student card, I just said lost wallet yesterday, haha......As long as you bring your Exam Docket and IC, they will allow you la.

Lost student card not so important la, dun worry too much.

With ACCA, can one become a forensic accountant?
What are the basic requirements for a forensic accountant?

Hi all,

I dun know which to choose the 2 options paper. I just want pass.
Can u recommend ?

Thanks

feel like something is missing or incomplete in our life of being an ACCA student

Such field is big in other countries with high corporate governance awareness like US or Europe. MYs very small market le. MYS companies are dominated with Government linked or Family dynasties. Hardly need such vacations. With ACCA can but they have their own license. If you like to investigate fraud and go to court maybe la.

1. Well, the crazy part is that P1, P2 & P3 are 3 days continuously ACCA syllabus is bulky, unlike degree. The amount of things you need to know & remember for one ACCA paper is like studying for 2-3 subjects in degree. Taking 3 papers in a row is different from taking 3 papers with day gaps in between. Having said that, it is still possible to take all 3 at one go, there're people who managed that. But hard, smart work is needed.

2. Well, perhaps it depends on what is your studying style? For me, I find that a good lecturer really makes a lot of difference (and that's why we're spending money on classes instead of self-studying ). But maybe for some people, they're fine with any lecturer, they just need a little guidance on how to tackle the paper.

P1 - Apart from them, Philip Woo is really good too, you really grasp a good understanding, and what you learn is practical, not just theory. Pity that he's only teaching at Taylor's this coming sitting.

P2 - Here again, it depends on your strengths & weaknesses, what do you need from your lecturer. If you are strong with your standards and can grasp a good understanding through self-study of the standards, then you might do fine with Joe Fang. He does cover the standards, but expectation is on you to make sufficient self-preparation. Whatever is covered in the class is just very basic. So if you just depend on the classes & notes, exam day might turn out to be a disaster. But ACCA is a paper whereby time constraint bugs many students, and he has some really fast methods as mentioned by Pat. And he has come up with some answering techniques to help students gain as many marks as possible. But if you do not prepare your standards well, you'll still be goners on the exam day. There are calculations in P2 but more emphasis is placed on being able to understand the standards in detail and being able to discuss them.

Heard quite a number of people singing praises for Ms. Menon, even ICAEW students. Never attended her classes before, but apparently she drills students to the max in classes so that they're well prepared, with detailed discussions on the standards. Depends on whether you can take it or not, there're people who just couldn't stand it, while some turned it into motivation (so that they do not need to go through the drilling lessons anymore) and passed the paper. Though you had an exemption for F7, at Sunway, it is compulsory that you also take F7 because most degree students do not have strong basics to cope with P2. The other alternative is Haneef at OIC, he covers the standards in details (minus the stress ), makes even the tiniest differences very clear so that you don't fall into examiner's trap. But you need to be interested else you risk falling asleep.

P3 - Yes he's great. I do sometimes miss his classes, sigh. He comes up with acronyms to help you remember key words. Repeats them from time to time in class that even before you start studying, you would have remembered some of them. When the bulk of stuff to remember is threatening to drive you mad while you prepare for exam, you'll really appreciate that.

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Added on June 20, 2010, 2:07 amWell there're updates to ACCA syllabus, and they're going to remove the overlapping parts with P3.

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Added on June 20, 2010, 2:14 amOh really? I remember hearing that they sponsor up to a certain amount only (around 15k), the rest you'll have to cover yourself, though there is an interest-free loan, so the bond is still 4 years. Perhaps the impact comes in the form of performance appraisal, coz you work lesser than the rest.

Gosh...ACCA papers are already driving us to the max, always racing with time, and just that additional one hour with a lot more to digest....

This post has been edited by Pooh-Bear: Jun 20 2010, 02:14 AM

i thought PWC has forensic auditors in it?i think i saw an article in star some time ago

Kyoko1122
I take P1,P2,P3 b4 i'm obliged to drop 2,3 as i fail in f papers,and they are really bulky,even for me who just attend class on first term.p1 and p3 has not much in common except for Corporate governance part,and p3 does not stress on that part.p2,is one of the most practical papers there(a lot to cover ) and
p1 and p3 -you need to practice early so just to give u enough time to write all answers in 3hrs.but of course i'm not at all hardworking een when i'm studying full time,so you can consider.
regarding to ur list of lecturers i only know parminder in p3.he uses mneumonics,and he applies a few theories/models for one topic.you need to have a notebook or something of the source cos he wrotes a lot of notes.he links/repeats models/theories to a new topic.your past year exams is all written by him.


I'm considering taking p4 or p7 this sem.any suggestion for p4 lecturers?for p4 i hope the lecturer will explain clearly on theory parts,since last time i was bad in that area in f9.for p7 which lecturer should i go (for part time) since i cant go to sheila's.(some info on myself:i works full time at a small-sized audit firm -if that bears consideration to which lecturer should i choose)

This post has been edited by icyblue: Jun 20 2010, 07:52 AM

yup i am seriously interested in investigating fraud and so on.So as you said, maybe i will need to work overseas if i wanted to be a forensic accountant. And i will need to take some extra certification right?
Thanks for the info.
Yesterday star newspaper got mention a bit about the forensic accounting:)

Who knows/ has experienced before, what are the differences working in ACCA Platinum approved Commercial Industry (Sime Darby, Petronas) and Public Practice (Big 4) ? as far as I know (from lecturers and Topace111), the workload provided by Big 4 is hard to imagine, employees are treated like indentured servants...work like a robot non-stop.

so how about MNC and Commercial Industry? terrible like Big 4?

I found the list- ACCA approved employers in M'sia (updated May 2010), suprisingly, 2 of the Big 4, which are Deloitte and Ernst & Young, their status for ACCA AE Trainee Development for students and affiliates is only Gold.
but all the time I heard people saying all Big 4 status is Platinum...how come? was it because the status people discussing was actually another status?

This post has been edited by notmycupoftea: Jun 20 2010, 07:01 PM

that's why you tell them you never received it instead of it's broken. If broken then it's your fault, you'll pay for it

i plan to sit for F8 in Dec'10 but which variant should i choose? Is there any a big differences between INT and MYS? I will select Marcus Ong as my subject lecturer, so any comment?

Em if you want to do it in MYS, you will do it mostly for interest or passion for the job. The part with extra certification I am not really sure but is it a bit too early to think so far ahead ?
In oversea its a serious job cos can earn a lot of money, CG awareness is huge over there compared to MYS. This is rather a specialized field so not many will dwell straight into it. Forensic accounting or Fraud investigation some calls it may sound glamour but you are only looking at one part of the job. Other parts ......... research yourself lo. Lets just say this kind of job will not make much friends.

haha..thanks.i understand that. For now i will concentrate on my studies + research some info bout the job.

Em I have tried to apply for MNC and mostly its much more difficult for acca grads to get in compared to degree holders cos they need jack of all trades (degree) instead of acca (specialized in technical terms) but its not impossible. For example I get 2 Oil and Gas offer but in their FSSC dept. Lets just say if they are offering SSC dept best to think twice. For accounts assistant or executive position however you may learn some things.

Oh I also want to check on the status but never found where, ha ha rupa rupany gold only. Well for any Big4, getting 3 years is the easiest cos audit gives the widest exposure. In PER there is a column "statutory audit performed" and "employer status". If both ok then 3 years should not be a problem. If not 4 or 5 lo.

Big4 very subjective lo.
I known some colleagues that go off at 5 or 6 pm everyday for the past few weeks. Maybe its off peak.

But normally those that stay late are those working under a major PLC company (those with lots of subsidiaries). Some can easily have over 100 subsidiaries, consol time really vomit blood and brain explode. So juniors with minimum experience are very unlikely to be drafted early into such teams, they will ty dormant or semi-active companies first. After 1 or 2 years they can request or be transferred directly to such teams to earn major PLC experience before leaving.

Some will be drafted early (normally due to insufficient staff) so hell starts early for them. If major PLC, don't expect to go home before 12 during peak period. Weekends may work also. I remember for group reporting, i only sleep 3 hours everyday for that 1 week. Some will learn a lot like handling entire active company files and doing deferred tax even before 1 year at job. While others may only do TOC or dormant company and admin job.

By the way really try the interview process, its very interesting waiting for them to reply and so forth. May bring a lot of reality check too .

PWC is bronze. KPMG I think is silver or gold cannot remember. None of them is platinum

oh, so currently u're working under which Big 4? if it's either KPMG or PWC, no problem already coz both are platinum. (check the link given below)
haiz, that's mean after studying degree in U then continue with ACCA level 3 is a good choice also, i never consider it b4, thinking the faster i can graduate ACCA, there'll be more benefits waiting 4 me in future.....last time too naive already
walau..100 over subsidiaries???!! drink Brand's chicken soup also can't help lo....


u may check here ACCA Approved Employer information, go for Public Practice, u'll see KPMG and PWC is Platinum.....and quite a few others are platinum also. In the list, no bronze employer listed.

This post has been edited by notmycupoftea: Jun 21 2010, 09:42 PM

ACCa just emailed my sister about the career fair and they list the exhibitors according to their status and in that email, it said that PWC is bronze ?

actually, there is no big difference between MYS & INT variance, just that the ISA become AI.
as you choose Marcus Ong as your lecturer, then it will be INT variance, or else you can just check with him before you register for the exam.

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Added on June 21, 2010, 2:38 pmdo there any P4 lecturer recommended other than Andrew Pang from KSA??

This post has been edited by crystal123: Jun 21 2010, 02:38 PM

I guess that status for the career fair is to differentiate main exhibitors and minor exhibitors.

Ha ha worked for ey. I think they use the firm revenue to gauge. Del and ey make loss ma so drop lo (in my opinion la). Technically you will forget about all this once start working. Truthfully. You will see a lot of big corporates also not acca employer accredited not because its not good cos the job specs is less accounting or finance. Like management trainee position.

Actually brand chicken does help, help me to sleep lo .

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Added on June 21, 2010, 9:02 pmOh its because they gauge by how much sponsor is given (monetary) terms. Last year I go, ey and del is not there so get lesser status. Pwc and kpmg got go. Last year got Shell, Petronas, BASF, OCBC, PWC, KPMG, Accenture, Sunway (yeah) and GroupA firms. Not much cos economic recession, everybody hard to find job and nobody is in the mood of hiring. Just there for formality. This company told me not hiring cos intake full, result come out interview came the next week. All double faced one.

Emm career fair targeted at members not affiliates but can also la if you are good in presentation. But don't expect to get interview on that day itself lo. But most promoters quite kiasu one la so if you brought your result transcript and its not really good, you will see all kind of funny faces one.

This post has been edited by Topace111: Jun 21 2010, 09:02 PM