R03
Aimee44
Member
in CPD & Exams
Hey! R03 is the first exam I have attempted and have recently failed for the fourth time. I am relatively new to the industry and have put in a lot of time with revision. I have never failed anything four times and it is killing my confidence in my abilities. I am starting to worry this industry isn't for me as there are a lot of exams worth more credits which I can only assume will be as difficult, if not more difficult! For anyone who has passed R03, I would be interested to know how many attempts did it take you to pass? Thanks!
Comments
Hi Aimee
Can I ask, why did you start with R03? My journey with the R0 exams started with R01 as I felt it was likely to be the least interesting of the units. I then did R02 and by that time, I had a fair number of years' experience and also tax is touched on, although nowhere near as in depth as R03. My feeling is if you can nail those two first, there is less tax to learn as you will already have picked some up already.
Have you tried using other revision materials? The question banks from the CII I found to be very useful, others like the material from BrandFT, or perhaps Wizard learning.
Are you failing by a wide margin? It may be that you're not quite used to how the CII word their questions, using a lot of double negatives in an apparent attempt to confuse - one missed (or misconstrued) word can change the question entirely.
I certainly think you chose a very tough exam to start, and it may be worth considering taking a step back, and considering CF1 to get you into the groove and get some confidence back. CF1 is by no means easy, but for someone new to the industry it may be a better place to start while you build up your experience.
Happy to chat if you have any questions (for the record, I'm having problems myself with a different exam!!)
Hi Aimee,
First and foremost you are not alone on this exam - or any for that matter. We all have difficult exams, nobody sails through them without at least some difficulties along the way; not even the most academic person has zero issues.
Can I ask the reason you are taking the exams? Is the intention to do R01 - R06 and get the Diploma? I agree with Andy, definitely picked a tricky one start with.
If you have a question pack from the CII on Revisionmate then seeing the questions you are getting wrong and looking for a pattern could potentially help - easier said than done I know. I had problems remembering re. residency and domicile as an example within R03...
If you can identify any areas you need help with then definitely reach out on here with questions etc about specific topics. You will always find someone to assist you and help.
All I would say is don't give up. Even if you stumble through R03 and scrape through it there is every possibility you'd likely storm through another exam. Don't be disheartened by this predicament; you will get there!
@Andy_Schleider @JC2007 Thank you both so much for replying and your insight. I picked it simply because it is worth less credits than the other exams. How naive! I have worked really hard so am slightly reluctant to put it on hold and do another exam as I would probably need to learn it all again. However, I nearly feel I have mentally psyched myself out. I am only a few marks away - 4 marks then 2 marks off a pass. I haven't got my most recent score just yet. I need to take a day or two to assess whether to try again or attempt another module. I am currently enrolled in the Paraplanning Certificate but figure I can do the extra exams at a later date should I decide to go for Diploma level. I have the Brandft packs and they are very useful. As you know, they like to try to catch you out with their wording etc so it can be easy to make mistakes under the time pressure.
On a side note, can I ask the norm for financial support for exams from employers? Do they pay all of your exam fees or just a set number?
Thanks again!
Each company is different. A lot of companies pay for the study materials and then a limited number of exams (my previous company was 1 exam). It depends on how generous they are - there is a thread on employee benefits which shows that some are more generous than others, but then that does depend on the company finances to an extent, as just giving the basics required by law is expensive in itself!
As you're missing out by such a small margin I would keep at it. I would certainly make the small investment for the question banks from the CII (or get your employer to buy them for you if they are the generous type!).
You've also learned that less points does not lead to an easier exam! I would still get R01 out of the way as soon as you get R03. R01 and R02 are both 20 diploma credits each, and I would say that there is not a lot in it in terms of difficulty,. relative to the points available.
Agree with Andy; each employer is different - some will pay for 1 and others will pay for more if it's evident that you really are putting in the time and effort but perhaps are being unlucky with questions etc.
I'd definitely persist with this exam; if you switch to say R01 or 2 etc then you will retain all that information and potentially forget what you picked up from this one and then potentially run the risk of having to start again from scratch. You're also getting closer by being 4 marks off then 2 - moving in the right direction. It's not a race either so whilst it's disappointing to not pass on a couple of occasions, you will get there, you're in a race with nobody - go at your own speed on your own path and you'll be OK.
Is there anything that we can help with on this forum? Any particular sections of the book you're uncertain on? I've just passed R03 so happy to help with anything I can and there are people on here with lots of knowledge so do believe that the help does exist.
Have you been steered towards the Certificate in Paraplanning route or was that a personal choice - out of interest...
Hope the above helps and reassures you.
Joe
Hi Aimee,
I have just started studying for this one and it is defo a tough one. I agree with the others that it might not have been the best to start with but I think now that you have put so much work in and are not far from the pass mark I would defo sick with it. I am currently doing a course with The Art of Finance which my employer pays for and sends me down to London for study days, we get two study days per exam with a trainer that goes through the book with us and we get a lot of extra material, we also use the BTS text book instead of the CII one, I would defo recommend this text book over CII, I just don't understand the CII books and the BTS ones are make so much more sense and they are actually wrote in plane English instead of the ridiculous way the CII ones are. The course is a bit pricey but if you suggest it to your employer they might think its a good idea if it means you have more chance of passing the exams first time. I did R05 first then R01 then R02 and passed all first time which I don't think would have happened if I had done them on my own with the CII books. Even if your boss doesn't want to pay for the course I would suggest using the BTS books and pass papers as they are so much better. Also we have been advised to do either R02 then R03 or R03 then R02 as they have a lot of similar content to do with SDT and CGT. So you don't want to forget it all by doing another exam and then have to remember it all again. I am going down for my study days next month so if I get some pass papers i can send them on to you. BTS also has a study buddy app which you can buy questions and they explain the answers at the end which is another benefit. Hope this helps and you pass next time.
Jenna
You poor thing Aimee that must be so off putting. You have picked the R0 with the lowest pass rate mind. Have a look at BTS support as we are R0 experts: www.bespoketrainingsolutions.com. We have supported tens of thousands of R0 candidates so really know what we are doing. Dont give up - its not you. if you want to chat anything through or just generally have a rant call me on 01748 822777. Do not give up mind...
Hi everyone
We've updated our position on offers to share paid for and licensed materials in the Big Tent. We've updated it here but thought we'd share here too...
Paraplanners are a caring, sharing bunch and that's a good thing. Occasionally we see discussions about sharing paid for exam preparation materials in this forum. If you’ve paid for support material, it’s very likely you’ve agreed to terms and conditions that prohibit sharing.
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