Dear All,
I am very delighted and proud to say that I have passed both the parts of CMA on my first attempt. However, let me share with you my experience so that one can relate to it. Although its going to be long, yet might surely help you clear some doubts or if you are in 2 minds.
There will be many that will be confused about whether to self study or join some prep course. I was too, when I started off. I thought it would be easy and pocket friendly if I go for self study as prep course do dig a hole in the pocket if you are in limited budget. However, I thought over it and said to myself, its an investment on myself, why not go for it as I know the ROI would be faster.
Hence, I enrolled for CMAEXAMACADEMY in 2021, coz after seeing so many videos on YouTube, I understood that Gleim would be tough to understand for a person who's gone back to studying after 15 years. So, I wanted something which will be explained in layman terms. I had used Gleim material at one point few years back (2016 I think) when I had borrowed it from my friend to study for Part 1, and that too self study. Let me tell you, it didn't end well. After finishing 75% of it through self study, I just dropped the idea of pursuing CMA. Fast forward 2021 and I enrolled with CMAEXAMACADEMY and it was worth every penny.
The question banks, mock tests, support and mobile app are all worth the time you spend with them.
Now to come to the most important point which some would agree but most would disagree but this is just my opinion and what I felt.
I have seen many members creating groups and asking people who would like to join their group for studying together. I did enroll in one of the whatsapp group, and I joined this group when I was already studying through CMAEXAMACADEMY, just to take advantage that every individual would be studying from different prep providers and would present a question and it would be great to solve those. I used to see so many msgs popping every hour in that group with some, asking questions, some presenting problems, some asking solutions, some asking explanations. It was so overwhelming that I literally opted out from the group. And I'm sure this must be going on in the whtsapp group that you must have enrolled now. I don't say its bad, but it is just a distraction factor when you have full concentration on your studies. Secondly, if you are studying from a prep provider or studying by yourself, you will have a certain pattern to understand a concept, while the others who are in that group will have a different way of studying or understanding the concept. This creates total confusion. Hence, I opted out and was not keen on joining any groups as I was getting confused with so many ways to learn a single concept.
If anyone wants to clear concept or wants an explanation of a question, this community is more than enough to get your answers. Prep courses are important since you stick to one schedule, you have so many questions in the test bank that the prep provider makes sure that the individual learns and understands each question which is asked in a different manner, and this also improves your timing to solve each question. As CMA exam is all about race against time. Sitting 4 hours straight for an exam is not an easy task.
Lastly, don't get disappointed, depressed or opt out of the program if you fail. Every individual has failed once in his life, if not in this program, then may be in something else. In fact do all the companies always deliver 100% and be below budget? No, they also fail sometimes, but then they bounce back. So, take this as a challenge and a learning phase.
I will share my thoughts on how I gave the exam in my next message. Wishing you all the best for your CMA program.
------------------------------
Jay Chowdhury, CMA | FMVA
Mumbai India
jaychwdhry@...------------------------------