Lookimg for Pros and Cons for Kaplan and Skills Network as training providers, they have a quite a price difference so I just want to make sure I will go with the better one and whether they are worth the money they charge.
Just reviewed one of their new level four on demand offerings for just one subject and in addition to the usual Qs as they work through a chapter, plus mocks, there are over 230 Qs. Im not sure anyone else matches that. Plus the notes and lectures seemed pretty straight forward and easy to follow, providing a good all round (rather than just pass the exam) knowledge base.
__________________
Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
Hi Joanne ,
Wow yes that is a lot of questions and help, do you know how their tutor support is etc? As I have to do distance learning I like the idea of having a tutor who's there to help and my current provider's tutors have made me loose faith in them lol. Also are Kaplan the closest ones to AAT as my current provider provides me with a lot of wrong information and I find myself using the study support on AAT more than them
And I want to get distinctions in all my exams rather than just passing them that's my most important aim , as I believe knowledge is power especially in this industry
Oh beware AAT's recommendations! The only reason I say that is because they have Avado or whatever they are now called (was Home Learning) on their list of approved trainers and they are a right old flippin nightmare! I had a bacd experience with them (years ago) but have heard nothing but bad bad stuff since. Sometimes the smaller companies can provide that better personal touch. I would suggest you consider First Intuition but Im guessing that you have opted for the two you mention due to the learner loans. I know a lot have knocked them on the head, FI used to do them and heard rumours they had stopped but couldnt say so categorically.
I havent used Kaplan's tutor support as Ive only just been reviewing a course for them, rather than learning with them under this new process. That said I did use Kaplan a few years ago and they had good anc pretty quick tutor support. My son has used them also more recently and when he had a question it was answered promptly. When Ive been reviewing the on demand stuff I can see a lot of different types interactions are possible with the tutors and they will also mark assignments as you go, answer queries etc. I think they are throwing as close to a classroom experience (but with the upsides of Distance Learning) at this new product so you should have a much better experience that just one or the other with the combined product. I wasnt going to be reviewing the tutor stuff, but if I get the chance I might take a further look, but in truth I cannot promise as Im so battered with work. Only come on here to keep me sane!
Kaplan and FI teach ACCA and CIMA as well as AAT - that says a lot to me ie if they can teach Chartereds successfully then they can teach AAT just as well. Not sure about Skills Network - not one Ive come across neither in terms of (just) their AAT offering (good nor bad).
__________________
Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
Thank you Joanne, with the regards to talking to the AAT that doesn't make me feel great that I can't actually go to them regarding things like this when they are the body I'm going to be learning with and towards lol
No it's ok don't worry about that but thank you for the offer. I myself have heard of Kaplan a long time ago. Yes unfortunately due to circumstances I have to do the learners loan , as I want the full support as I don't feel comfortable to do just self study.
Hope you don't make yourself to crazy with work it's Christmas soon :) yay
Is that for the on demand course? or live online or something else.
Sounds a lot - is that because you are on a learners loan (and they charge more???)
Worth shopping around but also checking you are comparing like with like (which is the hardest thing - get a massive bit of paper and get a list going when you ring them all, its the only way)
Knew I had forgotten something. Ask how long you get access to the course/recorded lectures as some training companies restrict access after a while. Check also if they have books they send in the post of just online (and therefore will become restricted veiwing).
__________________
Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
I've just been told with Kaplan I'm not allowed to go straight to level 3 without either completing level 3 bookkeeping or level 2 accounting even though AAT the,selves say it's fine, so they are out of the question. So my only option now is to go with skills network as they are the only other company that now accept the learners loan .
Unless there is another way to get with the funding.
i would suggest once you are confident with it that you do the Skills Check on the AAT website. As soon as you get the answer run off the report - this will indicate a guide at the level you should be starting on. Thentry Kaplan again and explain your result. It is up to the training company to decide but they can only go off actual results, be it from the exam itself or that skills test. They are usually pretty good. I do know people who have started at level 4, although we do always say on here to start with the basis building blocks (AAT level 2 Accounting) so you dont get swamped at level 3, which is quite a step up from level 2 (and level four like a double step from level 3).
It may well juts be you got an over zealous bod on the phone.
Go with how you will learn best, rather than learning the quickest, is always my mantra.
__________________
Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
Yeas I did the skills check and it said I could go to level 3 , I just don't want to have to go through the bookkeeping transactions and controls again after just doing them lol
Oh I know, I don't mind how long it takes I just want to get started lol. I called Kaplan and emailed the, regarding this and they both said no their students need either the level 3 bookkeeping or level 2 accounting . Just a bit of a pain really especially as I'm not doing it in a classroom so it's not like I'm going to be hugely behind the other students.
Having spoken to skills network again they seem to be my best option, at the end of the day as long as I pass all my tests and have the knowledge there it doesn't really matter who the training providers are. Who I'm with now are really poor with information and I've done very well so far lol
Im about to start level 3 AAT with Kaplan and they accepted me from Level 2 IAB after i got the green light on the skills check, and I got the advanced learners loan through them and it was quite straight forward, I'll be doing the on demand version, and what I've seen of it so far has been very good, I'm not officially starting until January as I'm currently getting ready for the IAB Level 3 computerised exam but Kaplan have sent me all the hard copy books and have given me full access to MyKaplan already so I do keep doing a bit now here & there in between the other million things I have to do in a day, the reading materials are vast, there are actually as much for level 3 AAT from Kaplan as the IAB 1,2,& 3 from Home Learning College/ Avado put together,
I wish now looking back I'd gone AAT/Kaplan right from the beginning as it seems much more in depth than what I've learnt so far from IAB/home learning college/avado.
-- Edited by Martin S on Thursday 7th of December 2017 01:26:40 AM
I have lately undergone a course with Osborne Training. Their course seemed better than my previous course with another provider. Plus their passing rates are quite good and courses are cost-effective too. I had no issues with them and going to up-level with them soon.
Bookkeeping courses with Osborne Training
I have lately undergone a course with Osborne Training. Their course seemed better than my previous course with another provider. Plus their passing rates are quite good and courses are cost-effective too. I had no issues with them and going to up-level with them soon.
1) Do you not think they would have found somewhere since 2017?
2) 2 posts, only advertising, no interaction or helping anyone.
3) Your profile indicates you work for Osborne, so why do you find it necessary to lie?
I have lately undergone a course with Osborne Training. Their course seemed better than my previous course with another provider. Plus their passing rates are quite good and courses are cost-effective too. I had no issues with them and going to up-level with them soon.
1) Do you not think they would have found somewhere since 2017?
2) 2 posts, only advertising, no interaction or helping anyone.
3) Your profile indicates you work for Osborne, so why do you find it necessary to lie?
Credibility zero.
Doing harm to Osborne 100%
Well spotted.
__________________
John
Any advice given is for general guidance and professional advice should be sought applicable to your circumstances.
