tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post2770010866315271878..comments2023-06-03T10:07:48.854-04:00Comments on Case Master: May 2013 CMA Case Exam Results Case Masterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267027529858385350noreply@blogger.comBlogger165125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-87961543823745090352014-04-22T22:01:48.704-04:002014-04-22T22:01:48.704-04:00so if a financial forecast is not done its a fail?...so if a financial forecast is not done its a fail?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-43571987883172728322013-10-16T08:10:37.351-04:002013-10-16T08:10:37.351-04:00I'm surprised to hear your moderators did not ...I'm surprised to hear your moderators did not teach you how to tie the quantitative to the qualitative. I'm in Manitoba, and our moderators drilled that into us at every interactive session. Focus on getting links! I kept a tally to ensure I was getting enough links. For every link, I'd mark a tick. It's so easy to lose track while writing the exam. Also, ensure no bias! Equal pros to cons when doing your quantitative. The actual numbers you derive almost seem secondary. They want to see your thought process. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-66818729873379541092013-10-15T17:30:06.025-04:002013-10-15T17:30:06.025-04:00I failed as well, and I share your frustration, th...I failed as well, and I share your frustration, the next 7 months are going to be long and cold until the May 7 re-write. Here is a little unsolicited advice:<br />1. Be angry - $5,000 spent. That’s a lot of money and time to have spent with nothing to show for.<br />2. Now What? - I spent the last week questioning whether I have what it takes to pass the case exam, should I quit and find another line of work. <br />3. What happened - I asked myself, if my class mates who are no more capable then I can pass what’s my problem? That question is unique to each individual; my issue was an accounting supervisor contract job which bled into study time (year end audit, extreme staff issues and a boss who was not supportive in granting me time off for studying). As well, not to bash the moderators, but we were not taught how to tie the quantitative to the qualitative for the case exam. What I mean is that the elements of the quants were not adequately linked to the narrative in the PROS/CONS, the recommendations and the financial forecast. Key elements of the case exam.<br />4. What to do – Don’t give up! The bad news is there is 7 months to the May 2014 exam; the good news is that there is 7 months to the May 2014 exam. Plenty of time to study and get comfortable with the exam. <br />a) Review the comments provided by the CMA, critical to understand what you did wrong.<br />b) Re-read implementation plan, Situational Analysis Tool, Pro forma Financial Statements, Steps for Approaching Business and Corporate Strategy<br />c) If you have access to the CMA AP site, review Segment 2, module 4: Capital budgeting, Relevant Costing and Variances<br />d) Review prior years exam 2011 and on (IFRS ASPE) read the alternatives, drill down how the quants were calculated and review how they were incorporated into the PROS/CONS, recommendations and the financial forecast<br /><br />5. Success or Failure – If you follow these suggestions and work hard, there is no reason why you won’t be successful next July. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-29243760313639238162013-10-03T20:02:19.806-04:002013-10-03T20:02:19.806-04:00Got my mark today...failed with a worse mark. I am...Got my mark today...failed with a worse mark. I am not happy...paying extra and getting nothing.Why couldn't they give us our marks before this year started? The whole SLP year 1 was a waste of time...Why wait until we are months into the program to state what is expected....I give up. It's too late to start year 1 over now. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-66221946266043092652013-10-01T21:51:15.513-04:002013-10-01T21:51:15.513-04:00May 2014. You'll be contacted by CMA early 20...May 2014. You'll be contacted by CMA early 2014 about the rewrite. It's in the fine print of the email CMA sent with the announcement that marks were out. You're access to the CPP site will also be cut off.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-63259708125391041292013-10-01T12:11:51.663-04:002013-10-01T12:11:51.663-04:00Hi,
Does anyone when is the re-write for individ...Hi, <br /><br />Does anyone when is the re-write for individuals who failed the August 2013 case exam? I am hearing different scenarios. Some are saying its between the M4A4 and the IS 4, others are saying we would have to wait till May 2014? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-29292829431245590102013-09-30T12:49:21.481-04:002013-09-30T12:49:21.481-04:00No I have not heard anything either and the wating...No I have not heard anything either and the wating is driving me crazy too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-66432155505209954842013-09-24T09:24:24.510-04:002013-09-24T09:24:24.510-04:00Tomorrow will be the 6 week mark, but I've bee...Tomorrow will be the 6 week mark, but I've been told by our association the the marks for the August rewrite are not expected untill the 30th. Has anyone else heard anything on when the marks for the August exam might be released?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-47765934229746881952013-08-18T00:32:41.850-04:002013-08-18T00:32:41.850-04:00Check out the casemaster facebook page, there is a...Check out the casemaster facebook page, there is a post about the august exam.Case Masterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16267027529858385350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-16482804515911413102013-08-17T18:22:53.292-04:002013-08-17T18:22:53.292-04:00Hi there,
Who wrote the August 2013 case exam an...Hi there, <br /><br />Who wrote the August 2013 case exam and how did they feel about it?<br /><br />For those who did not pass the May 2013 case exam, what were some of the marker's comments? I am not sure how I did on this exam and the six week waiting period is driving me crazy.<br /><br />Thank you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-1460849445658714762013-07-24T11:05:27.575-04:002013-07-24T11:05:27.575-04:00why not contest if you feel you are right?why not contest if you feel you are right?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-23124537383650545622013-07-23T21:07:12.253-04:002013-07-23T21:07:12.253-04:00I was only able to calculate two out of four quant...I was only able to calculate two out of four quants and was not successful. I thought it was more important to do a financial forecast and show my recommendation was financially feasible with financing, met the target and improved the profit margin. I touched on every other aspect of a consulting report -Comments from the marker were not helpful, as some comments were incorrect in several areas!- I am so confused on where to go from here - What can be left out in order to get a pass?? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-79540037963560949942013-07-11T12:31:15.116-04:002013-07-11T12:31:15.116-04:00Yes, I have started doing this. I hope I don't...Yes, I have started doing this. I hope I don't get in trouble by seeking licenses too many times:) Thank you for the suggestion.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-18413419989533152252013-07-11T10:22:45.072-04:002013-07-11T10:22:45.072-04:00Yes you can use Securexam to practice. Just select...Yes you can use Securexam to practice. Just select the "practice case exam" in the list of exams and use that. For that one it will save in word & excel format after you exit. Also you will need to "get licenses" the next time you use secure exam again, because for some reason once you use practice case exam, it's no longer in the list anymore. So each time you want to use it, you need to update the licenses.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-59193492095864158272013-07-11T10:16:51.842-04:002013-07-11T10:16:51.842-04:00Dorothy's prep course in Toronto is great - sh...Dorothy's prep course in Toronto is great - she takes you thru the best way to get the most mark in the least amount of time.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-88403497559773682962013-07-10T14:18:38.433-04:002013-07-10T14:18:38.433-04:00I truly appreciate your advise. I didn't get t...I truly appreciate your advise. I didn't get to work on Dier Trail alternative at all. I thought that was my biggest mistake. But it seems what ever I do, must make sense to base my recommendations on. This really helped.<br />Thanks again! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-62432067757505907652013-07-10T13:15:03.588-04:002013-07-10T13:15:03.588-04:00It is really easy to get lost in the quants, I tot...It is really easy to get lost in the quants, I totally understand. I got 68% by typing something in each section as I read the case - you don't have time to read and re-read and write later. First thing you do - put the titles down and as you read, you fill in the blanks. Don't leave anything blank. For quants, I only did 2 options, out of 4. I know I got a weak score, but it worked. Secure exam sucks, the excel part is horrible but we have no choice. Do not worry about formatting under any circumstance!! Just put some numbers down to show them your train of thought. That's all that is needed. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-18213185586651202622013-07-10T10:18:10.358-04:002013-07-10T10:18:10.358-04:00You were able to practice with all your assignment...You were able to practice with all your assignments and practice cases using secure exam before. If your moderator did not bring this to your attention or coach you to be familiar with the tool in advance....then....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-89093189895921830472013-07-10T09:38:49.882-04:002013-07-10T09:38:49.882-04:00Don't waste time on formatting of numbers. As...Don't waste time on formatting of numbers. As long as you have the decimal places you want you're all good. They're not looking for a perfectly presentable document; they're looking at your ability to analyze and to come up with a convincing proposal based on that analysys (ie. integration, feasibility).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-34409885415912237592013-07-10T09:26:55.070-04:002013-07-10T09:26:55.070-04:00Hi,
My biggest problem is the limited functions in...Hi,<br />My biggest problem is the limited functions in secure exam spreadsheet. I believe I consumed a lot of time working on the quants to make sense by putting dollar signs besides each number if required. Anybody knows if there is anyway I can use a spreadsheet from the secure exam site to practice on a daily basis? I don't feel confident about the copy and paste function either. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-31232771927367715432013-07-09T21:44:47.584-04:002013-07-09T21:44:47.584-04:00I was (luckily!) very successful on the case exam....I was (luckily!) very successful on the case exam...My strategy for studying was to redo all the previous year's cases multiple times to get a rhythm down and to improve my quants. I started by entering the headings based on the better successful examples given (if you look at the examples, at least in earlier years, there's a very good successful attempt, an average successful attempt, and an unsuccessful attempt).<br /><br />Once I had the headings in, I would read the case and fill in any information I came across directly while also highlighting it. This saved me tons of time on SWOT, alternatives, and pros and cons. While I didn't pay much attention to links, I filled in any I noticed as I was going, then went back a few times while writing to fill in any that came to mind. <br /><br />As other people have mentioned, do your ratios ahead of time and understand what they mean for the company. Also, figure out a good audit trail technique that won't take up tons of time. ]<br /><br />Good luck!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-66596093843923877752013-07-09T21:12:35.116-04:002013-07-09T21:12:35.116-04:00Hi, I failed as well...terrible feeling. I am not ...Hi, I failed as well...terrible feeling. I am not sure where to star and how to get ready for the next one.<br />Any ideas will be appreciated<br /><br />ThanksAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-89802506692964503372013-07-09T17:45:32.899-04:002013-07-09T17:45:32.899-04:00They will never raise the bar to 70%. I think even...They will never raise the bar to 70%. I think even the CA has it to only 65%. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-84888833576085940692013-07-09T16:32:01.037-04:002013-07-09T16:32:01.037-04:00I found that going through the successful case exa...I found that going through the successful case exam solutions from prior years really helped me to develop a quick and efficient format for displaying information in the appendices. This is where most of my time usually got used. If you can come up with a quick format for displaying ratios,NPV and an action plan that will help free up some time. Also it was helpful for me to type the headings in my paper as soon as the exam starts, that way you don't miss a section. When you're reading the additional information, mark the pros and cons and preferences and immediately put them in your paper, this way you don't have to re-read the alternative and time the info again.<br /><br />Finally memorize as much as you can around your ratios and their explanation , swot, stakeholders, and case facts.<br /><br />Best of luck in Aug! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503685325882202280.post-87036511227888164112013-07-09T15:40:33.787-04:002013-07-09T15:40:33.787-04:00Just touch all the sections(Don't go too deep ...Just touch all the sections(Don't go too deep in any section as you will be out of time and miss other sections). Make sure you have good Situational Analysis, implementation Plan and integration pointsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com