Our student, Andy Hall, has just placed first in the world for his ACCA Strategic Business Leader exam. We’re so proud of his hard work, and we’re looking forward to seeing what his future holds.

Andy said that the 4 hour exam is, “...tough but achievable, so long as you get your head down and work hard. If you’re able to allow yourself enough time to study, then I’ve found that it'll give you the best chance of passing.

"Of course, this is always easier said than done when having to work full time. I also believe that practising exam style questions is key. It’s certainly less of a shock on the day if you have half an idea of what you will be faced with.”

As with any professional qualification, it took up a lot of his time, so we wanted to know how he managed a work-life balance. Andy said: “I think hitting the sweet spot between work, study and life is really important. Locking yourself away to study non-stop didn’t work for me. Allowing for a sensible amount of down-time helps lift your morale and reduces the risk of burning out.”

Andy works in the London office of BDO LLP. He provides support to high growth SMEs with their monthly management reports, VAT compliance and year-end financial reporting as part of BDODrive.

His organisation allowed him to attend classes during weekdays, and he’s very grateful for that, but he did add, “You still have to find time to revise, and that means at the weekends or in the evenings after work. It can definitely be a test of stamina and willpower! However, I’m confident it’ll be worth it in the end.”

And finally Andy thanks his Kaplan tutor, Iryna Macdonald, for all the help and guidance. He said that all the tutors were more than willing to help him whenever he needed it.

Well done Andy - fantastic work. We look forward to hearing more about your successes in the future.

If you’re interested in ACCA, check out our courses and study methods to see if it would suit you.