What should you look for when choosing an Online Live course?
Content
What does the live element of the course cover? Is it a revision of what you have previously learnt, and you are just brushing up previous knowledge? If so, remember we have our FREE revision sessions which are open to everyone.
Or is it a full “tuition” online course, where we go right from the start of the subject and take you right up to taking the exam? The live element of a distance learning course is what you are paying the lions share of the money for, and you want to make sure you are getting as much as you can. You need to ask how many session do you get and how often are they? There are virtual courses that have a live class for an hour every two weeks and there are virtual courses where the sessions are several hours long a couple of times each week.
Qualified tutors
Who is delivering the course and what experience and qualifications do they have? I am a massive fan of tax, and I LOVE it when a student asks a question that maybe isn’t in the exam but it shows they have really engaged with the subject. Having a background working in practice and having studied ICAEW allows me to field those questions over and above what you need to know in the exam. Conversely, what is the tutors’ speciality? As much as I can teach costing, I don’t really get excited by it like I do with tax and financial accounting. So having a team of tutors with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences means you will always have a subject matter expert with a real passion for the subject teaching you.
Flexibility
The great advantage of virtual courses is that you can be anywhere in the world studying, but with it being live you obviously have to be there at that time. So, do the times the courses are run work for you? A live course during the day when you work is obviously no use, so can you attend an evening course, or conversely would a daytime course work better for you if you have children and you would focus better during the day?
Opportunities to collaborate
One of the advantages of live courses is the ability to collaborate with other students. Some subjects, such as Internal controls are really helped by being able to discuss with other students about what is a good or poor control and discuss the possible recommendations for the business.
Availability of support
One of the key benefits of an online class is the ability to ask questions in real-time as they arrive, however, sometimes you may have a question that comes to you outside of the class. What is the support like outside of the class, do you have a tutor you can contact, and what is their availability?
Reliability
Sometimes life does get in the way, and sometimes things don’t go as planned and perhaps you don’t pass every single exam first time. It happens, these exams are tough, which is why these qualifications are so in demand. So, if this does happen what are your options? Are you left on your own to pick up the pieces, is the course over, or will they let you come back for free to the next sitting of that unit if you need to? Is there any form of Pass Guarantee? A cheaper course might work out to be more expensive if you need to pay again to extend your tutor support.
Reviews and testimonials
You need to do lots of research to see if the provider you are looking at is right for you. You can look at awards they have won, and also look to see how OFSTED has rated that provider.
However, the best thing you can do when looking into courses is speak to other students and see what they say about the course and their experience. Remember everyone is an individual with different needs and learning styles and the online learning needs to be right for you.
FI Online Live Demo video
Our AAT Online Live courses combine a structured classroom schedule with the flexibility of studying from your workplace, home or anywhere you have internet access. Our AAT Online Live courses are for individuals who want the benefits of being in a classroom with a structured approach, but who can’t make it to a First Intuition centre.
Contact the team today
01425 618 124
aat@fi.co.uk
