The May 2024 CIMA exam sitting is about to begin, and with it, hundreds of students are about to sit their very first CIMA case study exam.
The first case study exam is tough. Depending on your education and career paths, it may have been a while since you last sat an essay-style exam – let alone one under serious time pressure.
So, here are a few quick tips for anyone sitting their first CIMA case study. If you’re a first-timer, you’re probably sitting the OCS, but the following tips are for anyone sitting via the Gateway or CFO routes too.
#1: Get comfortable with the testing environment
Regardless of whether you’re on the PQ or FLP routes, the case study is the first essay-format exam. That means a new testing interface.
The case study exam is extremely time-pressured. You don’t want to waste precious minutes trying to understand how the interface works – or lose time because you’ve made an avoidable mistake.
Save time and stress by getting familiar with the testing portal before your exam. Pearson VUE have a free online tutorial you can use to get comfortable with the system. So make sure to give it a try:
https://home.pearsonvue.com/cima/questiontutorials
#2 Make the leap from showing knowledge to applying knowledge
Whether you’re on the PQ or FLP route, you’ve already proved you understand what the theory is. Now, you need to show you can actually use it in a practical setting.
A common mistake that students make during their first case study exam is to name a theory or model, then explain what that model is. This costs precious time and by itself, doesn’t answer the question.
If you’re asked how to approach a problem and you think a model fits, don’t just explain what the model is. Show HOW IT FITS.
Use the information from the pre-seen and scenario to show how the model can produce an answer. Then, use that answer in your recommendations.
Remember – the case study is about practical application. Always ask yourself how what you’re about to write helps the company with that scenario!
#3 Allocate time before you get started
The single most common problem students have during the case study is managing time effectively.
Unlike the previous tips, this isn’t something that only applies to first-time students. Time management is a challenge in every case study exam, from first to last. Even SCS candidates struggle to write everything they want.
The most basic part of time management is to understand what you’re tracking. It’s more than just knowing how long you have; identify how many points you want to make, and note how long to spend on each point.
Track your progress against the clock. If you’re writing faster than your plan, it might mean your points are underdeveloped. If you’re writing slower than your plan, it might mean you’re wandering off-topic, repeating yourself, or just not getting straight to the point.
There are video guides which give more specific details on allocating time, and I’ve linked one of my favourites below. Don’t worry if your plan looks more basic and less detailed than this – focus on getting something down!
The CIMA Student 
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