Neha Narayana, amidst her MA (Management Accounting) prep, the audit registration deadline was getting closer. Everything was moving fast, and she quietly wondered if she was falling behind. When our mentor, CA Akhil Iyer, Head Faculty, ACCA course, asked how her preparation was going, she hesitated for a moment before admitting the truth that she was still preparing.
“Sir, I’m still finishing the syllabus… I’m trying my best to do as much as possible,” she remembers saying — unsure of how his response would be.
From Feeling Behind to Scoring 94%
No one feels like a topper when preparing, so neither did Neha. She was actually lagging and struggling to finish her syllabus, as her audit deadline was approaching. Rushing through the syllabus, she got incorrect answers, then came the realisation that she was missing out on crucial details while skimming the questions. She found it to be the primary reason for her wrong answers. However, she practised and practised each day consistently, even when she felt tired or unsure.
“I used to skim through questions really fast and think I already knew the answer,” she admits. “But then I would realise I had missed tiny details.”
Her phase of preparation, be it unfinished notes, imperfect practice, and the quiet fear of not being ready, is what makes her story stand out today. Because just a few weeks later, she secured 94% in ACCA Management Accounting, which was far from her expectations.
“The more you practise, the more confidence you get… practice brings speed,” she says.
Her story is not about any extraordinary routines or endless study hours. It is actually about steady progress, learning from mistakes, and a mindset that slowly turned uncertainty into confidence.
“Consistency matters way more than perfection,” she reflects. “Even if you’re tired, just keep going every day.”
She says, MA was not Difficult, But Different
Management accounting is not a difficult subject for her. It was just a few new concepts that consumed a lot of her preparation time. Compared to other subjects, it required new ways of thinking. So, the first few weeks were spent adjusting to the new concepts, rather than mastering.
“It’s not particularly difficult,” she explains. “There are a lot of new concepts, so it can take a little time to get accustomed to it.”
As she progressed with her prep, Neha understood that it was about logical understanding and not just cramming. Then, she actually understood the reasoning behind them, and management accounting felt more manageable.
“Honestly, it’s a lot more logic-based compared to Financial Accounting,” she says. “If students pay attention and practise enough, it’s not that difficult.”
It does not mean that everything was easy for her from the beginning. She went through a phase where questions felt unfamiliar and progress seemed slow. But rather than getting discouraged, she accepted it as part of the process and a sign that she was building new skills instead of repeating old patterns.
This mindset helped her stay calm during the early stages of preparation. Instead of aiming to understand everything instantly, she focused on consistent practice and gradual improvement. Over time, what once felt new began to feel structured, logical, and increasingly familiar. It sets her foundation for the strong performance that followed.
The Mistakes That Shaped Her Preparation
Wrong answers led to questioning her practice, which not only made her improve but also made her realise the tiny details she skipped in the questions. The tricks that she missed catching. She overcame her biggest challenge of rushing through questions during practice.
“I used to skim through questions really fast and think I already knew the answer,” she says. “But then I’d realise I had missed tiny details.”
Preparation was going on, and overlooking the tiny details in the questions did not discourage her. She took it as feedback and started slowing down. Neha started reading questions more thoroughly and understanding them, where she went wrong.
“Even when I started practising, I would get a lot of questions wrong… but you just have to keep going.”
This shift from rushing to practising with patience helped her build accuracy and confidence. It laid the groundwork for her strong performance in the MA exam.
Consistency, Practice & The 94% Result
The study process for Management Accounting became a defining element in Neha’s preparation, which she maintained through her routine study schedule. She dedicated her study time to daily practice, which she maintained throughout her preparation period despite facing slow progress and failed practice sessions.
“I don’t think I did anything out of the ordinary,” she says. “At the end of the day, consistency matters way more than perfection.”
She built her study program through organised practice sessions. Neha dedicated her study time to completing quizzes and objective questions from ACCA study material, like the Study Hub, while studying specific questions from the Kaplan exam kit. She focused on two main aspects, which included analysing the question structure and determining the actual assessment criteria used by the examiners.
“The more you practise, the better you get at the questions,” she explains. “Practice brings speed, and it also brings confidence.”
Her practice method experienced various interruptions throughout her development process. She experienced two distinct states, which included feeling fatigued and lacking confidence. The experience of making multiple incorrect choices caused her to feel disheartened. She decided to continue her progress after making a decision to stop before proceeding further.
“Even if you’re tired and can’t do much, just keep going. Don’t let one bad day stop you,” she says.
The Mentors Kept Her Going
Her mentors provided her with personalised ACCA coaching support, which she properly acknowledges. She used our recorded sessions to study because she could not attend all live ACCA classes, and she needed assistance with her study schedule and progress monitoring. Therefore, our LMS backed her really well in tracking her progress.
She remembers that our mentors provided her with both support and understanding during times when she thought she had fallen behind. Her determination to reach the finishing line came from this continuous support, which prevented her from experiencing stress. The experience resulted in increased self-assurance for her.
Neha developed a solid base through continuous effort and repetitive training so she could handle all of her tasks. The MA examination required her to maintain composure while she read each question and followed her established study process.
Hammering the Last Nail
Her score of 94 per cent in ACCA Management Accounting surprised her and brought her great happiness. Neha proved through her accomplishment that consistent dedication and appropriate mentality will result in exceptional accomplishments.
Her student guidance emphasises three elementary practices which students must maintain throughout their studies, their practice sessions, and their response to initial failures. She believes that high scores are the outcome of patience and discipline, together with daily dedication to self-improvement, which excludes the need for perfection.
