CMA SLP Year 2 - Discussion

[jcon]

I wanted to start a new thread to discuss anything and everything related to the CMA SLP Y2. No need to mess up the case exam thread, it's hard enough to find good information on the topic in that thread anyhow.

Let the discussion begin!

[jcon]

What I said in the case exam thread (to get things going):

I already have my mark back. We're about a month ahead of most provinces.


It was tough. It's tough to only have a piece of the entire project. It's tough to trust others. The finished project was pretty incredible though, I'm very proud of it.

Our weekend session is this weekend. We're preparing/practicing our presentation currently.

[Bazin]

As a recent graduate of the SLP, have to say that Y2 is quite an adjustment from Y1.

Some tips that helped me and my group:

Within your group, make sure you assign roles and stick to them. Don't spin your wheels too long on one item - sometimes, you just need to take a vote and move on. If you've got an even number in your group, ensure you have a tiebreak procedure (be it the chair wins, the item is tabled until next meeting, whatever).

Make sure that you know more than your section of the report/presentation. You may be asked question directly about something that you didn't present. One of your team members might miss a session for some reason. You need to be ready just in case.

Utilize team tools like google docs or project management software (I put a web2project installation on my personal website for document management). Make sure you have a clear way to integrate each other's work into a master file, without losing anything.

Use the teams in your session (and other sessions, if you have contacts there) to practice presentations with and to bounce ideas off of.

You're going to be doing lots more work. You're going to be frustrated. You'll get through it.

[Clueless Fox]

lol, i've actually set up an accounting website with forum...and i keep trying to lure people there as i see more threads being created in here.

nonetheless, i found year 1 to be really underwhelming...i stopped trying after the 2nd assignment. i had done AP and thought SLP would be sort of similar in level of difficulty but it's not. year 2 is less directive so i'm looking forward to see what it offers.

[Bazin]

lol, i've actually set up an accounting website with forum...and i keep trying to lure people there as i see more threads being created in here.

I found that beyond the assignment requirements and the occasional item, most students wouldn't use the SLP message board for much. I'd highly recommend finding a way to get your group to recognize the value of some online collaboration tools, but my experience showed that the session as a whole didn't seem to want to interact in a setting like that.

[Clueless Fox]

I found that beyond the assignment requirements and the occasional item, most students wouldn't use the SLP message board for much. I'd highly recommend finding a way to get your group to recognize the value of some online collaboration tools, but my experience showed that the session as a whole didn't seem to want to interact in a setting like that.

yeah i think most look at it as a chore and try to only work on it when they have to and then get it done asap, whichever way they can. i actually thought it'd be more useful with AP students and people pursuing other accounting designations...

[Coolisme]

To the SLP Year 2 Candidates, do you know of any good meeting places up in Scarborough?

I've seen seem Year 2 Candidates use some of the rooms at the BMO institute for meetings. Would anyone here happen to know if it's free to use for CMA SLP Candidates, or is there a fee involved?

Called them but person there didn't know, so hoping someone here might.

[Clueless Fox]

i met with my group at starbucks last weekend, and tomorrow it'll be at the library. i'm in mississauga but maybe you can look up scarborough libraries?

[Frustrated100]

We just handed in our first assignment, and one group memeber never had any of their stuff done and was mia this last week, never responded to any emails asking them to do items, never checked in to see how the report was coming along, on the last day we finally got a respond saying they were to busy to look at it and just submit it. Thoughts from anyone who has been threw the program on what we can do? It's going to be a long year.

[hirondellecanada]

We just handed in our first assignment, and one group memeber never had any of their stuff done and was mia this last week, never responded to any emails asking them to do items, never checked in to see how the report was coming along, on the last day we finally got a respond saying they were to busy to look at it and just submit it. Thoughts from anyone who has been threw the program on what we can do? It's going to be a long year.

hello I am in fisrt year CMA SLP . Is anyone could help with the first assigment ?

[jcon]

We just handed in our first assignment, and one group memeber never had any of their stuff done and was mia this last week, never responded to any emails asking them to do items, never checked in to see how the report was coming along, on the last day we finally got a respond saying they were to busy to look at it and just submit it. Thoughts from anyone who has been threw the program on what we can do? It's going to be a long year.

It's not uncommon for people to be kicked out of groups (and therefore removed from this current year of the program). You need to confront them and make the office aware of your issue. If it persists, you need to get rid of them.

[setell]

I think I’m fairly “lucky” so far because all of my group mates have been very keen to do their share of the work. We just had one meeting and another this Wednesday. We all agree on weekly meetings and going to use Google Docs to help sort through all the work vs a lot of emailing back and forth with updated copies. With 2.5 weeks left we’re on pretty good track if everybody does their part by this week’s meeting to finish off our first group assignment.

I think you have to be honest with each other too. I have one group mate that offer to do a lot of the grunt work for this assignment as his company’s year end is Oct 31 and he was like “forgive me if I disappear for a while in the beginning of Nov”. I appreciate his honesty as I know what it’s like so we can all relate. By him doing the grunt work he’s not going to do the final editing/fixing up etc. as he has no time for it. I consider that a fair deal.

My only beef is that 3/5 of us are gov’t employees so….I find that only I seem to really understand what the frantic pulling out my hair feeling when it’s year end/quarter end etc. as gov’t just don’t have the pressure to finish things by a set deadline when my group mate told us when his year end was.

[7jai]

It's not uncommon for people to be kicked out of groups (and therefore removed from this current year of the program). You need to confront them and make the office aware of your issue. If it persists, you need to get rid of them.

I have heard many stories of groups kicking out certain team members, but it was a very lengthy process. You definitely have to have a real big case to "fire" your team member (ie: just because he doesn't wanna do work doesnt mean he will get dropped from your group immediately). You then have to speak with a CMA board w/ their CMA HR people on some conference call, and then tell them your rationale behind the firing. Such a painful process lol

I think I’m fairly “lucky” so far because all of my group mates have been very keen to do their share of the work. We just had one meeting and another this Wednesday. We all agree on weekly meetings and going to use Google Docs to help sort through all the work vs a lot of emailing back and forth with updated copies. With 2.5 weeks left we’re on pretty good track if everybody does their part by this week’s meeting to finish off our first group assignment.

I think you have to be honest with each other too. I have one group mate that offer to do a lot of the grunt work for this assignment as his company’s year end is Oct 31 and he was like “forgive me if I disappear for a while in the beginning of Nov”. I appreciate his honesty as I know what it’s like so we can all relate. By him doing the grunt work he’s not going to do the final editing/fixing up etc. as he has no time for it. I consider that a fair deal.

My only beef is that 3/5 of us are gov’t employees so….I find that only I seem to really understand what the frantic pulling out my hair feeling when it’s year end/quarter end etc. as gov’t just don’t have the pressure to finish things by a set deadline when my group mate told us when his year end was.

I agree, it's important to be open with your team members. I'm lucky I got a hard-working group of 4 people (including myself lol). I'm very glad that all of them are very open-minded to suggestions, and can also articulate their ideas/responses clearly lol . There were a few people in my class who were just very stubborn with the way they saw the case.... really killed the mood of the group. And then there are some students who couldn't even speak their minds clearly. Was nervous that i would get them in my group, but i lucked out! hehe

[nasa25]

We just handed in our first assignment, and one group memeber never had any of their stuff done and was mia this last week, never responded to any emails asking them to do items, never checked in to see how the report was coming along, on the last day we finally got a respond saying they were to busy to look at it and just submit it. Thoughts from anyone who has been threw the program on what we can do? It's going to be a long year.

Dont ever let anyone obtain the designation that doesn't deserve it. It compromises the integrity of the letters, both yours and mine.

Step 1 - confront the individual. They should honestly have to do the lion's share of the IS4 presentation prep (ppt slides) to make up for this. If they are unwilling to change....

Step 2 - Bring the situation to your moderator. They will have a discussion with the individual. Hopefully you can get to this point (if need be) by the IS4session. If the situation persists.....

Step 3 - Have your moderators open up a case to get this person removed from your group and from Year 2. You NEED to get this resolved by IS5 at the latest, because if it continues into IS6 and the Board Report, its almost too late to report it. You wouldn't want to hold up your designation while CMA looks into the matter.


My Yr 2 class started with 23 people. 1 person was booted from a 5 person group after IS4. Another made it to the Board Report and had their designation put on hold (meaning that the 4 remaining people in their group earned the designation, they didn't). So we lost 2 people in Year 2.

Luckily my group (4 to begin with) and the other 4 person group in my session didn't have these problems. It would have been a major challenge (workload wise) with a 3 person group.

[AngryAccountant]

This situation needs to be nipped in the bud. If you let it go on too long, CMA and your moderators will lose sympathy and there won't be anything you can do about it. Also, it will become intensely frustrating at Board Report time if your team isn't functioning like it should.

Just like the real world, document it (emails, etc.). It is a drastic move to kick someone out, and CMA won't entertain it lightly, so prepare yourself if you go that route.