It’s nearly that time of year again, when ACA trainees are released from the chains of office-based servitude and sent blinking into the bright lights of a professional training room to be taught the ICAEW application stage papers. For many students, this will be the first time since school or university that they will have sat a written exam of any description, and for the vast majority, it will be the first professional exam of their lives. In contrast to academic tests, professional exams bring different challenges and will be a culture shock to many.