CISA in Sept 2014... anyone else?

EasyPeezy

I will be taking the CISA Sept 2014 exams... anyone else here taking the exam?

I m using the CISA 2014 review manual and exam review...
What study materials are you using?
Any tips for taking the exams...?


Good luck all...

Vanilla

Hi, I will be taking the CISA exam this Sept as well. I'm looking for a study partner for those technical areas I am not familiar with. Anyone with help please?

zxbane

I plan to take the CISA in December. I just passed the CISM this past June and wanted to take a break before jumping into the CISA. I will be following any CISA threads though for September to absorb any useful recommendations and wish you guys the best of luck!

larahy2k

After those long 5/6 months of studying hard, I finally did it. Passed CISA in the first attempt so I'm delighted that I don't have to study for the rest of the year. I have to say it's alot easier than the CISSP which I didn't pass (yet). I guess studying for the CISSP helped me with the CISA so it was definetly not time wasted. My next move is CISM next year as I need some time for myself for the rest of the year!

My advice to anyone thinking of doing it - get stuck into the official ISACA CISA Review Manual and keep drilling yourself on the official ISACA question database.
I would also print off and read the ITAF 2nd edition notes which delve into the Audit and Assurance Standards/Guidelines/ IS Audit and Assurance Tools and Techniques.
In addition, read and understand the COBIT 5 Standards. Both of these documents described can be found on the ISACA website. The ISACA website is a very valuable resource.
I better stop as I sound like a sales rep now, but this all really helped me.

Get used to the patterns of the questions that are asked on the question database.. and research if you don't understand why the answers are important. These multiple choice questions are not easy so it's important to understand what they are asking.
For me also, I was given advice about not to keep changing your answers, as normally your first gut instinct is correct. This worked for me as I only changed one at the end. It does depend on the person though.

rocco920

I just passed my CISSP yesterday (and hungover today). I was looking into taking the CISA next and contacted my training provider. They basically said that since I've passed the CISSP, there's no reason to take the CISA, not many people go for it anymore and I should consider CEH. I noticed they don't have many CISA classes offered (which could be a factor in what he said). Is he shooting straight or trying to sell me on another course? I know there is definitely some overlap w/ CISSP, but think it'll be good for my career. Anybody have any thoughts on this?

yoguibrown

I am registering for the September exam. Failed CISA twice (418 & 443). I am getting an average score of 90% on the Database question and I read the study guide and understood all the concepts. Anyone knows where I can get more study resources and practice exams?

EasyPeezy

The problem might not be what you need to learn.. but rather, how you apply what you have learnt. By that I mean, if you saw the question in a different form, would you recognize it? Haven taken the exam twice I would expect you to be familiar with the way the questions are asked.

Like the CISSP exam, my understanding is that the exam questions are asked in a way that challenges your understanding of the concepts rather than memorizing the material. Seeing that you already score 90% on average... i strongly believe the only thing that needs to change is your attitude to the questions and how you answer them.

yoguibrown

Thanks for your reply, as weird as it sounds to be, I guess my problem is that I get annoyed with the length of the exam, 200 questions in 4 hours.
I just hope I won't get a score of 449 in this shot

SecurityGuru23

I will also be sitting for the CISA in September. My study source is solely relying on reviewing the 2014 CISA DB questions/answers and understanding the "why" if I get it right or wrong. Good luck to all!

salmanmobeen

Already registered for December exam.
I hope easypeezy will share his exam experience here.

Meanand

Understanding the principles and able to apply to scenarios is more important. This is what is tested.

EasyPeezy

Salmonmobeen... I certainly will be sharing my experiences...

larahy2k

Hi yoguibrown, Try not to focus on the question database and force yourself to read and understand the content. I understand the official review manual can be dry - but the tips included here are so beneficial. I did the CISSP exam last year and I focused mostly on the exam questions and this didn't help as I failed the thing!
I read the CISA review manual twice and did exam questions once/twice a week scoring average of 75% and passed it. I was strict with myself as I had made that same mistake already. Be consious about becoming familiar with the pattern/trends of the questions asked also. Set aside an hour or two a day and make a plan to complete pages/something realistic that suits you. In no time, you'll find you will finish it..

larahy2k

yoguibrown wrote: »

Thanks for your reply, as weird as it sounds to be, I guess my problem is that I get annoyed with the length of the exam, 200 questions in 4 hours.
I just hope I won't get a score of 449 in this shot

Hi yoguibrown, Try not to focus on the question database and force yourself to read and understand the content. I understand the official review manual can be dry - but the tips included here are so beneficial. I did the CISSP exam last year and I focused mostly on the exam questions and this didn't help as I failed the thing!
I read the CISA review manual twice and did exam questions once/twice a week scoring average of 75% and passed it. I was strict with myself as I had made that same mistake already. Be consious about becoming familiar with the pattern/trends of the questions asked also. Set aside an hour or two a day and make a plan to complete pages/something realistic that suits you. In no time, you'll find you will finish it..

larahy2k

yoguibrown wrote: »

I am registering for the September exam. Failed CISA twice (418 & 443). I am getting an average score of 90% on the Database question and I read the study guide and understood all the concepts. Anyone knows where I can get more study resources and practice exams?

Hi yoguibrown, Try not to focus on the question database and force yourself to read and understand the content. I understand the official review manual can be dry - but the tips included here are so beneficial. I did the CISSP exam last year and I focused mostly on the exam questions and this didn't help as I failed the thing!
I read the CISA review manual twice and did exam questions once/twice a week scoring average of 75% and passed it. I was strict with myself as I had made that same mistake already. Be consious about becoming familiar with the pattern/trends of the questions asked also. Set aside an hour or two a day and make a plan to complete pages/something realistic that suits you. In no time, you'll find you will finish it..

mafu

i wrote CISA on Saturday. i must say the questions appeared to be very straightforward and easy which makes me even more anxious about the results!

good luck to all who wrote!

Ktan

Hi,

Trust all is well at your end guys. I needed a favor. And your help will be much appreciated.

I am following CA at the moment. I am very interested to look into CISA but not confident if I have the ability for it as I have no IT background except courses in IT auditing that I took in school.

I wanted to register for the exam in December but I will have to borne all the expenses as my employer will not for CISA.

Before registering I wanted to look into the study material and get an idea and then decide if I should go for it.

I will be obliged if I could borrow all the CISA material from any of you who has recently appeared for the exam.

Thanks a lot.

Best Regards

pharmorjac

I have 2 books I'm looking to get rid of after recently passing.

I'd like to get a little cash for them - not much though. If you are interested please let me know - pretty much any reasonable offer would be considered.

The two books are:
CISA Exam Cram 2: Certified Information Systems Auditor
Keele, Allen
CISA Certified Information Systems Auditor Study Guide
David L. Cannon

My apologies in advance if this is breaking forum rules - the poster above asked for people who no longer wanted books.

FrankMat74

KTAN I used two primary sources for the exam. Cannon book and ISACA'S CISA Review Q&A Manual 14 supplement. Easy Peezy was correct on the concept, and I felt the Cannon book set me in the better direction. I had purchased the Gregory book only for the summary questions.

empsecuk

yoguibrown wrote: »

Thanks for your reply, as weird as it sounds to be, I guess my problem is that I get annoyed with the length of the exam, 200 questions in 4 hours.
I just hope I won't get a score of 449 in this shot

Did you pass or not? If you're genuinely scoring over 90% on the practice exams, it can't see why you'd be failing the actual exam.. I see many of the (nearly) same questions in the actual exam.

That you're saying you get annoyed with the length of the exam is making me think that on your practice tests you're doing like 10-50 questions. If this is the case, try making yourself do (in the weeks leading up to the next exam) a full 200 question practice test, at least once or twice a week.

It will make taking the test much easier...

If you passed this time, then, congratulations!!

acomo

EasyPeezy wrote: »

I will be taking the CISA Sept 2014 exams... anyone else here taking the exam?

I m using the CISA 2014 review manual and exam review...
What study materials are you using?
Any tips for taking the exams...?


Good luck all...

hi guys, @easypeezy did you succeed in the cisa exam with the study materials that you provided? how was it?

thanks.