CISM June 2016 Exam Experience and Results.

Passed not top :'( but also didn't have time to study as I should. Glad I don't have to pony up the money again.

Cheers to all you who passed and to those who didn't, don't give up.

JustPassingThru

Passed - didn't study - used common sense - 460 - and I still get to be a CISM just like the top 2%, 5%, 10% & 20% ! Wahoo !

naqvi.aman

All,

After the CISM, and already holding a CEH & CISSP, what path will you take? CISA or some SANS GIAC exams?

Thanks for the tips!

Tongy

Congratulations to all those that passed and commiserations to those that didn't.

Get your paperwork done and endorsed

matt18e

naqvi.aman wrote: »

All,

After the CISM, and already holding a CEH & CISSP, what path will you take? CISA or some SANS GIAC exams?

Thanks for the tips!

I'll take SANS whenever my employer is willing to send me. It's great training, but you definitely pay for it. i've done 2, but my employer payed. Next in the chute for me is CCNP R&S and then CISSP-ISSEP.

supasecuritybro

For those who passed, what did you use for studying?

ddayglo

I used cybrary and the Question Database. The question database was essential to understanding the type of questions and the format. Even then, I honestly did not know if I passed or not... yet I scored in the top 5%

matt18e

ddayglo wrote: »

I used cybrary and the Question Database. The question database was essential to understanding the type of questions and the format. Even then, I honestly did not know if I passed or not... yet I scored in the top 5%

I echo that sentiment. I took the CISSP with a 9 day crash course and took the test the next day - passed. I was pretty comfortable with my answers, and was pretty sure that I had passed. I left the CISM test feeling very uncomfortable with my answers. I wasn't sure if I had passed or failed. I ended up scoring very well, in the top 10%, but was very shocked when I got my results. I attended an ISACA vendor course and used the 2015 practice questions book provided by the vendor. It had ~700 questions. When I took the actual test I found the test questions to be quite different from the practice questions so I honestly have no idea how I did so well. I guess it was FM comms (Freaking Miracle)...

Raystafarian

I studied the CISA manual and then got the questions a couple days before the test, the questions helped me understand the format of the test, but I would have passed the CISA anyway I think. The CISM I read the manual and did two years of practice questions and still struggled. I think it just goes to show the official stuff is adequate, but experience is the deciding factor.

ddayglo

I paid the $50 fee this morning and emailed a PDF of the application this afternoon. Let another countdown begin.

rwmidl

supasecuritybro wrote: »

For those who passed, what did you use for studying?

Official ISACA CISM Study Guide and spent quite a bit of time in the CISM practice DB.

rwmidl

naqvi.aman wrote: »

All,

After the CISM, and already holding a CEH & CISSP, what path will you take? CISA or some SANS GIAC exams?

Thanks for the tips!

I'm looking at the CCSP and then the CISA.

Tongy

Just to make sure everyone know - you're not officially allowed to say you're a CISM until you've submitted your endorsement form and had it confirmed as accepted... they can be quite strict on this!

fullcrowmoon

Tongy wrote: »

Just to make sure everyone know - you're not officially allowed to say you're a CISM until you've submitted your endorsement form and had it confirmed as accepted... they can be quite strict on this!

Excellent point. I removed it. All my paperwork is turned in; I'm just waiting on them to process it which I think is probably another 5 weeks or so at least, yeah?

Tongy

It'd be a shame for it to spoil all the effort for the sake of waiting!

it was more like 7-8 for me because I was a little late with my submission but 5 is usual I'm told, yes.

fitzlopez

The official CISM Book, the official CISM Questions (paper). CBT Nuggets CISM on the phone when on my daily commute, just listened to the audio. The official book was the best guide, most of the stuff I could relate from work. Still waiting for my job to pay the $50 dollar application fee so I can't turn in my paperwork.

fullcrowmoon

I faxed in my paperwork Wednesday a week ago. Yesterday I finally got an email saying that they'd received it. It takes 5-7 weeks to process the paperwork, apparently, so I'm back in the waiting game.

fullcrowmoon

I checked the website this afternoon and my status has changed from Unreviewed to Complete-Under Review. Looks like they move a bit faster once they actually get to your application, or at least that's what I'm hoping!

rwmidl

fullcrowmoon wrote: »

I checked the website this afternoon and my status has changed from Unreviewed to Complete-Under Review. Looks like they move a bit faster once they actually get to your application, or at least that's what I'm hoping!

I emailed mine in the other day, and this morning I got an email that they received my application. Website still says "unreviewed".

fullcrowmoon

rwmidl wrote: »

I emailed mine in the other day, and this morning I got an email that they received my application. Website still says "unreviewed".

Soooon, my preciousssss. Soooon we will knooooowwww.

rwmidl

My wife was just joking to me about it!

dayglo

hmmm, I emailed it in, received an autoreply, and the isaca page still says "apply for certification"....

john.m.jones123

"hmmm, I emailed it in, received an autoreply, and the isaca page still says "apply for certification"...."

Mine too...

, CISA though...

john.m.jones123

It appears there are two email addresses. "application@isaca.org" on the pdf form but "certification@isaca.org" is on the online form... just resent it to both. Hopefully it gets there... going to fax it tomorrow just for redundancies sake...

fullcrowmoon

I am here to register my impatience with the Complete-Under Review status. GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.

You're welcome.

dayglo

I finally just received the official paper in the mail stating that I passed...