CISA 2016 Exam Test Scores

Munnchar

Am I the only one anxious about the test scores? Is there a possibility that we can get the scores before the 5 weeks?

arkamu

Haha I am also anxious about the test scores.
How was your test?

Hunter Zoloman

Does anyone know how does the scaled scoring system works, just wondering if alot of folks do poor on the exam and let's say a few people did answer like 120 plus questions right then what happens....anyone!

Munnchar

Hello Arkamu, I found the test at times to be very tricky. And then at times some of the questions were easy or were similar to questions that I have seen in the Q&A database. How about you?

Hello Hunter, not really sure how the scoring scale works. I went to a boot camp recently and was told that ISACA doesn't use the curving system anymore.

kareem.noor

Hi All,

Had a query regarding the scoring system. But before that, let me tell you my experience. I had read through the CRM 2013 and 2016 and covered the material at least 4 times. I had also gone through the Q&A DB quite a few times and was scoring around 80% consistently. Obviously when I went through the questions during my learning stage I was scoring around 60% and after having read through the explanations, on repeating the questions I was able to achieve a much higher score. The answers sort of sunk into my head and I knew So you can tell that I went into the exam centre with confidence. However, now I feel that its going to be quite a miracle to pass it since there were so many questions that were too close to call. There were many questions on follow up audit which is very briefly touched upon in the CRM.

As for my questions, they are:

1. Is there only ONE true answer for every question? I am saying this because of the nature of the "BEST" and "FIRST" descriptor questions. Lets say you are able to eliminate 2 options and heave to decide between the last 2, both of which seem relevant. Now, I'll use an arbitrary weighted score here, will the top answer have a weighted score of 10 points whereas the next best answer will have a score of 5 points may be? or there is only ONE answer for every question?
2. Does the scoring scheme utilize the bell curve scheme ? or does it utilise a flat scale where they take into account weighted scores of 450 till 800 for passing candidates ?

arkamu

they should give credit for 2nd best answer

kareem.noor

arkamu wrote: »

they should give credit for 2nd best answer

Hi arkamu,

That would be great but are we sure about it?

Thx

Hunter Zoloman

The proctor mentioned during the instructions that there is only one correct answer to each question...

Munnchar

Yup, the proctor at my exam site said the same thing. I was trying to rationalize the same thing Kareem, but unfortunately I think only one answer is correct. Did anyone have time to go back and review thier answers to predict the ones you may have gotten right?

RogueJD

I also attended a boot camp, and sat for the CRISC exam. My instructor mentioned that they do not use a scaled scoring system. Each question has the same weight.

He also mentioned that there is only one correct answer. No credit for second-best.

Munnchar

I could be wrong, but I think 85 questions need to be correct in order to pass.....So, 800 perfect score /150 questions= 5.33 * 85 questions = minimum score 453. So if this were true, I went back and counted 114 questions that could be correct, assuming that they were correct since that exam was tricky as heck.

johnj6425

It's been discussed to death in this forum on how our friends at ISACA grade the exam. The only guarantee is "800" will earn you a pass.

katrin Osterhaus

I'm super anxious. I went in with confidence, having scored consistently at 85% during practice exams, but the actual December test was QUITE different, and I recognized hardly any of the questions. A ton of questions on Cloud and contractor issues, which I didn't feel good about. I agree with the other person that said it usually boiled down to 2 answers which both sounded GREAT to me. Needless to say, I ended up having to pick one rather than KNOWING the right answer. It will be a miracle but I'm still holding out hope, despite of it all.

kareem.noor

Yes its quite unnerving to have drilled down the choices and then do a coin toss between two identically relevant answers. Its a pity that there are no q papers and answers available of the real test. It would've helped us assess our position. Every Q&A DB and the CISA self assessment test were of little relevance when compared to the real experience.

katrin Osterhaus wrote: »

I'm super anxious. I went in with confidence, having scored consistently at 85% during practice exams, but the actual December test was QUITE different, and I recognized hardly any of the questions. A ton of questions on Cloud and contractor issues, which I didn't feel good about. I agree with the other person that said it usually boiled down to 2 answers which both sounded GREAT to me. Needless to say, I ended up having to pick one rather than KNOWING the right answer. It will be a miracle but I'm still holding out hope, despite of it all.

Hunter Zoloman

ISACA website still mentions about scaled scoring...and i also heard from a few ppl that there are a few test questions on these exams which don't go against you if you answers them incorrectly....not sure about the exact number....may be 10....these are just for testing how many ppl answered them correctly and may be used for future exams......

i was also scoring around 85 to 88% in the objective 150 question exams in the QAE....but seriously not sure whether i passed or not....

johnj6425

I believe that most people walk out of the exam not sure if they passed. It happened to me in September with the CISA exam and the five weeks of waiting was difficult, but I scored a 647. I read the manual and purchased the database questions from ISACA (went over the 1000 questions multiple times within a two month period). The database questions helped me get ready for the exam and worth every penny.

whd5015

Felt the same exact way. Out of the 150 questions, I noted ~30 in which I deliberated over two answers. This is my second run through, after scoring a 439 the first time! Hoping for the best.

Hunter Zoloman

Wow 439....you were just there....

Munnchar

Yeah Whd5015, you were just there. Did you study a lot more this time around? Also, What was different for you for the last test compared to this recent one you just took? I walked out of the exam unsure if I did well. That exam was very tricky and I agree that there were two best answer choices for most of the questions.

kareem.noor

Just an update for everybody in this forum. I had contacted ISACA to know if there is anyway for us to know the scores beforehand through phone or email or any other medium. Their reply was as expected, CISA and CISM results will released 5 weeks from the exam date whereas its 8 weeks for CGEIT and CRISC. They do not provide one off services for releasing the scores in any other way.

So I guess we are stuck with the long painful wait till 17 January, 2107.

Munnchar

Thanks Kareem for getting that info...and...ISACA's process is very annoying.

whd5015

Munnchar wrote: »

Yeah Whd5015, you were just there. Did you study a lot more this time around? Also, What was different for you for the last test compared to this recent one you just took? I walked out of the exam unsure if I did well. That exam was very tricky and I agree that there were two best answer choices for most of the questions.

I first took the exam back in June 2015, when it consisted of 200 questions rather than the 150 that the test currently comprises of. It seems that the June exam had a lot more clear-cut questions that were objective in nature, rather than the subjective "pick the best" questions that plagued this exam. I am also hoping for the best here, as I walked out somewhat confident, but still a bit wary!

whd5015

In addition to going through all of the questions included within the QAE database (which didn't change AT ALL since June 2015, by the way), I read through the Sybex CISA: Certified Information Systems Auditor Study Guide, 4th Edition book (http://amzn.to/2hyFxRu) for the domains in which I was the weakest. It is a lot easier to read than the official manual, and although it contains more information than is required for the exam, it really puts things in layman's terms as much as possible. I additionally purchased the video series from Sybex, which goes hand in hand with the book (http://amzn.to/2h2Tru4).

Hunter Zoloman

Just anxious...can't wait...still not certain about the scoring mechanism...

katrin Osterhaus

Karem...I sure hope we don't have to wait until 2107....!!! LOL!!!

Hunter Zoloman

And I hope everyone here pass

kareem.noor

Katrin..its evident that we'd get the results in 2017 right ?

btw, just occurred to me that most questions in the exam were the same as asking "why did the chicken cross the road?"..just a funny thought..

The more I think about the exam, the more my head hurts. Its never been been so unpredictable for me, having prepared so well. I was seriously disappointed with how it turned out.

katrin Osterhaus wrote: »

Karem...I sure hope we don't have to wait until 2107....!!! LOL!!!

Hunter Zoloman

I feel the same way...

JoJoCal19

Munnchar wrote: »

Thanks Kareem for getting that info...and...ISACA's process is very annoying.

That process has now changed. All ISACA exams are computer based now and you receive an instant pass/fail notification, starting with all exams in 2017. I myself am going for CISA on May 1st 2017.

kareem.noor

Hi All,

I thought that since we were all waiting for the results to come out, may be we could have a look at a sample CISA result from the past.

I believe that they give out the overall score alongside domainwise scores and your percentile rank. Does anybody have a score report to share here in the forum to make the waiting more exciting for us?

johnj6425

Results from my September 2016 exam:

The Process of Auditing Information Systems: 653
Governance and Management of IT: 703
Information Systems Acquisition, Development and Implementation: 550
Information Systems Operations, Maintenance and Service Management: 647
Protection of Information Assets: 678

My final score was "647" in the top 5%.

It was difficult waiting the five weeks for my results. My study material was the official manual, but what really helped me was the database questions from ISACA. It took me another 6 weeks to get my certification.