CISM/CISA/CRISC/CGEIT June 2013 Feedback

TunYau

Well Just finish my CISM Exam in Malaysia......
Did not really prepare much for the exam as new job role is ISM and too busy....

My feeling after the exam....Compare to CISSP and CGEIT.....CISM seems to be more straight foward.....

Have done what i can and lets wait for result......

For those in later time zone good luck......

andhow

I just finished as well (CRISC). Now we get to wait the eight weeks for the results. Honestly, I think the wait is more painful than the test.

As for the CRISC, I believe I passed. I felt pretty comfortable with my answers, but I have to concede that I'm not certain that I consistently answered what ISACA believed was the BEST answer. I do think the test was a lot simpler than the CISA exam.

Good luck everyone! I'm registering for the CISM exam as I type this.

lysje

I just finished with CRISC too. It wasn't that difficult and some answers were extremely obvious. Let the wait begin! It will be a long wait till August!

Jaded99

Just finished the CISA. It was O.K. Cant say anything with confidence because there was a good chunk of questions that really made me think twice. Keeping my fingers crossed...

Falasi

I hardly did any preperation as i recieved my book (2) hours after the exam due to some miscommunication with ISACA. Regardless CGEIT exam didnt feel that hard. The questions regarding ValIT were tricky though....

next is ganna be CISA for me (sept) and if i didnt pass today... There is always dec exam lol

good luck all

Pcgolfer

I just took the CISA exam. I honestly wondered if I had the wrong test. It was nothing like the questions on Isaca's database or study book. This was an awfully poor test.

Bloodnite12

same - I had a number of them where I was trying to find the "best" one from the scenario given.

TunYau

I saw candidate for CISA stil on book last minute...i did remind them that it will.not be from book.........thats a guidance.....

Pcgolfer

And definitely didn't expect the sample questions on exam. However, the questions were infinitely more vague or obscure - completely different conceptually. I would expect tests of have reasonably clear answers if you have the knowledge.

One could argue that the test was trying to get practical applications of concepts. My opinion, is that the test question were designed to have no clear answers. I have historically been an excellent test taker with strong abstract thinking.

i honestly think a test like this is damaging to the governing body (Isaca). Students expressed similar views from last December's test. I have been an IT auditor with fairly broad experience. I actually learned a great deal studying for the test, but am reconsidering my Isaca membership. I already have my PMP AND Master's certificate in Project Management and am a member of the PMI and Institute of Internal Auditors.

I was so disgusted half way through the exam, I decided to not take more than 20-30 seconds on the remaining questions. I was done just after 11:00 a.m. And took off. Normally I would review all the questions to try and pick up a few more answers. I figured it might do more harm than good.

The PMP EXAM was also a little strange when I took it in December, 2012 (which I passed)

I honestly don't see myself passing yesterday's test, but will wait 8 weeks (ridiculous) to get Bach results. This is an IT test after all. At $500 a pop, they should make this electronic.

lysje

[h=4]Good news for yesterday's CISA and CISM exam takers, the results should be in in approx 5 weeks. I found the below on the ISACA site!

5. Will I be able to retest in September if I do not pass in June; and will I be able to retest in December if I do not pass in September?[/h] Yes. Anyone who takes either the CISA or CISM exam in June (September) and does not pass but wishes to retest in September (December) will be able to do so. ISACA has responded to requests to release exam results in a more expedited manner, thus enabling this retesting within this short time frame. ISACA will be releasing, starting in 2013, for CISA and CISM only, exam results approximately 5 weeks after the exam administration.

[h=4]http://www.isaca.org/Certification/September-2013-Exams/Pages/September-Exam-FAQs.aspx[/h]Not sure if this also means the December results will be given in 5 weeks for these two. Too bad there's no CRISC or CGEIT in September, might have alleviated the waiting time for me too.... Sigh... I will just continue counting down to August...

zenrandom

I took the CISM yesterday. I don't know how I did. I felt better about most of my CISSP answers than I did about the CISM questions. Ah well, the wait has begun. Good luck to all who sat for ISACA yesterday.

dover

lysje wrote: »

Good news for yesterday's CISA and CISM exam takers, the results should be in in approx 5 weeks. I found the below on the ISACA site!

Nice find!

Honestly, I have no idea how I did on the exam. I felt the same way after the CISSP (paper-based) exam too - so who knows. This will be the last cert for me (for a while)...unless I failed which means I'll HAVE to take it again in Sept. I've never failed a cert exam yet....but with this one I have no idea which side of the pass/fail fence I fell on.

Hope everyone did well and good luck on your results.

paul78

Pcgolfer wrote: »

However, the questions were infinitely more vague or obscure - completely different conceptually. I would expect tests of have reasonably clear answers if you have the knowledge.

One could argue that the test was trying to get practical applications of concepts. My opinion, is that the test question were designed to have no clear answers.

Sorry to read about your experience. In the last offerring, many people also expressed that they wondered if they were taking the right exam.

I personally place a high degree of value on ISACA exams. I do side with the perspective that its about judgement and opinion versus pure facts. It's generally more difficult to create an exam that test for judgment. Of the 2 ISACA exams that I have taken, I found them to be fair and comprehensive.

Hopefully you were able to pass. Good luck.

TunYau

Exactly how i feel.....same feeling feel like knowing some answer right and only few wrong... butjust not sure can pass or failed....

consultmoi

I sat for the CISM on Saturday and I agree that most of the questions didn't relate clearly to what I expected the answers to be so I had to make a best guess on what I truly believed the answer to be, so If I fail I will have to sit it again in September

kurtech

i totally agree! 100% well said

Pcgolfer wrote: »

And definitely didn't expect the sample questions on exam. However, the questions were infinitely more vague or obscure - completely different conceptually. I would expect tests of have reasonably clear answers if you have the knowledge.

One could argue that the test was trying to get practical applications of concepts. My opinion, is that the test question were designed to have no clear answers. I have historically been an excellent test taker with strong abstract thinking.

i honestly think a test like this is damaging to the governing body (Isaca). Students expressed similar views from last December's test. I have been an IT auditor with fairly broad experience. I actually learned a great deal studying for the test, but am reconsidering my Isaca membership. I already have my PMP AND Master's certificate in Project Management and am a member of the PMI and Institute of Internal Auditors.

I was so disgusted half way through the exam, I decided to not take more than 20-30 seconds on the remaining questions. I was done just after 11:00 a.m. And took off. Normally I would review all the questions to try and pick up a few more answers. I figured it might do more harm than good.

The PMP EXAM was also a little strange when I took it in December, 2012 (which I passed)

I honestly don't see myself passing yesterday's test, but will wait 8 weeks (ridiculous) to get Bach results. This is an IT test after all. At $500 a pop, they should make this electronic.

mkumar1970

I agree too, the answers to most of questions was very vague and obscure, just keeping my fingers crossed that I will pass the CISM exam.

Thanks

LarryDaMan

I thought the ISACA CISA practice questions were fairly well representative of what was on the test. Only a few questions had me scratching my head at the obscurity or vagueness. There was a lot of choosing between multiple correct answers (which is MOST correct) and that can be difficult because you can rationalize and talk yourself into more than one answer. Much like the CISSP, I left feeling good but not 1000% certain of a pass. I am happy about the faster turnaround (5 weeks or less) on the exam results.

Pcgolfer

I get the need to make people think... including their ability to use abstract thinking and practical application. However, being obscure for obscure's sake, or to make thinks vague doesn't serve anyone.

To think we are talking about technology/computer that come down to 0 or 1, this test was like from 0 to starfish. Here is an extreme example of how bizarre I thought the test was:

1) You are walking on the beach and run into a starfish. What do you order for dinner?

a) crab
b) babyback ribs
c) Bald Eagle
d) Blue Tuna

You can rule out Bald Eagle (national bird and illegal). Also, both crab and Blue tunas live in the sea, and might be friends with the starfish. Also blue tunas are becoming endagered. So, the natural choice is: babyback ribs

The above question is extreme, but that's the concept I am trying to point out. Even if babyback ribs are the right answer, what does that have to do with IT or knowledge about auditing. JUST TRYING TO ADD A LITTLE HUMOR HERE.

Maybe I passed????

JDMurray

Pcgolfer wrote: »

Maybe I passed????

Only if on the exam you consistently ordered the babyback ribs.

andhow

Pcgolfer wrote: »

The above question is extreme, but that's the concept I am trying to point out. Even if babyback ribs are the right answer, what does that have to do with IT or knowledge about auditing. JUST TRYING TO ADD A LITTLE HUMOR HERE.

I think that auditors and security managers need to have a good understanding of the services that IT is enabling. I believe that IT only exists to enable the business or customer. While understanding the technical controls are important, you also need figure out how to assess whether or not the technology is enabling the business to succeed (examples: patient care, financial reporting, manufacturing, etc). I assume that is what ISACA is trying to gauge when asking particularly odd questions.

When I took my CISA exam, I walked out scratching my head. I passed with a reasonably good score, but, for the life of me, I couldn't tell you which answers I missed. Too bad there isn't a better way to review the test answers.

On a side note... I do love babyback ribs. Bald Eagle tastes too much like California Condor.

TunYau

Result should be in for CISM and CISA next Friday I guess......

andhow

I'm concerned I visit ISACA's website so often to check my status that they'll accuse me of performing a particularly ineffective DOS attack.

"Back away from the F5 key, Andhow... back away."

Current CRISC Status: "Not Certified - Exam Registrant - Results Pending (Jun 2013)"

paul78

andhow wrote: »

"Back away from the F5 key, Andhow... back away."

ROFLOL - if it's helpful to know, you will get an email way before it will be listed on the website.

TunYau

Thursday Midnite GMT time zone next we i guess....

D_Pumpin

I really want to thank everyone for their posts on this site, they have been very helpful. I would like if we can all reflect on how the exam went and what we would do better next time (I mean those that sat for the CISA or CRISC exams in june). As for me, I think the exam was not that bad even though I had a lot of disturbing questions. What I would do next time will be to read widely and not limit my studies to auditing and security. A lot of project management questions were visited as well as ITIL questions. Cover these areas as well as CISA manual and database questions and you should be fine.


NOTE: I haven't gotten my result yet but I am hopeful.

Wish you all the best.


Thanks

D_Pumpin

dover

I think the exam presumes at least some level of traditional audit knowledge (i.e. not information systems auditing) - though I could be wrong.

There was one question in particular on the exam which asked about a specific kind of statistical analysis method that was most definitely not mentioned in either the CRM or the other materials I read in preparing for the exam. I recently bought a few used copies of auditing textbooks and ran across that particular method - although I'm still not sure if I answered the question correctly. One of the books has also helped fill-in some holes in my knowledge - particularly about the mechanics and protocols of EDI and also EFT.

I'm not sure if I passed either. I was pretty sick when I took the test, but no excuses; it was a good (tough) exam. If I didn't make the cut, I'll definitely work much harder for December.

And here's to getting our results on Friday - not sure if I can handle anymore waiting.

CISMIT

I'm still waiting to hear from ISACA on my June CISM results. I was very confident going into the exam room but not so much confidence afterwards.

Has anybody heard anything yet?

D_Pumpin

I wouldn't say I went in with so much confidence but I can say I went in prepared but at the same time still expecting to see some confusing questions. However, the did has been done and we just have to wait. Omg, this wait is even harder the exam.

CISMIT

The wait is painful.

Jaded99

andhow wrote: »

I'm concerned I visit ISACA's website so often to check my status that they'll accuse me of performing a particularly ineffective DOS attack.

"Back away from the F5 key, Andhow... back away."

LOL - Def can use some humor like this. I am having sleepless nights thinking about the results.

In terms of profession experience (requirement of CISA), does anyone know what type of work field would be constituted as "professional experience"? I have a 4 year Bachelor of Commerce Degree (2 year waiver) and a little over 1 year of experience at one of the big 4's (1 year waiver), which leaves me with 2 more years of experience. I was planning on accepting a job in Controls/Compliance field, not particularly related to Information Systems. Does anyone know if that would qualify as experience?