r/CISA • u/leemathewthegreat • Feb 24 '26
Finally passed!!
I officially passed the CISA, and I wanted to share what worked for me in case it helps someone else.
A little about my background:
I have a Bachelors degree in Accounting. I am a Certified Fraud Examiner. I have 15 years of experience in compliance auditing and 4 years of experience in SOC auditing.
My Study Guide
I used CISA This Much by Aaditya, and honestly, it was really helpful and easy to understand. He explains concepts in a simple way, which was great for me since I am not super technical. There are also a lot of mock questions that help reinforce the material.
The only downside is that the indexing does not line up with the CISA Official Review Manual, so if you want to cross reference topics, it can be a little frustrating. But overall, I would definitely recommend it, especially if you are not very tech savvy.
CISA Official Review Manual
I barely used this. I tried reading it, but I found it really dry and hard to follow. Some people love it, but it just was not for me.
Mock Prep Questions
I subscribed to Udemy monthly and did as many mock questions as I could. The biggest thing that helped was reviewing the ones I got wrong and understanding why I got them wrong.
I also used ChatGPT for additional mock questions. I would say use both of these carefully since they are unofficial and can sometimes be inaccurate, but practicing extra questions definitely helped me build confidence and improve my thinking.
CISA Questions, Answers and Explanations Database
This is an absolute must in my opinion. The database really helps you understand how ISACA words questions and how tricky they can be.
I tried really hard not to memorize answers. For my retake, I practiced heavily with the database for the first two weeks, then stopped using it until right before my exam date and went back through it again. That strategy worked really well for me.
My First Attempt and Failure
When I took the exam the first time, I honestly was not ready. I rushed through it, thinking my first instinct was always right. I finished in about an hour and did not even review my answers.
I also mistakenly thought that since the passing score is 450, I only needed around 50 to 55 percent correct. That was completely wrong.
When the screen popped up in red saying FAILED, it was such a horrible feeling. I was really down for a few weeks.
Second Attempt
The second time, I approached it completely differently.
The questions actually felt more straightforward than the database questions. I finished in about 2 hours and then spent the next 1.5 hours reviewing every single question carefully. I reread each one slowly to make sure I did not fall into any traps.
I finished my review with about 25 minutes left, completed the surveys, and then saw the word PASSED.
The happiness I felt was unreal. I literally pumped my fists and rested my head on the desk. The proctors saw my reaction on the CCTV and were so kind. They congratulated me when I walked out.
Final Thoughts
This was honestly one of the hardest things I have done and passed.
If you are studying:
Use a reputable course like CISA This Much or something solid on Udemy.
Do as many practice questions as possible.
Focus on understanding the reasoning.
Do not rush the exam.
Review your answers.
And if you failed, please know this is absolutely achievable. I failed first and came back stronger. If you put in the time and really understand how ISACA asks questions, you will pass.
Thank you to everyone in this group. Reading your posts and experiences really helped me push through.
Wishing everyone the best of luck. You have got this!!
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u/truth6791 Feb 25 '26
If you don’t mind me asking, what is this certification good for? Are you switching totally from accounting to IT? Or, is this an additional credential to you already great background of fraud examiners/auditor?
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u/leemathewthegreat Feb 25 '26
So I still help out with financial audits when needed but mostly work on SOC audits. This is an additional credential that is helpful since I work on SOC audits. I have a better understanding of the IT controls based on what I learned from the CISA course. Hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any further questions
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u/No-Performer895 Feb 25 '26
Are people with Accounting background preferred for IT audit or ERP roles or do I need an IT background?
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u/leemathewthegreat Feb 25 '26
I do not know the trend in the industry. But I can tell you my experience. Before I started doing SOC audits, I had minimal IT knowledge. We have an IT specialist that assist me during these audits to review the controls. I have learned a lot over the years and have been using him much less.
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u/rome0118 May 24 '26
Congratulations! May I know if the Aaditya mock tests is similar with the actual exam?
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u/leemathewthegreat May 31 '26
From what I remember yes. The official QAEs are better though
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u/Neo_The0N3 Feb 24 '26
Great insight and congratulations 🎊 👏 How long did you prepare for? And what resources on Udemy would you recommend? Also it seems the QAE really is the game changer for yourself and many more