A Recipe for Success – Part 1
So you’re preparing for the CIA exam, and the goal is obvious: PASS each part. But how do you accomplish that? Well, the recipe for success is pretty simple – just be prepared.
Each of the four parts of the CIA exam includes 100 multiple-choice questions. Therefore, its crucial that your study preparations include answering and studying many new and different multiple-choice questions. Avoid memorizing the correct answers. Instead, focus on learning the concepts that are being tested.
With the large body of knowledge being tested, it is likely that you’ll encounter a question to which you may not know the answer. If you’re unsure of an answer, guess, but make it an educated guess. First, rule out answers that you feel are obviously incorrect. Second, speculate on The IIA’s purpose and/or the rationale behind the question. These steps may lead you to the correct answer. Third, select the best answer, or guess between equally appealing answers. Flag the question in case you have time to return to it for further analysis. Remember to answer all questions. Your grade will be based on the total number of correct answers. This means that there is no penalty for guessing.
Time management is critical on the CIA exam. You have 165 minutes to answer 100 questions. Gleim suggests you budget 1.25 minutes per question. This would result in completing 100 questions in 125 minutes to give you almost 40 minutes to review questions that you have flagged. Do not agonize over any one item. If necessary, make an educated guess, flag for review, and move on. You can then come back to it during your review period. However, unless you made an obvious mistake or computational error, try to avoid changing answers at the last minute. Your first guess is usually the most intuitive.
If you practice the time management and multiple-choice question-answering techniques we discussed (i.e., educated guessing) throughout your review, you will put yourself in position to be successful on the CIA exam.
Keep in mind Dr. Gleim’s motto, “Expect the unexpected and adjust!”
