As the awardee of the 2014 Dr. Glenn Sumners Student Award for the CIA exam, I would highly recommend the Gleim CIA Review program. I used the Gleim CIA Review books to study for all parts of the CIA exams and found the program extremely helpful, particularly the practice exams. The program not only helped me understand necessary concepts, but also tested my understanding through multiple in-class exams on actual CIA exam questions as well as online practice questions.
When other CIA exam candidates have asked me for advice, I believe the key to success is in the practice questions. While everyone learns in different ways, I have found the most effective approach is mastering as many practice questions as possible. I would also recommend candidates to reach out to fellow certified colleagues to ask for their advice.