Compiling a list of what's actually useful for ISA prep after going through a lot of material that wasn't. Wanted to share what worked for me and hopefully save others some time.
For exam prep specifically, the free resources are surprisingly good. The free isa network security & defense questions and answers has questions that closely match real exam difficulty — not dumbed-down versions that give you false confidence.
What I'd skip: most YouTube "pass in one week" content. The explanations are surface-level and don't prepare you for the applied questions on the actual ISA exam. Flashcards alone also aren't enough for this one.
What actually worked: timed practice sets with immediate review of wrong answers, reading the official reference material for any concept that came up more than twice, and finding one study partner for the study guide sections. The social accountability made a bigger difference than I expected.
Congrats on passing! Can I ask — how many questions did the actual exam have compared to what the practice tests simulate? I've seen different numbers online and want to calibrate my timing during practice.
Same experience here. The free isa network security & defense questions and answers was what finally made it click for me — specifically the way it explains the reasoning rather than just giving answers. Took me 2 weeks of consistent practice but scores went from 68% to 82% by exam day.
The part about reviewing wrong answers thoroughly is so underrated. Most people (including me, first time around) just move on after getting something wrong. Going back to understand the concept is what actually builds retention for the ISA.
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