u/jeyn001

I have almost 9 years of internal audit experience, so with the new 10-year experience requirement for the CIA Challenge Exam, I’m trying to decide on the best approach.
Should I start studying now and take Part 1 (and maybe Part 2), or would it be better to wait until next year, reach the 10-year mark, and take the Challenge Exam instead?
My concern is that I’ll likely have much less time to study next year once I’m back to work full-time. On the other hand, I don’t want to spend time on individual CIA parts if waiting for the Challenge Exam is the smarter option.
I’d love to hear from anyone who has been in a similar situation or has advice on which path makes more sense.
Ps: company is paying my exams

I’m currently on maternity leave and have some quiet time during the day while my baby is sleeping. I’m thinking about starting the CIA certification.
I have almost 9 years of experience, so with the new 10-year experience challenge , I’m wondering what would be the better option: should I start with Part 1 (and maybe Part 2) now while I have the time to study, or wait until next year and take the Challenge Exam instead?
My concern is that next year I’ll be back to work full-time, and with a baby, I’m not sure how much time I’ll realistically have to study. I’d really like to make the most of my maternity leave by balancing time with my baby and working toward the certification.