I used the STC USA Series 3 study manual with CD-ROM final exams in order to prepare for my CTA exam. The study material (approx 250 pages) was easy to follow. It covered the regulations well. The CD-ROM had 8 120 question practice exams (with full explanations after each question) and 8 120 question timed exams (explanations given after the exam). Each section of the study material also had between 40-120 multiple questions.
The practice exams were almost exactly the same as the actual exam. I would guess only 5% of the questions in the actual exam were foreign to me.
Using only these two materials I was able to achieve 90% overall with 100% in the regulations section.
The key to this exam is the regulations section. There are only 35 questions and you have to get 70% on them. So you need to know them inside out otherwise you will fail. I personally read the regulations sections, then did all the multiple choice questions, then re-read the regulations section on the night before the exam. I would suggest anyone approaching this exam do the same.
