Why are so many people failing the CCNA?

midlight21

I need this question answered because I'm in the process of recerting my CCNA. I don't want to fall for any Cisco traps that we ALL know are on the exam. What kinds of sims have you seen on the exam? I *plan* on taking the 640-801 in a few weeks but I will spend extra time if necessary in order to secure a passing score. Any information is appreciated.

int80h

It's because people expect the CCNA to be a very easy paper cert like the MCSE. They don't realize that unlike the MCSE, you need hands on experience and not just reading books to pass the CCNA.

KGhaleon

When you say that people are failing the CCNA quite a bit, you should point out that they are taking the larger one-part exam. Most people that take the two-part CCNA seem to pass without too many problems. It's not the sims that get a lot of people, it's the fact that you have very little time to clear 50-60 vague questions. The exam combines aspects of the two-part exam, so questions usually have more than one answer and require the tester to use more than one of the skills they studied.

A lot of people come close to passing, but usually fail just below the passing grade.

KG

wastedtime

I took the CCNA composite about 4 or 5 months ago. About 15 questions give or take a few were tricky, for example you would have to pick the answer that was more right even if there are two valid answers. An like they said up a few post, it is hard to get a grasp on some of the stuff if you never have worked with it. Also when I went in there and took it I was expecting the passing score to be 799, but when I sat down to start the test I saw 849 for a minimum passing score. About that time I started feeling butterflies.

fondue

640-801 is passable. The sims probably haven't changed since the last time you took the exam, routing protocol setup, vlan and troubleshooting someone mistakes.

init80h wrote:

It's because people expect the CCNA to be a very easy paper cert like the MCSE

init80h, if the MCSE is so easy why don't you have one?

was55amg

good point eveybody. + don't forget that you almost need 85% to pass!!! that's a lot.

Jiggsaww

int80h wrote:

It's because people expect the CCNA to be a very easy paper cert like the MCSE. They don't realize that unlike the MCSE, you need hands on experience and not just reading books to pass the CCNA.

@ MCSE......hence where scores come in.....:D

TeKniques

int80h wrote:

It's because people expect the CCNA to be a very easy paper cert like the MCSE. They don't realize that unlike the MCSE, you need hands on experience and not just reading books to pass the CCNA.

What a ridiculous statement. It seems to me that if you don't have any hands on experience working with the Microsoft stuff you will fail too.

kevozz

No, that is a perfectly valid statement. Nothing ridiculous about it. You can pass the MCSE without ever touching a book, which is sad. Just braindump and use **** sheets and you will pass. I witnessed people attending the paper mill CTEC Academy do this. One person I know who did this was a friend who attended a 2 week bootcamp. Some computer experience, but no networking experience. Played games and goofed off the whole 2 weeks. Used transcenders and memorized a Test King and Troy Tec and a few other things the day before and passed all 7 tests, along with his ccna, net+ and a+ within 2 weeks. Passed one test in 7 minutes (it was either 70-216 or 70-21. But ironically, after spending $12,000 on this program, screws up his first few jobs and is now back in school for something medical related. Talking about cheapening a cert!

Jiggsaww

wiat wait wait did u just say CCNA ^^^^^^.......4 real?

mikeyoung

midlight21 wrote:

I need this question answered because I'm in the process of recerting my CCNA. I don't want to fall for any Cisco traps that we ALL know are on the exam. What kinds of sims have you seen on the exam? I *plan* on taking the 640-801 in a few weeks but I will spend extra time if necessary in order to secure a passing score. Any information is appreciated.

First of all there are no traps. If you know the material and can work the sims correctly you can pass. It isn't magic, but it isn't easy either. CCNA is one of the hardest entry level certs out there and you need to treat it accordingly.

If you want the cert without the work, go read some braindumps and practice a few sims and you might make it... or you might not... maybe that is why so many people are failing. But even if you pass and you get a job because you got the cert, but you can't perform because all you did was braindumps, you're not gonna last a week.

If you want to grow and advance your career, LEARN THE MATERIEAL and be READY for the test And if you can't do a basic router AND switch config without notes, you are NOT ready (especially ALL of the routing protocols on the routers and VLANs on the switches). I have no concrete evidence to base this on, but I don't think you can pass without nailing your sims.

There are a ton of resources available for this cert. Read through all of the posts here and you will see what I mean. Also, I used to be a advocate of the one test route, but I think I have to re-consider and say that the two-test method may be the way to go.

Good luck to you and let us know how you are doing. You won't find a better forum and more people willing to answer your questions than you will right here.

Mike

Munck

I did the 801 a year ago.

I believe so many people are failing because one has to know alot about rather old technology like ISDN. Personally, I have never used it, so memorizing all the different theory was difficult for me.

And subnetting Even though everyone preach about how important it is to know by heart, I feel people tend not to take it seriously enough.

wastedtime

Ya, that was 1 area that was hard, but I had a hard time with a lot of the wan technologies.