How many tries before passing?

Took the exam yesterday. Scored 700.

My area of knowledge scores were:

Technology: 57%
Planning & Design: 72%
Implementing & Operation: 50%
Troubleshooting: 52%

For me, the most challenging was Troubleshooting, followed by Implementation & Operation (I assume this includes the sims).

There were several ISDN questions which, IMHO, are not too relevant given today's DSL/cable and other, faster WAN technologies.

I've been away from day-to-day administration of data networks for about 10 years (working in voice and climbing the management ladder) so, my goal with the CCNA is to catch up with the nuts and bolts of data networks. Obviously, I've got a lot more learning to do.

Did a Global Knowledge Boot Camp a couple of weeks ago. Good course. Instructor J.D. Wegner.

I did a lot of studying (estimated 20-30 hours since the class including 12 'Learning Mode' and 4 'Certification Mode' Self Test's) and felt like I was well prepared. I guess that wasn't enough. The CCNA is a tough exam.

Well, it's back to the books and practice exams. I'll probably shoot for week after next to retest.

I'm curious, how many times people have taken the CCNA before passing it?

Chris

Find more posts tagged with

Save $250 on 2025 certification boot camps from Infosec!

Book now with code EOY2025

Button

Comments

Jiggsaww

well for me which i did today.........once.........scored 912....been studyin for this exam for d month of january and the latter part of december last yr.........use Sybex CCNA 5th along with router sim, cert sim, transcender, and a 2500s router.....

yea it's a tough one if u not familiar with the commands.......

mikej412

Jiggsaww wrote:

well for me which i did today.........once.........scored 912....

Ah, another member of the 900 club!

Congratulations!

Just once for me, so far, on all my tests.

Watch those tricky questions -- there's a bunch of them. And the shock of the first exam also can take it toll on your score if you're not prepared.

Jiggsaww

thanks

porengo

I failed it by a hair the first time, and passed it a week later. But within that week I ate, slept, breathed...lived Cisco!

petedude

camalone wrote:

I'm curious, how many times people have taken the CCNA before passing it?

I took the INTRO once, and am preparing for the ICND currently, but. . .

I tried switching to the combined 801 exam midstream, and blew the exam. It really pays to not only be ready on the material side, but to have had exposure to routers/simulators. (I'd actually recommend both but with emphasis on the routers.)

It seems to work to take more than one vendor's exam prep tests, and try to nail those at least at the "low 90s" (as one other put it) before taking the test. I went for the INTRO after scoring 90%+ on the Cisco Press book's CD, and got overconfident and went for the 801 after 82 or so percent. That tells you something. . .

Munck

I did mine (801) in my first try

. Studied intensively for 3 months, using Sybex 5th and Boson

camalone

Thanks for all the replies! I'll post again after I take it again.

CAM

mikeyoung

CAM. do NOT give up!!!! It took me two times to pass the "one" test option.

I too, was just getting back into the "nuts and bolts" after too many years of managing and directing and stressing. and not sleeping.

Taking and passing the CCNA did me a world of good ; got me back to the basics and it really kickstarted me and and now I am still managing directing, stressing and not sleeping, but it is more fun and it impresses the younsters that I work with when I can do a quick router config or setup a VLAN when they are short handed.

You're right about the ISDN though. Not many people use it any more. But you still have to know it. (I don't make rules, I just play the game.)

So stay after it, brother! It will come to you. You have to nail the sims, though. So do all the "hands on" that you can. Practice, practice, practice.

Good luck!
Mike

petedude

mikeyoung wrote:

You're right about the ISDN though. Not many people use it any more. But you still have to know it. (I don't make rules, I just play the game.)

From my observation, it's mostly used for frame relay backup, and little else anymore. But in large corporate environments, those things count, thus the pressure on Cisco to maintain said support (similar to all the fuss I hear about IS-IS on the CCNP side).

I passed with 964 in the second try. Since you have already seen the pattern, it should be more easier now.

Good luck for your next try...