CISSP - Study approach

pramin

I'm looking to see the study approach used by people that have passed the CISSP. I know you have to choose what best works for you.

Here is some of what I have come up with; watch video, AIO/Conrad books, end of week review, one domain per week. My goal is to take test at end of August.

The part I'm most looking for feedback on is whether to read books and follow up with video review or vice versa (watch video and then read book).

Thanks

pramin

renacido

I'd go with video first, that will give you a good overview to start the topic and you'll have an idea from there where your knowledge and experience gaps are and where you need to maybe spend a little more time reading and researching.

For each topic I'd go :
1. Video
2. Read study guides/source material (NIST publications, etc)
3. At the end of the domain I'd take practice exam questions from that domain and then go back and study anything I was weak on based on practice exams.

pramin

renacido wrote: »

.

For each topic I'd go :
1. Video
2. Read study guides/source material (NIST publications, etc)
3. At the end of the domain I'd take practice exam questions from that domain and then go back and study anything I was weak on based on practice exams.

Thanks for the suggestion. I especially like no. 3 and doing the practice questions for the domain. Will help me to reinforce what I have learned for the week.

jonesjj510

Not to hijack your thread, but I too was wondering what type of study approach most were using to prepare for the CISSP exam.
My current plan is as follows:

1. Read CISSP for Dummies book cover to cover
2. CBT Nuggets
3. AIO book - One domain per week (taking practice exams along the way)
4. Watch Infosec Institute videos
5. Focusing on weak areas while going over Conrad books
6. Reviewing Sunflower and Combined Notes.

I will also be listening to the Shon Harris mp3s and utilizing Transcender throughout the entire time. I have a copy of the CBK that I will be referencing here and there.

If those approach seems like overkill or flawed in any way please let me know. I am more than open to suggestions.
Background is as follows: Navy IT Senior Chief working on the Security side (although not exclusively) of the house since 09 as an ISSM. I've been on the SysAdmin side and doing some of everything since I joined the Navy in 97.

Thanks!

jvrlopez

Studied 1 domain a day Monday through Thursday. I would read the domain's material/chapter from the Sybex CISSP Study Guide and the notes from the Shon Harris All in One. I would then do the end of chapter questions in both the Sybex and AiO books. Anything that I missed or felt uncomfortable with, I would flag for review later. Depending on how familiar I was with the domain or how much material was present, this would take anywhere from 2 to 5 hours.

On Friday, I would review the domains covered the past 4 days. This would usually consist of reading the chapter introductions as well as the reviews at the end. I would then skim over the material and make sure I covered briefly what I had noted earlier throughout the week.

On Saturday, I would go through every domain just as I had on Monday-Thursday. This usually took me around 8 hours.

Rest on Sunday, maybe skim some material if I wanted to.

I did this for a month and a half or so straight (it took 2 and a half weeks to cover the 10 domains). During the last round, I started reading the 11th Hour alongside my other material. I also made sure to take practice quizzes that were the same length as the actual exam the week prior to the test.

The night before, I reviewed anything I wasn't 100% sure of and read the 11th Hour cover to cover (took a couple of hours).