Studing for multiple exams at once

cycleking

What are your opinions about studing for multiple exams at once, as long as you can dedicate your devotion to both. Do you think that one would bleed over into the other and confuse you at exam time, or do you think that one would benefit from the other and reinforce the topic?

Sounds Good

Depends on the topics. If they're related, might be tricky but might also be synergistic and reinforce knowledge. If they're unrelated, then you're essentially studying for 2 separate exams and needing to retain that much more knowledge.

E Double U

I like to tackle things one at a time. When I want two certifications that have similar material I just begin studying the second one immediately after passing the first. I just passed GCIH two weeks ago and studying CEH now while the other material is fresh.

cyberguypr

It depends on the person. Some people argue that taking a break from one and focusing on the other helps. To me it's just a distraction so I prefer to tackle them one at a time. I tried studying for two once and it didn't work for me. Over a dozen certs later I'm sticking with the 'one at a time' method as it has proven very efficient for me.

aftereffector

I tried doing two at once, but like cyberguy said, it was distracting. I work best if I can just focus on one at a time. However, everyone is an individual so I expect that some people do prefer to work on two things at once - but from my experience, I study better when I am focused.

636-555-3226

If they're a cakewalk, then two at a time, but at that point why even bother studying, just take the exam and walk out with a smile on your face.

When I take a test I prefer to obtain mastery over the subject, so I focus in on one exam and work my butt off to really learn it. I don't learn the minimum amount needed to just "pass the test." You can't do two at a time with that attitude.

BlackBeret

I can only focus on a particular topic for so long without getting side tracked. Studying for two at a time helps me because then if I find that I'm tired of a topic instead of jumping to something random, I can focus on something specific, then switch back. To be fair I have an excessive amount of time to study at work, and I devote some time at home to things I can't do at work like PWK. So I tend to keep books for one topic at work, and work on another at home.

matai

I usually do one at a time but right now I'm studying some CEH materials as a primer for the GCIH. I'll end up taking both exams because my work will pay for it.

roninkai

Has anyone found that the more knowledge and experience you have, the easier it is to start knocking out other vendor certs without additional study? For instance, if I have CCENT, I could probably just go take N+. Or if I have GPEN, I could sit for CEH w/o too much study. So when you get to the point of being at the top of your game, the certs themselves come easier with less time investment?

Dakinggamer87

One cert or exam at a time has worked out the best for me in my experience. It helps with my overall focus and concentration to master a subject matter.

m00ndogg

I have found that I have been studying for multiple exams without even trying...

My desire to pursue networking has led me. There is TONS of overlap between A+, Net+ & Sec+.
Although I skipped A+, I did look at it and saw lots of networking (hardware specs mostly) stuff in there.
I have taken (and passed) Net+ & Sec+ both within the past month, and now I'm on to Cisco CCNA (again... I didn't pass ICND1 3 months ago).

E Double U

dragonsden wrote: »

Has anyone found that the more knowledge and experience you have, the easier it is to start knocking out other vendor certs without additional study? For instance, if I have CCENT, I could probably just go take N+. Or if I have GPEN, I could sit for CEH w/o too much study. So when you get to the point of being at the top of your game, the certs themselves come easier with less time investment?

It has gotten easier for me. I studied for CCNA for over a year and didn't pass on my first attempt. But after a few more years of working on Cisco equipment I was able to pass the CCNA/P Security exams all on the 1st try. After enduring three CISSP attempts that lasted hour hours each time, I was used to these long exams when I took the GCIH. Now I'm studying CEH and I learned a lot of this material while preparing for CISSP and GCIH so it seems more like a refresh than really studying.

I have fine tuned my studying methods over the years. Now I incorporate CBT Nuggets, mp3's, and writing out a lot of material instead of just dry reading like I've done in the past.

Mooseboost

Depends on the exams. If they are related, it would be a little bit easier. However, for me I try to focus on one thing at a time so I can give it my full attention. I tend to consume myself when studying though, I tend to have obsessive tendencies when learning something.

twodogs62

Think it depends on how soon you plan to take tests.
if just learning fine... But, think why the hurry to do two at same time.
i have been wanting to do LPI, but end up just taking topic and focusing on it to help me with current job needs. Thus never getting down to study and actually take exam.
i am trying to focus on studying for CAPM and taking before end of year.
But have need to also increase my Microsoft skills and thus will start studying for MCSA.
so I have fallen into needing to study for two at same time.
however focus as far as exam will be for the CAPM.

thus I think if try to do too much, you might not complete task of taking exams.
you will need to make one exam at a time the priority, IMO.

thatguy67

I am studying for the MCSA and VCP5-DCV right now.

There was a Hyper-V question on a Microsoft exam that I was able to answer because I picked the concept up in my VMware studies. It was pretty cool, considering I wouldn't have known it if I studied only my Microsoft material.

Deathmage

I'm studying for ICDN2 and Storage + right now.

However I just got my next two books: VCP6 and 70-410.

Mooseboost wrote: »

I tend to have obsessive tendencies when learning something.

I thought it was just me with that 'obsession' that's growing his home-lab with new-to-me Cisco hardware at every fiscally possible turn. ...might explain why I need an 18U extension for the 24U rack

TechGuru80

For the most part I have found its very difficult to study for multiple exams at once. Studying for multiple can also delay the speed at which you get certified and kind of defeats the purpose.

Edificer

I can relate to that. I have a vmware certification (or CCNA DC), CCNA Collaboration, and CCNP SISAS on hold to study something related to optical networking. The strategy I use to tackle this is quite simple, whichever one I currently have hands-on take precedence.

If I study one certificate, I'd like to forget about the others completely and the emphasize will only be on that cert.

IIIMaster

Yeah it's possible and that's my approach. It skills you across multiple platforms at the same time. The thing is to take in little pieces at a time and to have realistic goals. But then again thats work environment I work on multiple platforms a day. One ticket its Linux the next its VMware then on to the next.

OctalDump

At university, you regularly are studying 3 or 4 subjects at once. I looked into doing a 6 month Diploma course, and they ran their subjects back to back instead.
I don't see great problems either way, if you are actually mastering the material. I think that if you are using the cram method to study, then putting in all your thrust and focus on one area at a time makes sense. The problem is that you tend then to forget it as quickly as you learnt it.

Depending where you are working in IT, you can be working with multiple areas at once eg security, systems, virtualisation, SAN, networking, hardware. So studying more than one thing is natural.

I think over time, as your general knowledge builds up, it does get easier to learn more things because there is a lot of overlap. Security concepts are in most areas of IT, networking goes into server and vice versa, data networks are like storage networks, storage concepts matter in storage and systems and virtualisation and even cloud. This is why it's good to get those fundamentals down solid early on in, since it makes everything easier down the track.

matai

dragonsden wrote: »

Has anyone found that the more knowledge and experience you have, the easier it is to start knocking out other vendor certs without additional study? For instance, if I have CCENT, I could probably just go take N+. Or if I have GPEN, I could sit for CEH w/o too much study. So when you get to the point of being at the top of your game, the certs themselves come easier with less time investment?

Yes, I also have a study system that works well for me that I've refined over time.

dave0212

Completely agree with OctalDump;

Throughout your schooling you are learning many disparate subjects at once, I think as long as you focus on learning the subject rather than preparing for an exam it is doable. I am actually just preparing to start multiple areas of focus, not really aiming for exams but will no doubt complete some

Nafe92014

I'm kinda in the same boat as the OP. With me just taking one class right now until November, I can focus on obtaining the certification for that class (MCSA: Configuring Windows 8.1). However, because of this, studying for my CCENT/CCNA will be put on hold until towards the end of my program. My diploma is more of a priority over certifications right now.

cycleking

That's kinda my thinking @OctalDump, in school you study 3-4 topics and hopefully pass the class. Why can't this be applied to certs? However, I agree that the closer the topics relate then it would benefit greatly from that. But then you have a topic that is better studied alone like PMP or another top level cert. So with that said what would you guys say would go well with the MCSA? I like how thatguy67 stated how in his exam another topic helped out in another.

kurosaki00

Yeah can be done. But usually certs cover several topics and different subjects, so for me I rather just focus on one cert.

JoJoCal19

I'm studying for the CISM and GCIA right now. I find that either studying for one technical and one non-technical cert is ok, but studying for two completely different technical certs is a no go unless they are on the same topic where most material overlaps.