Is a boot camp worth the money?

CISSPorBust

Is a boot camp worth the money?

They seem rather expensive, but some cissp courses include the cost of the exams, so its not as bad.

Danielm7

Some people say so, they usually also have their workplace paying for it. Going out of pocket I wouldn't do it. Assuming you have the proper experience already i'd use the same materials that everyone else here uses to pass. Cybrary.it course, which is free and extremely helpful. Sybex book, 11th hour, CCcure questions, etc. Read some of the pass threads here they are very detailed on the study methods.

SteveLavoie

I don't mind my workplace to pay for training, however if I can self-study with minimal budget, I do it. I prefer my workplace to pay for training that no books/CBT are released for, like Veeam VMCE or OSCP.

For CISSP, all good ressource can be reached with a Safari Books Online account, all popular books, at least 3 complete video course (Sari Green 24h, David Miller about 55h, and another one). Why go to a training place an be unsure about the instructor? You get at least 3 video training series that many reviewed.

Then all your CISSP study material are available for 39$/month. This way, you don't have to buy all books, and to bet on your selection, you can read them all. Don't understand Sybex, then read the CBT or Conrad, it's all there and available for you.


Finally you can add a free Cybrary account, to get other great content.

dontstop

I've never been to a boot camp but I have been to IT training with Dimension Data. I think a dedicated finishing boot camp is a good idea if you have the money/support from work just before your exam. To rely on one as the only source of education for an exam would be risky.

SteveLavoie

The only advantage of a boot camp is the excuse to take time off the office.

TankerT

It all depends on what you need to learn/review, your learning style, and how you view the payoff. I used it prep me for the exam with no prior studying. However, I have been in the industry for about 20 years, and was using it more as a prep tool than to actually learn the topics. If you need to learn some areas from scratch, it might be sufficient enough to pass, but not enough to teach you the topics well enough to retain them.

cyberguypr

I went through a CISSP virtual bootcamp only because it was free as I was QC'ing it. I would've never paid for it out of my own pocket but would've gone to one if my employer paid for it. It's worth noting that bootcamps usually bring more value only after you have good knowledge of the topics covered. Consider them a review session on steroids.

NavyMooseCCNA

cyberguypr wrote: »

I went through a CISSP virtual bootcamp only because it was free as I was QC'ing it. I would've never paid for it out of my own pocket but would've gone to one if my employer paid for it. It's worth noting that bootcamps usually bring more value only after you have good knowledge of the topics covered. Consider them a review session on steroids.

I have never done a bootcamp, but don't most of them give you a reading list and/or exercises that must be completed prior to the start date?

higherho

Overall = No
Work pays = eh why not?
You pay = Hell no

The boot camp skims over the content and pretty much teaches you how to prep /think for the exam. Honestly, I got a lot more value by doing this by myself. Granted working in a group is nice but I find that multiple people would be confused and start contradicting each other.

Bootcamps for this type of certification are not worth it. Bootcamps for more technical certifications are worth it.

CISSPorBust

Some claim to have a 85-90% pass rate, does that seem possible?

TechGuru80

Some bootcamps might offer a retake voucher if you fail so that's definitely something to look into...depending on who is footing the bill. Honestly there are a lot of free (Cybrary IT) or low cost options (books, CBT Nuggets, etc.) that you could potentially pass by using but it depends on how you learn and how much work you are willing to put in on your own. The bootcamps are fast pace so I would think a solid foundation of knowledge would be necessary to get the full benefit....whereas something like CBT Nuggets, you can take your time and work through the material. I know people who have passed both taking bootcamps and not taking bootcamps so I definitely do not think it is a silver bullet.

TankerT

CISSPorBust wrote: »

Some claim to have a 85-90% pass rate, does that seem possible?

Sure. But, frankly, there is a caveat to that claim. They only can track those students that report to their instructor or the company if they passed or failed. The training company has no real way to know what the official results of their students are. I have gone to three boot camps. All paid for by my employer. Although, considering it is a must have in the InfoSec world, it has a value to it.

I went through InfoSec Institute for all of my courses. They make such a claim. In my CISSP class, about 70% of the students responded to a group e-mail that they either passed or failed. (I think that all but one passed...) Who knows about the other 30%...

I don't learn very well just by reading. I do best either by doing things, or by learning from an instructor. Some people do well by reading, but not when learning with an instructor.

The good boot camps are intense. My CISSP class started at 8 and went until 5 with a break for lunch, and a few rest room breaks. We then broke for dinner, and then had an optional review and practice test session from about 7 until 10.

I smoked the CISSP exam in about 3 hours. But, to be fair, I had a lot of experience prior to the boot camp. The boot camp helped me focus on what I really needed to know, and helped reinforce some things. I would say that I knew about 80% or more of the material going in from practical experience. However, I didn't know it the (ISC)2 way... which is important.

I decided to do the boot camp after getting the Shon Harris book and trying to read that. Frankly, I was "OMG... this is sooo deep... I need help... I'll take a class..." Well... the boot camp really taught me that the Shon Harris book goes WAY too deep. I saved a lot of time.

I am a big fan of boot camps. They help me focus, I learn a few things, and I am well prepped for the exam afterwards. I have passed every exam after taking a boot camp. However, I am not a newbie in the areas I attend classes in.

If you are a novice, a boot camp will not get you through the exam. But, if you have a few years of experience, and learn well in an intense classroom environment, it can be a good option.

I have also passed other certifications without doing anything except for reading and taking a practice exam. *shrug* There are a lot of variables.

In the end, a lot of it has to do if you have a base knowledge, and how you learn things.

I am considering taking a boot camp and paying for it myself for a specific certification, as I see a good return on investment. Your milage may vary.

But... I wouldn't take a boot camp that doesn't have some type of guarantee. And, read the fine print on the guarantee.

jcundiff

I went through the Training Camp's boot camp... it is very intense... Monday-Friday 8-7 and then Sat 9-12, sit the exam at 1. Boot Camps are not a magic bullet and not for the novice. I had a strong background in GRC, BC/DR, I&AM and Physical Security and had been self studying off and on for a year. Its worth the money, if the company is paying for it, I think it was 5500, and included hotel room, exam fee and breakfast and lunch.

Its a final polish, not the body work and primer

InCryptable

jcundiff wrote: »

I went through the Training Camp's boot camp... it is very intense... Monday-Friday 8-7 and then Sat 9-12, sit the exam at 1.

I too went through Training Camp's CISSP Boot Camp, in Pennsylvania.

Training Camp has a location in the Pocono's that they put you up in - a small 2BR condo for the week and it included lunch and snacks throughout the training as I recall. Nice location - deep in a the Pocono's.

After class each day, I went back to my condo and stayed up reading Shon Harris's Exam questions - I liked the fact that she explained each answer as to why three were wrong and one was correct. They also provided us hours of video training that you could start watching about three weeks before the training.

Being away from all distractions of work, family, etc...really helped me focus that week. I know that helped me a lot obtain my CISSP.