Passed new CAT based CISSP

jo_usjo_us Member Posts: 6 ■□□□□□□□□□
in CISSP
Hi all,
Thank u all for all the help. I appeared for my CISSP today thinking I would get a 6 hour 250 linear form questions but to my shock I got the new CAT based format. I had no idea about it. I could not go back and review my questions and got 180 mins for 100-150 questions.
I finished the exam in 100 questions and found it pretty interesting and easy. The lesson I learnt is that u need to know ur material and you will surely clear. It wasn’t that hard but I was quite impressed with the way they put the questions.
I will write a detailed post but for anyone going for the new format I feel it’s so much better to complete in 2-3 hours than sitting 6 long hours. The questions were short and less lengthy so it’s probably better.
Overall I Am happy it’s over and CAT seems a much better format. Good luck
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Comments

  • thaiguy314thaiguy314 Member Posts: 59 ■■■□□□□□□□
    That is great news, planned on taking mine in January. How long and deep was your study plan? or would you say the questions themselves were just easier compared to what you'd see in a sybex practice exam?
    Certs: CISSP, CEH, CCNA Cyber Ops, Security+
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  • sameojsameoj Member Posts: 366 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Congrats
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  • clconrad1clconrad1 Member Posts: 26 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Congrats and thanks so much for the input! I am schedule for the day after Christmas (what was I thinking?). I have been trying to decide if I want to take it or wait. Maybe I'll go for it!

    What study materials did you use? I am doing the Sybex book tests and the ACE Sybex test questions. Also Boson.
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  • jo_usjo_us Member Posts: 6 ■□□□□□□□□□
    I used Sybex as my primary source. Know the book cover to cover. Everything was from the book. Do not ignore even a small detail. I was amazed how one line from the book which could be easily ignored was a question in the exam. I read this book 4-5 times till I knew every concept and that’s what u need for the exam. Nothing seemed confusing as after knowing the material well I could very easily eliminate 3 incorrect choices. Sybex test bank was excellent and cccure also was good to clear the concepts. I got a good blend of all the domains. Except for 1 question that I had no idea about everything else was from Sybex. One tip always think the Sybex answer when in doubt. Ur exp over Sybex answer - Sybex
    It was a fun experience trust me if u know the concepts U will clear it.
    Good luck!
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  • McxRisleyMcxRisley OSCP, CASP, CySA+, CPT+, Sec+, CEH, Splunk Admin Member Posts: 494 ■■■■■□□□□□
    This the post I've been waiting for! Now everyone can quit crying about the new format (except maybe those who unfortunately had to take the 6 hour long 250 question version LOL).
    I'm not allowed to say what my previous occupation was, but let's just say it rhymes with architect.
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  • anthonxanthonx CISA, CRISC, CISM, CDPSE Member Posts: 108 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Congrats, must be nerve wracking when you were expecting the old format and was surprised to found out you will be testing the new CAT format. Good to know you were able to overcome the jitters.
    AnthonX
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  • TechGuru80TechGuru80 Member Posts: 1,539 ■■■■■■□□□□
    McxRisley wrote: »
    This the post I've been waiting for! Now everyone can quit crying about the new format (except maybe those who unfortunately had to take the 6 hour long 250 question version LOL).
    Haha no kidding...people always have to have something to complain about. I’ll be honest the longer version felt like a day of work and was so exhausting...a 2-3 hour exam is barely any time!
    Security Certification Roadmap
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  • PC509PC509 CISSP, CEH, CCNA: Security/CyberOps, Sec+, CHFI, A+, Proj+, Server+, MCITP Win7, Vista, MCP Server 2 Oregon, USMember Posts: 802 ■■■■■■□□□□
    McxRisley wrote: »
    This the post I've been waiting for! Now everyone can quit crying about the new format (except maybe those who unfortunately had to take the 6 hour long 250 question version LOL).

    I've actually been looking forward to the new format. A 6 hour exam, I'd get exam fatigue and start going downhill after a couple hours. This way, it's a shorter exam, but still a tough exam. May not be able to skip or go back, but I can handle that.

    Congrats! Did you read the 11th Hour book? I have the Sybex and the 11th Hour (along with Cybrary.IT, ITPro.TV, and several practice exam apps, the Sunflower guide, and another small study guide similar to the Sunflower...).
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  • cyberguyprcyberguypr Senior Member Mod Posts: 6,927 Mod
    Congrats, although there seems to be some misinformation here. According to what I've read on this forum you were supposed to be severely affected or perhaps die after taking the "new" test icon_smile.gif
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  • NetworkNewbNetworkNewb Member Posts: 3,298 ■■■■■■■■■□
    Wait, so you didn't put the test on hold for 6 months to re-study every concept because the test changed the way they asked the same topics?



    Congrats!! Hope to join you in the near future!
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  • clconrad1clconrad1 Member Posts: 26 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Y'all are a buncha meanies making fun of people! ;) Some people have test anxiety and fear of the unknown (whether it's actually warranted or not)! Also some of us old(er)-timers have been told our entire lives to test and go back and review at the end. That's hard to get over! :) But yeah, I get that it's probably an irrational fear.
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  • jo_usjo_us Member Posts: 6 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Honestly I was dead nervous! But then I enjoyed the new format as everytime i answered the question the complexity of next question provided that confidence I was going the right direction.
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  • jo_usjo_us Member Posts: 6 ■□□□□□□□□□
    I did not read the 11th hour. I would strongly suggest reading what works best for you. The moment you know all the terms and concepts well enough ( no matter which book) you are ready. Sybex worked best for me.
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  • clconrad1clconrad1 Member Posts: 26 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Thanks so much for your info. I know my struggles are with who encrypts what and decrypts what. I will definitely be hitting that hard. I tend to get those wrong more oft than not. I also need to brush up on the software section! Those are my main things that stump me. Was it like how the old test was with the drag and drops too? I imagine that part wouldn't have changed but I'll ask anyway.
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  • useravuserav Member Posts: 56 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Congrats！
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  • GirlyGirlGirlyGirl Member Posts: 219
    jo_us wrote: »
    I did not read the 11th hour. I would strongly suggest reading what works best for you. The moment you know all the terms and concepts well enough ( no matter which book) you are ready. Sybex worked best for me.

    The best advice I've seen in a while.
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  • AlmodiusAlmodius Registered Users Posts: 3 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Hi,

    Just went to the new CAT based exam, didn't pass

    I had the impression I study the wrong books. Very few technical questions and the few, I had, weren't in the books.
    I have CISCO and MS certification, and never found a exam that looked so different to test exams.

    Books used for my study:
    11hoursCISSP (read 2 times)
    CISSP-All-in-One-Exam-Guide-6th-Edition (read 2 times)
    Certified Information Systems Security Professional Study Guide 7th edition (read 4 times)

    practice test:
    McGraw-Hill test
    Sybextest

    Issue:
    1-the way the questions were formulated were way different than Sybextest.
    2-the way they refer to some terms and concepts are totally different as defined in the study guide.
    3-not enough time.

    First time you read the question, you have no clue what they are asking and you need to read the question a few times to fully understand what they mean, at the end you run out of time!

    It appears that the key to pass the exam is not on having technical knowledge, instead you need to be agile with the language, or find the right test to be prepare. On too many occasions I wasn't sure what they meant.

    At this point, not sure how to proceed as reading the books again will not help, if somebody who passed the test can advise with some test that look alike the exam.
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  • mydingomanmydingoman Member Posts: 6 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Were you able to find any more resources to help you?I pretty much ran into the same issue. You really can't waste time on any one question.
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  • Paul13Paul13 Registered Users Posts: 1 ■□□□□□□□□□
    I studied like crazy and the questions all seemed foreign. I was stunned that they all seemed like nothing in Sybex book. Very disappointed.
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  • Flyslinger2Flyslinger2 Member Posts: 13 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Almodius wrote: »
    Hi,

    Just went to the new CAT based exam, didn't pass

    I had the impression I study the wrong books. Very few technical questions and the few, I had, weren't in the books.
    I have CISCO and MS certification, and never found a exam that looked so different to test exams.

    Books used for my study:
    11hoursCISSP (read 2 times)
    CISSP-All-in-One-Exam-Guide-6th-Edition (read 2 times)
    Certified Information Systems Security Professional Study Guide 7th edition (read 4 times)

    practice test:
    McGraw-Hill test
    Sybextest

    Issue:
    1-the way the questions were formulated were way different than Sybextest.
    2-the way they refer to some terms and concepts are totally different as defined in the study guide.
    3-not enough time.

    First time you read the question, you have no clue what they are asking and you need to read the question a few times to fully understand what they mean, at the end you run out of time!

    It appears that the key to pass the exam is not on having technical knowledge, instead you need to be agile with the language, or find the right test to be prepare. On too many occasions I wasn't sure what they meant.

    At this point, not sure how to proceed as reading the books again will not help, if somebody who passed the test can advise with some test that look alike the exam.

    You need to think of the test as an I.Q. test where you get 4 squares but only one really matches the question. They are all technically correct, but since this is not a technical certification, only one is truly correct.

    You can immediately eliminate two of the answers as being bad. If one of the remaining "fits" in the other then take the other answer.

    You can eliminate absolutes. All, always, etc. type of words are never in the CISSP lexicon. I had one question where three of the four options had the word All in it. I didn't even bother to read the answer. When I eliminated the absolutes I chose the correct answer. Next question please!
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  • sameojsameoj Member Posts: 366 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Congrats
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  • laurieHlaurieH Member Posts: 109 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Well done... you CAT exam takers don't know how easy you have it... (jk) icon_wink.gif
    CCNA - expired
    CISSP - live n' kickin'
    My CISSP study apps
    My CISSP study advice blog
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