CISSP Achieved! Failed 7 times, passed on the 8th!
To all CISSP endeavors;
I am long time lurker here on TechExams. Read almost every passed/failed thread on here and if anything, learned almost nothing from them. That's because each and every passed was unique to the individuals and their learning style. If ISC pulled the fail stat, I am certain one of those with high failure attempts. Now, all this is my fault, and blamed no materials, ISC. If there is anything I learned from the folks that passed this utmost brutal exam, it's DETERMINATION!
ME: 35 yr old, IT Professional, wore different hats throughout my career, currently a Govie't with a Chief title.
There were many reasons of why I failed 7 times, of which, the benefit was figuring out the best learning method that can be applied. So below was what helped for me, and I hope you get something out of it.
1. I put in a few hours a day to read these books in sequential order (sybex cissp 7th edition, Eric Conrad 11th hour 3rd Edition) for two months after each failed attempt (on weak areas).
2. Converted the Mike Chapel CISSP Lynda.com course to Audio files and listened over and over while driving to and from work.
3. Took the CISSP Pocket App for Android. I do not own an Android phone but used the Blue Stacks instead. I am not a fan of using it on the iOS devices as their screen sizes are limited. BlueStacks is free and can expand the screen to desktop sizes. This gives me mouse function to maneuver much better.
4. Practice questions, read every single explanation as to why it was the CORRECT/INCORRECT answer. Understand the concepts and the reasons behind them and NOT memorize them. This was an issue for me, trying to memorize everything.
5. If analytical is a strength of yours, definitely leverage this. Decipher what the question is asking for, then put in two hats (1) Security Professional and (2) Business Manager.
6. Stay consistent with the study schedule, never a day when I did not touch the materials until the day before the exam.
Exam Time:
I passed it this morning with an inexplicable relief feeling. I hugged all the ladies at the testing centers
.
The 7th exam that I failed was the new adaptive CAT exam. I was given weak areas to improve on they were a lot.
Preparation:
1. Day before exam, I dropped all materials, no study no nothing. I enjoyed time with my children. All I know is put them to sleep and get a good nights sleep myself. I did not try to remember ANYTHING from the CISSP material.
2. Dropped the kid to daycare, then head straight to the PEARSON center.
3. Picked myself a locker, put everything in it except IDs for processing.
4. Sat for the exam and....
5. The first question I got was a drag and drop scenario, holy smokes, that freaked me out! Then reading through it, it was an easy one.
6. 1 hr and 50 minute later, on question 101....exam closed.
7. Headed over to the front desk, and truth be told, all I looked for is the FIRST word that says "Congratulations!" and indeed it was there.
That's it folks! I am onto CISM and if I fail it, I will do it again and again. Remember, DETERMINATION is your ONLY juice in knocking this exam out.
Thank you for reading and best of luck to all who have exams scheduled. To those who have given up, don't get held up on failures, but rather work to attack them. I know I did!
I am long time lurker here on TechExams. Read almost every passed/failed thread on here and if anything, learned almost nothing from them. That's because each and every passed was unique to the individuals and their learning style. If ISC pulled the fail stat, I am certain one of those with high failure attempts. Now, all this is my fault, and blamed no materials, ISC. If there is anything I learned from the folks that passed this utmost brutal exam, it's DETERMINATION!
ME: 35 yr old, IT Professional, wore different hats throughout my career, currently a Govie't with a Chief title.
There were many reasons of why I failed 7 times, of which, the benefit was figuring out the best learning method that can be applied. So below was what helped for me, and I hope you get something out of it.
1. I put in a few hours a day to read these books in sequential order (sybex cissp 7th edition, Eric Conrad 11th hour 3rd Edition) for two months after each failed attempt (on weak areas).
2. Converted the Mike Chapel CISSP Lynda.com course to Audio files and listened over and over while driving to and from work.
3. Took the CISSP Pocket App for Android. I do not own an Android phone but used the Blue Stacks instead. I am not a fan of using it on the iOS devices as their screen sizes are limited. BlueStacks is free and can expand the screen to desktop sizes. This gives me mouse function to maneuver much better.
4. Practice questions, read every single explanation as to why it was the CORRECT/INCORRECT answer. Understand the concepts and the reasons behind them and NOT memorize them. This was an issue for me, trying to memorize everything.
5. If analytical is a strength of yours, definitely leverage this. Decipher what the question is asking for, then put in two hats (1) Security Professional and (2) Business Manager.
6. Stay consistent with the study schedule, never a day when I did not touch the materials until the day before the exam.
Exam Time:
I passed it this morning with an inexplicable relief feeling. I hugged all the ladies at the testing centers
.The 7th exam that I failed was the new adaptive CAT exam. I was given weak areas to improve on they were a lot.
Preparation:
1. Day before exam, I dropped all materials, no study no nothing. I enjoyed time with my children. All I know is put them to sleep and get a good nights sleep myself. I did not try to remember ANYTHING from the CISSP material.
2. Dropped the kid to daycare, then head straight to the PEARSON center.
3. Picked myself a locker, put everything in it except IDs for processing.
4. Sat for the exam and....
5. The first question I got was a drag and drop scenario, holy smokes, that freaked me out! Then reading through it, it was an easy one.
6. 1 hr and 50 minute later, on question 101....exam closed.
7. Headed over to the front desk, and truth be told, all I looked for is the FIRST word that says "Congratulations!" and indeed it was there.
That's it folks! I am onto CISM and if I fail it, I will do it again and again. Remember, DETERMINATION is your ONLY juice in knocking this exam out.
Thank you for reading and best of luck to all who have exams scheduled. To those who have given up, don't get held up on failures, but rather work to attack them. I know I did!
Comments
Congrats to you!!!
MODERATOR - please delete the post. ALso some content I did not want to share.
thank you!!!
Congrats!
tried and no such optio
n
thanks. I can't even see my account panel let alone that option. The mods for this forum isn't responsive....I sent many inquiries.
Congrats on the pass!
2023 Cert Goals: SC-100, eCPTX
I'm determined, but not to this stage
Congrats !!!!
xx+ certs...and I'm not counting anymore
And respect!!!
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