2nd trey for my ccna

This is my first time posting on here. I found your site very helpful in consoling me after I failed my first time attempt at my CCNA rating. I am wondering what people think of my plan to retake it. I have 2 years of assisting a CCNA maintain cisco switches and routers, my basic job was to update firmware, updated configs and change port settings. I did little in the way of ACLs or routing protocols. I decided then to take a Cisco bootcamp, so two weeks ago I took Cisco CCNA bootcamp v2.0. Went there, learned a ton and I scheduled my test a week from the last day. That was last friday. I took the 640-802 and got a 630, I really had no idea how hard the test would be. Since then I have been studying round the clock and have been using a combo of CBT nuggets, reading Cybex 5.0, looking through the kinghost practice tests and doing some simulations in Boson.
There are a few questions for all of you. Would any of you suggest that I take the 802 test over? From reading everything on here it seems like there are lots of rough areas of the test, and since I can still take 801 should I just do that? Also I am moving a week from today to Germany and I am hoping to take a retest this Friday, is this insane to think I can do this? Anyhelp would be appreciated.

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Comments

Mikdilly

I took the 801 yesterday and failed it so don't know how much easier it would be than the 802, it seems less like a test of your knowledge than a test of how fast you can work thru questions. My second ques was a simulation, because initially I didn' t scroll down far enough at the top i had to redo the entire thing which wound up taking 20 minutes. How much does it suck to realize after the 2nd ques your chances of being able to finish and pass are out the window. I should have just flung myself out the window. This test is ridiculous in what you have to accomplish in the time given, it really should be a 2 hour test.

mikearama

I'd say go ahead and sit it again.

You had one good look at it, and were caught off guard. Now you know what to expect. No doubt during your last few days of studying, answers to questions you got wrong must be just jumping off the page and slapping you.

With a full week of study under your belt, you can believe that you'll do better. Make sure you own the sim questions, since you're bound to get them again.

Mike

Netstudent

Mikdilly wrote:

I took the 801 yesterday and failed it so don't know how much easier it would be than the 802, it seems less like a test of your knowledge than a test of how fast you can work thru questions. My second ques was a simulation, because initially I didn' t scroll down far enough at the top i had to redo the entire thing which wound up taking 20 minutes. How much does it suck to realize after the 2nd ques your chances of being able to finish and pass are out the window. I should have just flung myself out the window. This test is ridiculous in what you have to accomplish in the time given, it really should be a 2 hour test.

You guys need to utilize the cisco.com website way more. The prep center has so much to help you prepare. I've spoke about this several times in numerous posts, as have others, that the prep center CCNA videos is a MUST for CCNA test takers. If you dont watch those videos, you are making it harder on yourself. Little things like scroll bars and simulation layout is reiterated time and time again in those videos.

mldkfa

I guess I'm headed over to the cisco website today. I have just found it hard to find prep material (like sims and such) for the 802 exam. I also had the sim on the 2nd question. Pace is also an issue for me. I was 15 questions through when I realized I had used more than half of the time for my test. Really felt rushed.

Netstudent

As far as I know, the 802 hasn't shown it's full revision yet. It will probably be a slow phase in. Having said that, if you can pass the 801, you can pass the 802, at the moment. We all had hard questions on the first couple questions. They do that to throw you off and make you uneasy. You know what you have to do now.

ITdude

Netstudent is right on! If you are comfortable with the knowledge required based on the blueprint and have had sufficient hands on and can keep exam anxiety under control, there really is enough time to be successful on this exam....

Keep at it, ask questions and don't get discouraged. Best of luck.

Mikdilly

Netstudent wrote:

Mikdilly wrote:

I took the 801 yesterday and failed it so don't know how much easier it would be than the 802, it seems less like a test of your knowledge than a test of how fast you can work thru questions. My second ques was a simulation, because initially I didn' t scroll down far enough at the top i had to redo the entire thing which wound up taking 20 minutes. How much does it suck to realize after the 2nd ques your chances of being able to finish and pass are out the window. I should have just flung myself out the window. This test is ridiculous in what you have to accomplish in the time given, it really should be a 2 hour test.

You guys need to utilize the cisco.com website way more. The prep center has so much to help you prepare. I've spoke about this several times in numerous posts, as have others, that the prep center CCNA videos is a MUST for CCNA test takers. If you dont watch those videos, you are making it harder on yourself. Little things like scroll bars and simulation layout is reiterated time and time again in those videos.

I watched that video, even went thru the tutorial at the beginning of the test that covered the same thing. I just didn't scroll down far enough to see what I needed. I was too pre-occupied with the topology and thinking what i needed was there.
Why should you have to play hide and seek with information you need to answer a question?
To me, it's their attempt to make the test taking experience as difficult as possible as another way keep the value of the certificate up. It's just frustrating as hell when 20 minutes into the test and your chances are blown. I realize it's my fault but how difficult would it be to show everything you need to answer a question on screen.

Netstudent

I understand your frustration, but the test is not blown when you spend 20minutes on 2 sims. Now maybe it is blown if you spent 20min on 1 sim and 20 on another. You have to make up time with the multiple choice questions. If it is taking you more than 45-60 seconds for the mulitple choice, you aren't ready.

The drag and drops should take no more than 75 seconds because some of them require some thought.

Subnetting questions should be like a zip, there shouldn't be a whole lot of thought time on subnetting. you will not finish if subnetting takes you a while.

Read the questions and diagrams thoroughly, and react. Don't read the question 4 or 5 times and then ponder over the answer for a while. Read it once or twice, then read the asnwers one or twice, and react. Don't waste a lot of time second guessing yourself. Good Luck.

ITdude

Don't let the frustration affect your next attempt. Try to channel that energy into a healthy determination to be successful.

Everyone comes into these exams with a different baseline knowledge and test taking skills. I have also seen many people who are pretty sharp with the material on all kinds of exams tank because they don't have/use an effective test taking strategy.

These exams like the real world will place an inordinate amount of pressure on you. It is just as important to stay cool and focused under pressure as it is to know the material.

Hang in there try to get rid of your frustration as quickly as possible and then get back to the task at hand. You CAN do it!

mldkfa

I'm having some trouble finding the movies on the cisco website. Can anyone post a link or describe where they are? Thanks.

Netstudent

http://forums.cisco.com/eforum/servlet/PrepCenter?page=main

This is the prep center login page. You need to register with a guest account, then login and you will find them under the Exam Study tab.

Mikdilly

mldkfa wrote:

I'm having some trouble finding the movies on the cisco website. Can anyone post a link or describe where they are? Thanks.

You have to create an account on the site and then go to CCNA Prep, then Exam Study, along the right side of the screen under CCNA videos the first link is 'Preparing to take the CCNA Exam'

mrj

People spend years studying for the CCNP and CCIE to fail it the first try (or few tries).. Don't let it get you down at all. No one will know but you if you've failed in the past.

networker050184

If you only got 630 a week might not be enough. If you were close and only had a topic or two to brush up on I'd say go for it. You might have gotten lucky on some of the ones you got right so it might not even be a real assesment of your knowledge. I'd say get the exam cert guide by Odom and read that. Take your time and don't rush back into it or you will be dissapointed again. There are testing centers all over the world so don't let moving to Germany rush you either. Moving can distract you from your studies as well so if I were you I'd definatley wait until after the move so you can really concentrate on studying. Good luck in what ever you decide to do.