Studying for CCNP certification advice

Crunchyhippo

Just wondering how many of you are studying/have studied for your CCNP without taking formal classes for it? I think I'm depending too much on the local classes here to prepare me for the Cisco certification tests and not doing enough independent study. I wanted to see how others are preparing.

cdad2000

I 'm doing all self study, because the classes are way 2 expensive, but if u can afford it do both.

Crunchyhippo

cdad2000 wrote:

I 'm doing all self study, because the classes are way 2 expensive, but if u can afford it do both.

I can afford them (they're at a community college), but I think I depended on them way too much, since I had to take the CCNA three times to pass. Now, my view is that the classes will supplement my own studying, not the other way around.

sekure70

I think it all depends on how comfortable you are with the material and how much real world hands on experience you have. I think that the class route is great to get exposure to the material and will help with taking the certification exam shortly there after. But again, it just depends on where you are.

I just started studying for BSCI to get started on the CCNP track and will be doing it via self-study. Come to think of it, I don't think I have ever attended a Cisco class (company too cheap).

Good luck!

Crunchyhippo

sekure70 wrote:

I think it all depends on how comfortable you are with the material and how much real world hands on experience you have. I think that the class route is great to get exposure to the material and will help with taking the certification exam shortly there after. But again, it just depends on where you are.

I just started studying for BSCI to get started on the CCNP track and will be doing it via self-study. Come to think of it, I don't think I have ever attended a Cisco class (company too cheap).

Good luck!

Thanks for the advice. Btw, pardon my CCNP ignorance, but which course would the BSCI be? I had signed up for Multilayer Switching and Advanced Routing classes in the Fall before dropping them; would it be one of these?

mikej412

Crunchyhippo wrote:

which course would the BSCI be?

Check out the Cisco CCNP Certification page for the links to the specific exam information.

642-901 BSCI  Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks (BSCI)
642-812 BCMSN  Building Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks (BCMSN)
642-825 ISCW  Implementing Secure Converged Wide Area Networks (ISCW)
642-845 ONT  Optimizing Converged Cisco Networks (ONT)

rakem

Im only doing self study for CCNP... got both cisco press books, 4 decent routers and dynamips... I work full time so i cant really go to classes... plus self study is way cheaper.. Did the CCNA with only self study and passed first time so it seems to work

Aquabat [banned]

I also think it depends like on your learning style. This teacher at the community college might not explain things in the way that you learn ya know. it might just be a waste of my time, i think i personally am too impatient for a teacher