What is the format of the CCNA test?

abefroman99

What is the format of the CCNA test?
IE. 50% multiple choice, 50% labs? Any fill in the blank?

What would you say the 5 most important things to know are?

cisco_trooper

All of it, but if you better know how to subnet or the rest doesn't matter:

https://cisco.hosted.jivesoftware.com/community/certifications/ccna/ccna_exam?view=overview

mikej412

You can find all the possible questions type in the Exam Tutorial:
Certification Exam Tutorial - IT Certification and Career Paths - Cisco Systems

2 other things to be aware of (besides subnetting and all the topics in the exam blueprint):
Cisco Candidate Conduct Policy

Cisco Career Certifications and Confidentiality Agreement

abefroman99 wrote: »

IE. 50% multiple choice, 50% labs? Any fill in the blank?

From the NDA:

You are expressly prohibited from disclosing, publishing, reproducing, or transmitting any exam and any related information including, without limitation, questions, answers, worksheets, computations, drawings, diagrams, length or number of exam segments or questions, or any communication, including oral communication regarding or related to the exam (known collectively as “Proprietary Information”), in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, oral or written, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without the prior express written permission of Cisco.

abefroman99 wrote: »

What would you say the 5 most important things to know are?

There really are only 2 things you need to know:
Routing
Switching
Everything else conveniently fits under those 2 categories.

abefroman

cisco_trooper wrote: »

All of it, but if you better know how to subnet or the rest doesn't matter:

https://cisco.hosted.jivesoftware.com/community/certifications/ccna/ccna_exam?view=overview

Subnetting?

Thats easy.

abefroman

mikej412 wrote: »

You can find all the possible questions type in the Exam Tutorial:
Certification Exam Tutorial - IT Certification and Career Paths - Cisco Systems

2 other things to be aware of (besides subnetting and all the topics in the exam blueprint):
Cisco Candidate Conduct Policy

Cisco Career Certifications and Confidentiality Agreement



From the NDA:

There really are only 2 things you need to know:
Routing
Switching
Everything else conveniently fits under those 2 categories.

Sorry about that, I didn't know as I haven't taken the test yet.

Let me ask another question.

How many hours should one study/practice labs to have a good chance at passing this? (Assuming a fair amount of general computer knowledge, but no previous formal networking or Cisco training). I know this varies from person to person, but what would you say the average is.

TIA

mikej412

The Cisco Network Academy CCNA courses suggested spending 10 hours per week outside of the class time. And the "4 CCNA semesters" fit in 2 regular college semesters (or about 32 weeks).

If the CCNA was the only thing you were studying, then you could do it faster if you're motivated.

The more lab time and hands on practice and experience you get, the better you'll probably do on the exam.

mgeorge

If you follow the CCNA blueprint then you will not have any problems

According to Cisco, you are given 75 minutes to complete a range of 45-55 questions but keep in mind that some questions are NOT weighted and do not count towards your final score, these questions are "beta" questions. The exam will NOT tell you which questions are beta and which questions are scored. Questions ARE weighted, meaning simulations can be worth more then multiple-choice or drag-and-drops and then again a simulation could be worth nothing at all.

There is 7 types of questions you can run into on the CCNA exam, as Cisco states on their learning portal website;

• Multiple-Choice Single Answer
• Multiple-Choice Multiple Answer
• Drag-And-Drop
• Fill-in-the-blank
• Testlet
• Simlet
• Simulations

The number of type of questions is confidential and covered under the NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement), by disclosing such confidential information related to any Cisco exam you can have your Cisco certifications revoked and banned from the Cisco Career Certifications program.

This information and more can be found via the Cisco Learning Portal website; Training & Events - Cisco Systems

abefroman

mgeorge wrote: »

If you follow the CCNA blueprint then you will not have any problems

According to Cisco, you are given 75 minutes to complete a range of 45-55 questions but keep in mind that some questions are NOT weighted and do not count towards your final score, these questions are "beta" questions. The exam will NOT tell you which questions are beta and which questions are scored. Questions ARE weighted, meaning simulations can be worth more then multiple-choice or drag-and-drops and then again a simulation could be worth nothing at all.

There is 7 types of questions you can run into on the CCNA exam, as Cisco states on their learning portal website;

• Multiple-Choice Single Answer
• Multiple-Choice Multiple Answer
• Drag-And-Drop
• Fill-in-the-blank
• Testlet
• Simlet
• Simulations

The number of type of questions is confidential and covered under the NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement), by disclosing such confidential information related to any Cisco exam you can have your Cisco certifications revoked and banned from the Cisco Career Certifications program.

This information and more can be found via the Cisco Learning Portal website; Training & Events - Cisco Systems

What are testlet, simlet and simulations?

For the Multiple-Choice Multiple Answer, will I know it is a Multiple-Choice Multiple Answer type, or are do all of the Multiple-Choice has the option for me to select multiple answers?

phoeneous

abefroman wrote: »

What are testlet, simlet and simulations?

For the Multiple-Choice Multiple Answer, will I know it is a Multiple-Choice Multiple Answer type, or are do all of the Multiple-Choice has the option for me to select multiple answers?

It will let you know how many you need to choose.

mikej412

abefroman wrote: »

What are testlet, simlet and simulations?

Did you follow the link on the
Certification Exam Tutorial - IT Certification and Career Paths - Cisco Systems web page and view the Cisco Certification Exam Tutorial - Cisco Systems? All the question types are explained and shown there.

abefroman

phoeneous wrote: »

It will let you know how many you need to choose.

Ok, thats easy then, the questions I find hard are where you don't know if its 1,2,3,4 or 5 answers.

abefroman

mikej412 wrote: »

Did you follow the link on the
Certification Exam Tutorial - IT Certification and Career Paths - Cisco Systems web page and view the Cisco Certification Exam Tutorial - Cisco Systems? All the question types are explained and shown there.

Wow, thanks! Understood now, and cool testing format!