Hoping to take the CCNA Composite soon

Cal_0808

Hi all, new to the forums here. I've just finished off my A levels at college and i've been studying for the CCNA for about 6 months on and off.

In the past two months i've been studying like mad (approx 8 - 10 hours a day)

I've got a home lab full of routers and switches from ebay.

I've been doing the practice exams and getting around the 75 - 80 % mark. My dad thinks i should book the exam for next week but i'm not sure i'm ready yet (he's already passed the ccna and been a engineer for 20 years).

Just wondered what you guys thought any hints or tips on cramming or exam taking as this is my first cert with no previous network experience what so ever.

blackninja

Cal_0808 wrote: »

Hi all, new to the forums here. I've just finished off my A levels at college and i've been studying for the CCNA for about 6 months on and off.

In the past two months i've been studying like mad (approx 8 - 10 hours a day)

I've got a home lab full of routers and switches from ebay.

I've been doing the practice exams and getting around the 75 - 80 % mark. My dad thinks i should book the exam for next week but i'm not sure i'm ready yet (he's already passed the ccna and been a engineer for 20 years).

Just wondered what you guys thought any hints or tips on cramming or exam taking as this is my first cert with no previous network experience what so ever.

Just book it and take it. If you do fail use the comeback offer for a free re-test.

You so lucky having a live in mentor.

I don't beleive in cramming, study the material as you are studying for the future not just to pass the exam.

Know subnetting cold - so you can subnet in 20 seconds, this will take the pressure off a little during the exam check out: subnettingquestions.com - Free Subnetting Questions and Answers Randomly Generated Online

Know how to config/troubleshoot NAT, Frame Relay, OSPF and EIGRP cold too.

As your Dad is an engineer, get him set the lab up and break it - then you fix it.

Goodluck

mikej412

Cal_0808 wrote: »

My dad thinks i should book the exam for next week but i'm not sure i'm ready yet

I'll have to agree with the Dad on this one. You should still have time to use the COMEBACK2009 code, so if you don't pass it's really just a practice test..... That should take some of the pressure off.

Time management is important on the exam. If you've gotten plenty of hands on practice and understand all the exam topics, the SIMs shouldn't take anywhere near 10 minutes -- so if you haven't gotten a SIM in 10 minutes, move on. There can be ungraded question on the exam, so if something was funky about a question, use the comment button, complain, and move on. If you have a stupid typo in a SIM and can't find it in 10 minutes, you still get partial credit for things that are correct, give it one last look -- and then move on.

Good Luck!!

Cal_0808

Thanks for your advice guys booked it in for Friday (26th) so now it's just a matter of studying hard and doing practice tests from now till Thursday.

Wish me luck ill post and let you guys know if i pass on friday afternoon.