Failed BCMSN

I failed the BCMSN on 11/30 with a score of 736. The fail is frustrating enough, but I had to punt on a sim where I knew what needed to be done and I just couldn't get the syntax correct. The help wasn't really helping and I had to move on due to time constraints but punting that sim almost guaranteed the fail. I knew I was going to be weak on wireless, but my weakest areas were actually Spaning Tree and inter-vlan routing. The intervlan routing questions surprised me with both their complexity and lack of coverage in the prep material, but I am most disappointed in my spanning tree score. I considered that a strength going into my last round of studying and didn't give it the effort it deserved.

To add insult to injury, my CCNA expired on 12/1 so now I get to take that test again. It's my fault for waiting until the last minute to try the exam. I took the CCNA 3 years ago when I was finally starting to focus on my career again instead of just coasting through my job. The CCNA was what got me back into the training and certification game, but I kept putting off the BCMSN because there was always just one more MS exam I wanted or needed to take, and I wound up taking 17 MS exams in about the last 2 years. Since retaking the CCNA is what will renew it, there is no need for me to retake the BCMSN. Even before I failed it I was pretty sure I was not going to complete the CCNP. I work for an MS partner now and I haven't touched any Cisco gear in 10 months. However, I was close and I can't let a test beat me. Even if I don't need to pass the BCMSN for any certification reasons, I now need to pass it for personal reasons.

I am not as upset about it today as I was on Monday. I was on a long string of passes and was starting to slack in my preparation, including obviously this exam. I think I needed a fail to refocus and sharpen my routine for the next test. Next up will be the MS 70-662 Exchange 2010 exam since I did some prep for the beta and I am working on a 2010 deployment plan for a client. I might put the CCNA off for a couple of months to make sure I can squeeze in another shot at the BCMSN before the exam retires and I miss my chance for revenge.

Until then I'm going to relax for a couple of days at Disney World.

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Comments

M4verick

Yeah, keep it up. Good luck with your future retake & with the Microsoft exams. I need to go back and just finish off the last two for my 2k3 MCSE...But I prolly won't do that until I get the CCNP.

I like Cisco better.

gorebrush

I feel your pain, I failed BCMSN back in May with a similar score, and frankly, I needed the fail to sharpen my studies.

I'm sitting it again on Monday. Thankfully I've still got 2 years to keep my CCNA/CCNP (BSCI) going as I took the BSCI on 22nd December last year.

This time round I feel much more prepared and I am going to go show that exam what I am made of

Hoping to complete the whole CCNP by April/May as those nice chaps at Cisco are changing the CCNP!

dynamik

Claymoore wrote: »

I failed the BCMSN on 11/30 with a score of 736. The fail is frustrating enough, but I had to punt on a sim where I knew what needed to be done and I just couldn't get the syntax correct. The help wasn't really helping and I had to move on due to time constraints but punting that sim almost guaranteed the fail.

That sucks dude. Do you have the portable command guide? I beat that into my head before all Cisco exams. It seems to get you up to speed on the related syntax.

Claymoore wrote: »

I knew I was going to be weak on wireless, but my weakest areas were actually Spaning Tree and inter-vlan routing. The intervlan routing questions surprised me with both their complexity and lack of coverage in the prep material, but I am most disappointed in my spanning tree score. I considered that a strength going into my last round of studying and didn't give it the effort it deserved.

I've seen a lot of people getting caught off-guard by the "routing" on this one, and I assume this is what they were referring to. It definitely wasn't covered well in the material. That's why I've put mine on hold. I'm now planning on doing BSCI first or maybe doing the composite.

Claymoore wrote: »

To add insult to injury, my CCNA expired on 12/1 so now I get to take that test again. It's my fault for waiting until the last minute to try the exam. I took the CCNA 3 years ago when I was finally starting to focus on my career again instead of just coasting through my job. The CCNA was what got me back into the training and certification game, but I kept putting off the BCMSN because there was always just one more MS exam I wanted or needed to take, and I wound up taking 17 MS exams in about the last 2 years.

I'm not trying to be a jerk or anything, but you probably should have done CCNA:S since you were in such a time crunch. It's pretty easy, and you'd have killed it.

Claymoore wrote: »

Since retaking the CCNA is what will renew it, there is no need for me to retake the BCMSN. Even before I failed it I was pretty sure I was not going to complete the CCNP. I work for an MS partner now and I haven't touched any Cisco gear in 10 months. However, I was close and I can't let a test beat me. Even if I don't need to pass the BCMSN for any certification reasons, I now need to pass it for personal reasons.

Oh yea, it's ******** on now

Claymoore wrote: »

I am not as upset about it today as I was on Monday. I was on a long string of passes and was starting to slack in my preparation, including obviously this exam. I think I needed a fail to refocus and sharpen my routine for the next test. Next up will be the MS 70-662 Exchange 2010 exam since I did some prep for the beta and I am working on a 2010 deployment plan for a client. I might put the CCNA off for a couple of months to make sure I can squeeze in another shot at the BCMSN before the exam retires and I miss my chance for revenge.

I think you can actually take the exam even if you don't have a valid CCNA.

I was in the same boat earlier this year. I passed two MS exams with "perfect" 700s, and that's when I decided to slow down a bit.

Claymoore wrote: »

Until then I'm going to relax for a couple of days at Disney World.

Jenna Reed: You want to know where Coop is? Just look for where the most heinous, vile, horrible exploitation of children takes place.

Robert Stack: Scenario Two: Coop is at Disney Land.

Baseketball still cracks me up. Have fun!

P.S. You suck. When your genius self fails something that I'm working on, I am not at all reassured

Claymoore

dynamik wrote: »

That sucks dude. Do you have the portable command guide? I beat that into my head before all Cisco exams. It seems to get you up to speed on the related syntax.

Yeah, I have the CCNP portable command guide set and I did review some of it, but the command guide wasn't a major component of my prep work. A quick search when I got home revealed I had a couple of words out of order, which certainly did not help my mood.

dynamik wrote: »

I've seen a lot of people getting caught off-guard by the "routing" on this one, and I assume this is what they were referring to. It definitely wasn't covered well in the material. That's why I've put mine on hold. I'm now planning on doing BSCI first or maybe doing the composite.

I knew it was a test on mutlilayer switching, but I didn't expect BSCI level routing questions and there was nothing in the exam prep guide that would lead me to believe otherwise. I thought if I saw any it would be about the CCNA level since Cisco has an entire exam focused on routing.

dynamik wrote: »

I'm not trying to be a jerk or anything, but you probably should have done CCNA:S since you were in such a time crunch. It's pretty easy, and you'd have killed it.

Thanks dynamik. While you're at it why not give me a nice paper cut and pour some lemon juice in it? (I prefer Princess Bride to Baseketball unless I have the chance to use the phrase 'You think you're excited - you should feel my nipples!');)

I could have taken the regular CCNA exam as well, but I wanted to renew my cert with a professional level exam rather than taking another associate exam. I planned on spending the last half of the year prepping for the exam and wanted to take it early enough that I would have time for a retake if necessary. However, life got in the way and I have spent most of the last 4 months travelling. I actually took vacation just to be sure I would be in town to take the exam. I also took the week of Thanksgiving off for additional study time, but I didn't get as much done as I would have liked. Usually I can get some good studying in over Thanksgiving - one year I took the 291 on the Monday before and the 293 the Monday after - but this year I didn't get as much done.

dynamik wrote: »

Oh yea, it's ******** on now

Normally I won't waste an extra month studying just to make sure I kill an exam, but in this case I will make an exception.

dynamik wrote: »

I think you can actually take the exam even if you don't have a valid CCNA.

True, but the point of the exam was to renew my CCNA. Now that I have to take the CCNA again, the only reason to take BCMSN is for pride.

dynamik wrote: »

P.S. You suck. When your genius self fails something that I'm working on, I am not at all reassured

The failure was due to lack of preparation on my part. Don't fail to prepare and you won't need to be prepared to fail.

miller811

Having completed the NP track, on the recommended order "BSCI,BCMSN,ISCW, ONT," I found that each additional exam built on knowledge from the previous exam.

Also, the difference between an NA and NP exam was a rude awakening for me.

Keep your chin up.....

billscott92787

Keep your chin up and stay determined

mikej412

Good Luck preparing for your grudge match!!