BCMSN: 1, Me: 0

Took it yesterday. Got a 766 (804 needed).

Like my first attempt with the BSCI, "almost" is the verdict. Too bad "almost" doesn't count.

Gripes:
1. Time was a huge issue. I (stupidly) resumed my casual test-taking approach of re-reading multichoice questions and making sure that I had selected the best answer. It cost me on the BSCI first try and it cost me here as well. I had in the neighborhood of 40 questions remaining with only 20 or so minutes left (after receiving all of the lab questions early in the exam). I was rushed on at least 70% of the multichoice questions and had to randomly select an answer to the last 10 or so questions, as I didn't have time to read them. Not correctly pacing myself was my number 1 mistake here.
2. VTP seemed broken in one of the lab questions. Without getting into detail, no amount of jacking around would get it to work (as I had a hundred times before in practice). I really felt screwed-over here. This is perhaps my only "valid" gripe (perhaps not, maybe I just missed something). If I had paced myself correctly, I'm sure it would have been a non-issue.
3. I underestimated it. Plain and simple.

Non-gripes:
1. They offered me pencil and paper this time instead of that ineffective dry erase pad. This would have really helped back in my CCNA days. I wrote on the paper exactly 2 times.
2. "Almost" does at least tell me that I'm almost there. I plan to retake very soon. And I have no fear of not meeting the July 31 deadline.

Time to pick up the pieces and resume.

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Comments

Cyanic

Yes time is a big issue with this one as well as the BSCI. I wonder if this carries over to the new exams.

You will get it next time.

billscott92787

You'll get it next time man! Keep your head up, review the areas you think you missed, and you'll smash it next time. You know what to expect!!!

Would you say it was easier or harder than the BSCI? I'm just wondering what your outtake is to compare to all the other opinions I've seen.

When is your retake?

iproute

billscott92787 wrote: »

You'll get it next time man! Keep your head up, review the areas you think you missed, and you'll smash it next time. You know what to expect!!! Would you say it was easier or harder than the BSCI? I'm just wondering what your outtake is to compare to all the other opinions I've seen.

When is your retake?

Thanks for the encouragement guys.

I'd say that the content of the BSCI is simply harder to digest than the BCMSN. The BCMSN topics are just more straightforward (at least as I see it).

The BCMSN is hard though in a different way; its material is less interesting to me, thus harder to stay focused. I also lack access (as many do) to a lot of things that are tested (I don't have any Cisco wireless gear or layer 3 switches to toy with - only production stuff which I can only look at in a passive nature). For BSCI, GNS3 was my hero. I spent a lot of time playing with every detail I could and it helped.

I will say that I studied A LOT harder for BSCI and my first "almost" attempt was further from passing with BSCI than BCMSN (I failed by 50-something first BSCI attempt and 38 BCMSN).

I haven't settled on a retake date yet, but I'm leaning toward July 1st.

Heero

Well the BSCI is certainly harder than the BCMSN, which probably accounts for the disparity in time spent studying and results. Honestly though, just retake the test. You know what you need to improve to pass, do that and then its all good.

I am currently working on the BCMSN. Finished the BSCI in december of last year, and i've been a bit busy with other stuff for a while

iproute

Heero wrote: »

Well the BSCI is certainly harder than the BCMSN, which probably accounts for the disparity in time spent studying and results. Honestly though, just retake the test. You know what you need to improve to pass, do that and then its all good.

I am currently working on the BCMSN. Finished the BSCI in december of last year, and i've been a bit busy with other stuff for a while

Yep. The path ahead is pretty straight-forward.

Looks like July 1 is out. My preferred testing center is closed (getting an early start on the holiday I guess). I'll be out of town for a few days thereafter so I'm thinking Monday the 12th.