Studied for ICND2 (816), Passed CCNA (802)

I passed ICND1 several months ago, and had been haphazardly studying for the ICND2 since then.
I schedule a test date for 816 about a month prior to Mar 25, but I still hadn't really studied all the topics by the day before test day. So, at the last minute, rather than reschedule, I decided to change to the 802... I feel/felt 100% confident in ICND1 topics, but only about 75-80% confident in ICND2 topics (I hadn't studied WAN or IPv6 enough). I thought that if the questions were 50/50 ICND1/ICND2, then I'd have a good shot at passing. The cost wasn't a concern because my BS program includes a CCNA voucher.
Thankfully, I didn't get too many questions on material that I didn't feel confident in, but there were some questions/sims that I spent way too much time on... I finished the exam with less than 2 minutes to spare. Needed an 825 to pass, and scored 898.

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Comments

Chris_

Congratulations

okplaya

Interesting. I always wondered if someone had done this. Congratulations!

ehnde

That was probably a smart move. Grats on the pass. Welcome to the CCNA club!

seekrit

Yes, congrats! Now go study the areas you need help..

-DeXteR-

congrats . Nice chance you took and paid off!!:D
Now time to back up weak areas and knock off them .

mikej412

Congratulations!!

We've had a few people do the ICND1/CCNA combo and I'll agree that the ICND2 probably is harder than the CCNA exam -- but for most people the difference in difficulty isn't worth the extra cost.

mikedisd2

Wait, we can do this? Great strategy, glad it paid off. Congrats.

thedrama

Deesiel wrote: »

I passed ICND1 several months ago, and had been haphazardly studying for the ICND2 since then.
I schedule a test date for 816 about a month prior to Mar 25, but I still hadn't really studied all the topics by the day before test day. So, at the last minute, rather than reschedule, I decided to change to the 802... I feel/felt 100% confident in ICND1 topics, but only about 75-80% confident in ICND2 topics (I hadn't studied WAN or IPv6 enough). I thought that if the questions were 50/50 ICND1/ICND2, then I'd have a good shot at passing. The cost wasn't a concern because my BS program includes a CCNA voucher.
Thankfully, I didn't get too many questions on material that I didn't feel confident in, but there were some questions/sims that I spent way too much time on... I finished the exam with less than 2 minutes to spare. Needed an 825 to pass, and scored 898.

keep up the good work

alan2308

Congrats!

seekrit

mikedisd2 wrote: »

Wait, we can do this? Great strategy, glad it paid off. Congrats.

I don't know how I feel about it. Part of me thinks it's cheating, part of me knows it's not. I don't know..

jibbajabba

seekrit wrote: »

I don't know how I feel about it. Part of me thinks it's cheating, part of me knows it's not. I don't know..:

Cheating ? Rather a loop hole I guess

Chris_

It's not cheating or a loophole. The 640-802 is a qualifying exam for CCNA Certification. I did the 640-801 to get my CCNA, does that make me a **** because I didn't go the dual exam path? I just felt confident with the material, therefore couldn't justify the cost of 2 exams.

seekrit

Chris_ wrote: »

I just felt confident with the material

That's why I don't like that idea. He has the CCENT and the CCNA, but did 75% ICND1 and 25% ICND2.

No disrespect, but I feel like that has the term paper cert written all over it.. If you don't feel confident in the subject materiel and don't think you can pass the ICND2, so you decide to better the odds by changing exams so he'll know 50% required to pass and "hopes" to get lucky enough to draw from the question pool the material he knows to get a pass?

I don't mean to sound like a jerk, or a *****, or disrespectful. I just don't understand that kind of logic when studying for an exam and learning, even mastering the material is really what the path to certification is all about. That way when you receive your passing grade and get that certification in the mail you can feel like you truly earned it from dedication and hard work. Not on a technicality. Forgive me if I seem blunt, that's just how I see it..

Isn't Cisco Certifications suppose to default from that type of certification ideology? Did he earn his CCNA? Yes! Did he earn is CCENT + CCNA? No...

Futura

why not jut take the ccna exam in the first place, save the cost of the icnd 1 exam?

okplaya

seekrit wrote: »

That's why I don't like that idea. He has the CCENT and the CCNA, but did 75% ICND1 and 25% ICND2.

No disrespect, but I feel like that has the term paper cert written all over it.. If you don't feel confident in the subject materiel and don't think you can pass the ICND2, so you decide to better the odds by changing exams so he'll know 50% required to pass and "hopes" to get lucky enough to draw from the question pool the material he knows to get a pass?

I don't mean to sound like a jerk, or a *****, or disrespectful. I just don't understand that kind of logic when studying for an exam and learning, even mastering the material is really what the path to certification is all about. That way when you receive your passing grade and get that certification in the mail you can feel like you truly earned it from dedication and hard work. Not on a technicality. Forgive me if I seem blunt, that's just how I see it..

Isn't Cisco Certifications suppose to default from that type of certification ideology? Did he earn his CCNA? Yes! Did he earn is CCENT + CCNA? No...

Obviously he DID earn his CCNA because he passed the test plain and simple. The last time I checked you just needed to satisfy the passing score. If people had the material *mastered* they would get a perfect score - something I rarely, if ever see here. I have single digit addition mastered and I will score perfect on every test. That's what you call mastering the material.

Just because he didn't study IPv6 and WAN enough doesn't make his certification any less than the next person. What if a person did study IPv6 and WAN and failed miserably on those sections, but still passed the CCNA. Would that be more honorable?

I work with people who probably can't pass the CCNA test if they took it today, but know more about networking than any certification can validate. In fact, they joke about the "paper certs" people out there who have "mastered the material" - go figure. There is no true ccent/ccna/ccnp jobs out there. You think a job will say, "oh you only have a CCNA so I don't expect you to do anything with BGP"...think again. Most jobs will require you to have knowledge far beyond the certifications. I think certifications are great, but they are not the end all, be all.

When I make network changes, deploy a new switch, etc at work I am not timed and I don't have to study a certification guide etc. Heck, half the time I have no idea at the beginning. I know how to figure it out though. And quite honestly, that's all that matters. You think someone with a CCNA from last year can configure frame relay cold if you asked them right now? NO! Certifications can help get you an interview, but at the end of the day it is just a "paper cert". Your career, more times than not will advance due to things other than getting a bunch of certifications. You will need leadership and writing skills, a good personality, be punctual, be presentable, etc. I am in no way, shape, or form downing certifications because they are great, but be clear that the certification world and the real world of networking are not the same.

okplaya

Futura wrote: »

why not jut take the ccna exam in the first place, save the cost of the icnd 1 exam?

640-802 is $250

640-822 is $125
640-816 is $125

That's US currency. I can't speak for other countries. But as you can see for the US, there is no cost savings.