CCNA: Whats your suggestions to get there????? HELP

So here is my question. I am currently enrolled in the Cisco curriculum at a local community college. I am taking a night class once a week, 4 hour class. Its pretty tough since its 4 solid hours in the evening after I've been at work all day. On top of that I have had lots of people (that are in the technology and computer fields) tell me to not do any more classes just save the money self study and I will be fine. One is even convinced I should go ahead and try the test now he seems to think I would do fine on passing it, which I will say I have to disagree with him.

What are some of your suggestions to move forward? Is self studying the way to go? Are the classes the best option?
If self study is the best option what are some good materials to get to read over and help me pass the CCNA.
Just looking for advice/opinions to see what others out there are doing.

Thanks in advance!!!

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Comments

viper75

clokwise wrote: »

So here is my question. I am currently enrolled in the Cisco curriculum at a local community college. I am taking a night class once a week, 4 hour class. Its pretty tough since its 4 solid hours in the evening after I've been at work all day. On top of that I have had lots of people (that are in the technology and computer fields) tell me to not do any more classes just save the money self study and I will be fine. One is even convinced I should go ahead and try the test now he seems to think I would do fine on passing it, which I will say I have to disagree with him.
What are some of your suggestions to move forward? Is self studying the way to go? Are the classes the best option?
If self study is the best option what are some good materials to get to read over and help me pass the CCNA.
Just looking for advice/opinions to see what others out there are doing.

Thanks in advance!!!

Refer to this post:

http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/65005-what-do-you-think-self-my-study-curriculum.html

Ron Brandt

clokwise wrote: »

So here is my question. I am currently enrolled in the Cisco curriculum at a local community college. I am taking a night class once a week, 4 hour class. Its pretty tough since its 4 solid hours in the evening after I've been at work all day. On top of that I have had lots of people (that are in the technology and computer fields) tell me to not do any more classes just save the money self study and I will be fine. One is even convinced I should go ahead and try the test now he seems to think I would do fine on passing it, which I will say I have to disagree with him.
What are some of your suggestions to move forward? Is self studying the way to go? Are the classes the best option?
If self study is the best option what are some good materials to get to read over and help me pass the CCNA.
Just looking for advice/opinions to see what others out there are doing.

Thanks in advance!!!

I too do a Cisco Network Acadamy class at night,twice a week and to make it worse I work for the college by day...

Would I recommend Acadamy to self study...hard to say...all the certs I have so far have been from self study but Cisco is different.

Yes its nice to walk into a classroom with racks of equipment which still work better than any simulator.

Are the instructors just parrots and read powerpoints or do thay actually demo anything? That in itself is a deciding factor.

Are you disaplined enough to work alone at home with the posibility of distractions ?

Does the college give you extra presure by having you do mid-terms , case studies , Skills Based Assessments and final exams...they do if they are an Acadamy...

I am in my 4th semester of CCNA and have forgotten what I did a year ago, so after the finals and other stuff I still have to study for the cert...

Study materials..Jeremy Cioara/CBT Nuggets. Chris Bryant/Bryant Advantage/Trainsignal. Jeremy Cioara Exam Cram. Wendal Odam's books.
Get your own router and switch lab....

Ron

clokwise

thanks for the replies. I totally know what you mean about forgetting some of the stuff you've learned. Im only in semester 2 and im running into that problem. The main issues i have with the class right now is #1 like i said its 4 hours of straight on technical knowledge so i start glazing over after about 1.5 and #2 the teacher def knows his stuff but he doesnt really seem to care if we do. He's just up there going through the stuff with little emotion or quality caring characteristics i expect from a "teacher".

Thats my beef

viper75

clokwise wrote: »

thanks for the replies. I totally know what you mean about forgetting some of the stuff you've learned. Im only in semester 2 and im running into that problem. The main issues i have with the class right now is #1 like i said its 4 hours of straight on technical knowledge so i start glazing over after about 1.5 and #2 the teacher def knows his stuff but he doesnt really seem to care if we do. He's just up there going through the stuff with little emotion or quality caring characteristics i expect from a "teacher".

Thats my beef

Go on your own!

I did the Cisco Academy when I went back to college a while back. I already knew Cisco and I knew more than some of my Academy teachers. All they did was read off PowerPoint presentations all night long. I finished the final exams in 10 minutes or less. They were surprised. The lowest grade I got was a 95 or 97. It's been a while. I went back to school to get the degree.

You are better off going on your own. Get the needed study books, videos, and gear and you'll be good. You have to be dedicated to this or it will never happen for you.

Ron Brandt

clokwise wrote: »

#2 the teacher def knows his stuff but he doesnt really seem to care if we do. He's just up there going through the stuff with little emotion or quality caring characteristics i expect from a "teacher".
Thats my beef

This person is "instructor" and probably has no teaching degree as it's not required. This person probably has a day job as well... possibly teaching at the college and is as burned out as you...and yes I know people that do this and are like this...

Make sure you fill out the feed back form the instructor should give you.

Personally,I hope to be teaching CCNA as well at some point and is one of the reasions I went in the direction I did.