So stressed

I studied for months killing hours & hours trying to get to know Cisco since I was new to it. I took the CCNA exam (composite) just over a month ago and didn't pass and it tore me up because I felt confident about it until about question #2 on the exam. From then on, it was pretty much me watching my $250 fly dollar by dollar out the window, but I did manage to score 6xx/825 I believe so it wasn't a total loss, it was moreso a 1st time exam shocker plus the element of information-overload. There is honestly an INSANE amount of information to know for Cisco, considering the line of questioning on the exams and how much detail, memorization and flow you need to know, and know well to successfully answer the questions.

I was super pissed because I pretty much depended on this to change my quality of life, since I'm working 2 jobs, have a BBA and am still somehow struggling, so I've been hoping this would break down a door or two. SO, I decided to slow it down and just do one test at a time, but even that isn't quite the best option because each separate ICND test, as I understood, goes even deeper in detail and is just as long as the composite with the same type of questioning, which isn't really encouraging.

So, I studied some more (by the way, I do NOT like many of the practice questions from the modules at Cisco's website... in fact, it is difficult to test yourself overall - even after answering a million questions from several resources, I still find it hard to test yourself as an actual exam would) & took the ICND1 and failed THAT (775/804). Now even more of my money is gone, and it's just my luck that my car broke down over the weekend so now even if I study AGAIN, I may not be able to take any test again for some time because when anything breaks on a car you can expect to spend no less than $300-500.

Sorry for the rant I'm just venting hoping for some compassion... but, has anyone else gone from taking the full composite to the individual exams and still had trouble getting through? Should I go back to the composite or just do ICND again? My mind is clouded. This is frustrating as hell.

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Comments

Turgon

Asif Dasl wrote: »

I think you are kidding yourself if you don't think the CCNA and CCENT is being braindumped. Even the CCIE written probably gets dumped a lot. The sims do make you know the material better but the rest of the test could be braindumped as easily as any other test. And I don't know for sure, but maybe even sims get braindumped.

FWIW CCNA is entry level Cisco so don't expect it to pay as much as a CCNP. I don't think you will ever get paid Geek Squad salary levels with a CCNA, unless you have a CCNA and you still work in Geek Squad... but then you have other problems

Every exam out there is braindumped. The CISSP is braindumped to death and has been for years. The CCIE lab was so badly braindumped with 'real labs' you could buy they have changed it but at the expense of ligit students who are really struggling with the format and time pressure in the lab. The CCIE written is one of THE most dumped certs out there. CCIE's have told me constantly not to waste my money studing for that and just use the ****. They do so to certify. I have studied clean and failed and then passed the thing. It cost me money but it was all my own work.

johnnyBoy

It is probably true that most people fail the composite exam on the first try. What you need to do is make sure you study from several sources so you can get several explanations on how things work. What topic are you having trouble with most? I took the composite exam after a year of study. Most of the time I would study for hours at a time, taking notes, looking at videos online, articles, friends and teachers for help. I would wake up thinking about Cisco and what it would be like to take and pass the exam. WAN technologies and Access Lists was the hardest topics for me when preparing and would learn it until I was able to think about the correct configuration in my head.

You need to learn the topics until you know it like the back of your hand. Your motivation plays a big part on your success, some people need more time than others to learn things (like me) while others can grasp the concepts without to much trouble. I spent so much time on the CCNA, its ridiculous, but it was worth it in the end. I felt so good when i got a 970 or something like that, but the most important thing is that I did not waste my time or money.

JohnnyBiggles

johnnyBoy wrote: »

It is probably true that most people fail the composite exam on the first try. What you need to do is make sure you study from several sources so you can get several explanations on how things work. What topic are you having trouble with most? I took the composite exam after a year of study. Most of the time I would study for hours at a time, taking notes, looking at videos online, articles, friends and teachers for help. I would wake up thinking about Cisco and what it would be like to take and pass the exam. WAN technologies and Access Lists was the hardest topics for me when preparing and would learn it until I was able to think about the correct configuration in my head.

You need to learn the topics until you know it like the back of your hand. Your motivation plays a big part on your success, some people need more time than others to learn things (like me) while others can grasp the concepts without to much trouble. I spent so much time on the CCNA, its ridiculous, but it was worth it in the end. I felt so good when i got a 970 or something like that, but the most important thing is that I did not waste my time or money.

Has passing had any immediate impact on your career? Did it launch anything new or improve on an existing job? Getting the passing score is great and a high score is even better and all, but applying that knowledge rewardingly is where the real motivation is.

BroadcastStorm

By the time you finish CCNA you'll be branded like a cattle

there's a reason why Cisco makes the exam difficult this is to make potential network engineer candidates "the" network engineer.\

I'm not sure about the OP's experience, but we can never rely on just 1 resource when dealing with Cisco, you need at least 3 - 5 different resources with varying views/explanation, videos/books/practice exams/lab portfolio, some even have a blog to reinforce their notes, also the key is repetition repetition repetition, I actually dreamt subnetting etc. when I was doing CCNA back then

with the post you have it seems you're in the making of becoming a CCNA.

johnnyBoy

JohnnyBiggles wrote: »

Has passing had any immediate impact on your career? Did it launch anything new or improve on an existing job? Getting the passing score is great and a high score is even better and all, but applying that knowledge rewardingly is where the real motivation is.

Yes. After I received my AAS, I took the composite exam. I was feeling excited but didn't know if it was gonna do me any good in the next few months. A month later, a trade firm hired me, this was an excellent opportunity for me. We have plenty of Cisco hardware in our data center for me to get my hands on. I think a good resume did it for me, without it I don't think I would have had an interview. To get that job, I had to take a 4 page test that the senior network admin created to make sure I wasn't BS'n my way through. As soon as I had access to our 6509 distribution switches, I was doing commands I did in labs (Port fast, BPDU guard, description). So glad that I took the time to learn all the details.

instant000

JohnnyBiggles wrote: »

I studied for months killing hours & hours trying to get to know Cisco since I was new to it.

Maybe you should study the Network+ material? It helps your base networking knowledge. Note: No need to take the exam, but the material helps to build up your base knowledge. It'd be a bit much to just jump into it all, and you don't have any foundational knowledge about networking first. Not to say that it isn't possible, but it will hurt you in the long run.

I did manage to score 6xx/825 So, I studied some more (775/804).This is frustrating as hell.

To me, you're getting closer. Once you get closer to mastery, the improvements will be smaller.

JohnnyBiggles wrote: »

Part of the problem the first go round was information-overload.

Yes, it was information overload. Get one main text, and stick with that one. The key for you is to get the fundamentals locked in, so you're not confused about anything.

I *almost* made the information overload mistake, but I realized that I was off base, then corrected myself.

See this post:
http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/66510-my-journey-ccna-640-802-a.html#post538075

PS: All of the above has definitely led to dreams of Cisco in the middle of the night...lol. So, I guess I'm on my way...?

Nothing wrong with dreaming it, if that helps you to succeed.
Keep pressing ahead, so that one day you can be doing it.