Bootcamp worth it?

Hello TE,

I am thinking to take a bootcamp for my certification, and the money is coming out of my pocket

Therefore, I can only take one bootcamp for this year, and is going to be my first one.
I am studying for CCNP R&S and CEHv7 (just started it about a week 1/2 ago). The CCNP bootcamp is about $3000 just for the Route exam, and CEH is $3500. I have been studying for Route since July of last year, but it has been on and off. The CEH requires at least two years of security work for me to become eligible unless I take the training.

I am thinking to get the INE's CCNP CoD for $300 (my virtual bootcamp for CCNP), and self study for CEH then take a bootcamp after I finish the material. I want to do the bootcamp knowing the materials already.

What's your input about bootcamp specially for those who paid the fee themselves?

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Comments

jibbajabba

I think it depends what you want to get out of it. It will get you most likely the exam (if you the kinda guy who doesn't mind studuying for hours after an 8 hr class), but many bootcamps will only teach you the stuff you need to know in order to pass to begin with. Unless you work with the technology you study in the bootcamp - it is likely you will forget a LOT.

We had a customer who is a bootcamp so we provided the services in return to seats. The people who went liked it very much (here in the UK though) and shockingly a lot of people knew a lot after the training - hell, more than I did after my self studies .. However, they were in class for up to 10hrs and studied at least another 3-5 after hours in order to prepare. The bootcamp itself was teaching more than just the required stuff which made it worth it.

Another side of the coin is however bootcamps like Koenigs - they seem to really just throw the topics at you required to pass the exam. Some people even claim to be given **** ... so at the end it is important for you to research the bootcamp in question - get reviews etc. to make sure you get what you pay for (well, more really, not just the exam).

But yea - make sure you also willing to invest a LOT of time, not just money.

Bottom line - If I'd need an exam in a hurry, I'd go for it - IF the bootcamp has a good reputation that is.

SteveLord

jibbajabba wrote: »

I think it depends what you want to get out of it. It will get you most likely the exam (if you the kinda guy who doesn't mind studuying for hours after an 8 hr class), but many bootcamps will only teach you the stuff you need to know in order to pass to begin with. Unless you work with the technology you study in the bootcamp - it is likely you will forget a LOT.

We had a customer who is a bootcamp so we provided the services in return to seats. The people who went liked it very much (here in the UK though) and shockingly a lot of people knew a lot after the training - hell, more than I did after my self studies .. However, they were in class for up to 10hrs and studied at least another 3-5 after hours in order to prepare. The bootcamp itself was teaching more than just the required stuff which made it worth it.

Another side of the coin is however bootcamps like Koenigs - they seem to really just throw the topics at you required to pass the exam. Some people even claim to be given **** ... so at the end it is important for you to research the bootcamp in question - get reviews etc. to make sure you get what you pay for (well, more really, not just the exam).

But yea - make sure you also willing to invest a LOT of time, not just money.

Bottom line - If I'd need an exam in a hurry, I'd go for it - IF the bootcamp has a good reputation that is.

Some may even use brain **** to get you to pass! $:\$ Be very careful. I don't know of anyone personally that has ever gone to one. I know I couldn't with my own money, as the cost alone would be stressing me out the entire time. "Is this worth the thousands of dollars I am paying?" thoughts would haunt me from beginning to end.

swild

My former coworker went to a bootcamp right after he left here. He told me that they had a shared drive on the bootcamp's network that they encouraged all students to upload any materials that helped them to pass the exams. It was full of ****. That really discouraged me ever taking a bootcamp, however, I am considering INE or IPExpert for a CCIE bootcamp since they both have quite the rep.

thehourman

I did some reading about the training center, and it does have 5 google reviews, and it seems 4 students like the training center except for 1 which he gave it 1/5 star (I think this guy was a test taker not a student).

About the braindump, well that is gonna suck if they going to do that. I want to learn and understand the materials. If it wasn't for 2 year experience requirement, I was just going to do it myself. The training center name ASM which is located in Maryland.

The status of my progress reading the study guide for CEHv7, I am doing ok, since most of the topic was already covered in Sec+ and CCNA:Security, I am pretty confident. The tools that I need to learn in depth.

@SteveLord,
The thought is already haunting me just by thinking of it. That is the reason I created this thread because I don't want to be an impulse buyer or whatever its called.

swild

thehourman wrote: »

The training center name ASM which is located in Maryland.

I'm not going to name names, but I will tell you that was not the one he attended.

thehourman

Is putting the name here against the ToS?
Cool. When I get my CCNP, I definitely going to use INE. I like their VoD for CCIE, but I haven't watch all the videos though. INE VoD vs CBT nugs, INE is much better and cheaper ($ wise). Hopefully I'll be able to start my IE by the end of this year or early next year.

Timber Wolf

I just did the INE CCNA Voice online boot camp last week. I thought it was excellent and the material really went above and beyond the knowledge required for the CCNA Voice exam. After self studying with some home labbing and reading the Cisco Press OCG it helped to fill in some gaps and gave some info thats useful for the CCNP Voice exam in the future as well as some good real world examples.

swild

thehourman wrote: »

Is putting the name here against the ToS?

I honestly don't think so, but I'm not going to spread a rumor about a specific company only on 2nd hand info. I think that's the ethical thing to do. The main point is be careful and get recommendations.

the_Grinch

I am pretty sure you can self study the CEH by submitting for a waiver. I believe they charge like $200 to look at the waiver application, but if you had any security coursework (at a college level) you will probably be ok to get the waiver. That being said, tread lightly, CEH isn't all it's cracked up to be. Might be wiser to spend the case on Route....

thehourman

The only security experience that I have was from when I was studying for Sec+ and CCNA Security.

the_Grinch

Then I'd say skip CEH as the ROI isn't there....

demonfurbie

the_Grinch wrote: »

Then I'd say skip CEH as the ROI isn't there....

totally agree

i would say a bootcamp for the ccnp may be worth it if they have all the equipment not just sims

Turgon

thehourman wrote: »

Hello TE,

I am thinking to take a bootcamp for my certification, and the money is coming out of my pocket Therefore, I can only take one bootcamp for this year, and is going to be my first one.
I am studying for CCNP R&S and CEHv7 (just started it about a week 1/2 ago). The CCNP bootcamp is about $3000 just for the Route exam, and CEH is $3500. I have been studying for Route since July of last year, but it has been on and off. The CEH requires at least two years of security work for me to become eligible unless I take the training.

I am thinking to get the INE's CCNP CoD for $300 (my virtual bootcamp for CCNP), and self study for CEH then take a bootcamp after I finish the material. I want to do the bootcamp knowing the materials already.

What's your input about bootcamp specially for those who paid the fee themselves?

Save your money. There is no need to pay for bootcamps to pass certifications. Besides, how will you feel when the tk's are sprinkled liberally to the students? This happens. Bootcamps need high pass rates to attract students. Many students are corporate sponsored and companies want a 'pass' when they pay dollars to send staff to training. Companies also see this as a way of ensuring that the employee has been paying attention and not just enjoying a week off site on full pay and expenses in hotels.

So **** it often is and pass it often is. Save your money. Is it bad? Yes. Is it regulated? No, and it never will be.

N2IT

SteveLord wrote: »

Some may even use brain **** to get you to pass! $:\$ Be very careful. I don't know of anyone personally that has ever gone to one. I know I couldn't with my own money, as the cost alone would be stressing me out the entire time. "Is this worth the thousands of dollars I am paying?" thoughts would haunt me from beginning to end.

That is a very good point. I don't think I would do it unless I got a deal or my company paid for it.

thehourman

I have a CCNP lab at home, and it just need some recabling for remote access. The reason I got the idea of bootcamp was because I was studying for CEH and after a little googling I found out that it requires of 2 years of security experience, which something I don't have. I have been traveling around the country (work related), and I am kind of obligated to study wireless. Therefore, I have to put my CCNP on hold.

What you have said make sense. $3500 is a lot of money, and my company is not going to pay for it since it is not wireless related and not part of their cert list. I read about 45-48% of the CEH book and it seems like most of the stuff has been covered by Security+ and CCNA:S already except for the hacking tools. I probably might just get the INE CCNP VoD, since it takes me 2.5 hours to drive 22miles just to get home.

spiderjericho

I've taken quite a few boot camps, thanks to my employer. Except for CISSP, they all were dumping grounds.

You usually go through a section, then go through a dozen or more questions.

They generally teach you toward the test. There I no way humanly possible to teach CCNP R&S in two weeks.

Now if you're just doing it for a job requirement then have at it.

However if you're trying to learn, just self study. As long as you've allotted yourself sufficient time, review and maybe have a video series to accompany it (like The Awesome Jeremy Ciora CCNP videos...the INEs are dry) and do labs, challenge yourself, you will pass.

The only test I'd pay for a boot camp for is the CCIE Lab exam, just to make sure I have the concepts down (but by allotting myself time an buying multi vendor workbooks, id be fine.)

thehourman

I just bought INE's CCNP videos. I'm going to Cali next week for a project, so I will be watching those vids while in the plane. CBT nuggets is $500 per series now, I think. I going to use the money to get a 2 more of 1841 routers. I finally finished building my switch lab.