Cisco Networking Acadmey

mgmguy1

I just got my CCNA Exploration Fundamentals certificate in the mail today. I am now in CCNA Course 2 Routeing Protocols and concepts.
Has anyone here done the Cisco Network Academy class ? If so what was your experiences ?
I plan to take ICND 1 and the end of the class then wait 3 weeks study hard and do ICND 2.

Patrick

Eildor

mgmguy1 wrote: »

I just got my CCNA Exploration Fundamentals certificate in the mail today. I am now in CCNA Course 2 Routeing Protocols and concepts.
Has anyone here done the Cisco Network Academy class ? If so what was your experiences ?
I plan to take ICND 1 and the end of the class then wait 3 weeks study hard and do ICND 2.

Patrick

The Cisco Exploration books wont cover all of the topics for CCNA, so I recommend you get OCG. If you complete the 4 modules you may be eligible for a 50% discount on your CCNA exam (I believe you have to score at least 80% or something on the final, not sure so you should check).

I wouldn't have done the Network Academy I'd just have purchased the materials and done it in my own time... but I had to as it's part of my degree course.

Turgon

mgmguy1 wrote: »

I just got my CCNA Exploration Fundamentals certificate in the mail today. I am now in CCNA Course 2 Routeing Protocols and concepts.
Has anyone here done the Cisco Network Academy class ? If so what was your experiences ?
I plan to take ICND 1 and the end of the class then wait 3 weeks study hard and do ICND 2.

Patrick

I never did the Network Academy, its was all self study and OTJ for me.

kamay44

Eildor wrote: »

The Cisco Exploration books wont cover all of the topics for CCNA, so I recommend you get OCG. If you complete the 4 modules you may be eligible for a 50% discount on your CCNA exam (I believe you have to score at least 80% or something on the final, not sure so you should check).

I wouldn't have done the Network Academy I'd just have purchased the materials and done it in my own time... but I had to as it's part of my degree course.

In order to get the discount you need to get more than 75% on the final exam of CCNA 4.

Turgon

mgmguy1 wrote: »

I just got my CCNA Exploration Fundamentals certificate in the mail today. I am now in CCNA Course 2 Routeing Protocols and concepts.
Has anyone here done the Cisco Network Academy class ? If so what was your experiences ?
I plan to take ICND 1 and the end of the class then wait 3 weeks study hard and do ICND 2.

Patrick

**** the academy. Buy some books and equipment and teach yourself. Save some money.

pacotaco

I went through the Academy 1-4. It is offered at my local Community College and are credit classes. How much you get out of it will likely depend on your instructor. For 1-2 I had a great instructor that gave real world scenarios when teaching. In 3-4 I basically was read to straight out of the book, and especially 4, I don't think I learned very much. I just went through the exercises and made sure I passed the class with a decent grade to get credit towards an AAS.

When I was done with all 4 classes around December 17th, I found myself re-studying 2, 3 and 4 all over again. Some of it was retained. I really had to put the pieces together myself.

My advice, if you are not taking it for credit, you very well may just look this site over for the best books and videos. The academy is not all that you would think it is. There is minutiae that is not needed, and as others said, it will not completely prepare you for the exam. It might get you about 65 percent there.

I had to study '31 days before your CCNA' (book), ****, and went back over some of the academy material. I studied for the test for about 45 days after I completed 1-4.

fsanyee

pacotaco wrote: »

...

I had to study '31 days before your CCNA' (book), ****, and went back over some of the academy material. I studied for the test for about 45 days after I completed 1-4.

I'm doing the same. I completed ccna 1-4 four years ago, and this year January I decided to take the exams. Three weeks ago I passed ICND1 and next week I'm going for ICND2.
The only good thing in the academy was the real lab...

computer g33k

I'm currently in Cisco 2 as well. So far the experience has good, we have a great lab setup. I think the Cisco Academy is great way to learn the material and get some hands on experience. Luckily, the Cisco Academy that I attend is free.

nerdydad

I have had a great experience with the Academy, but not everyone that has attended it can say the same thing, there is a lot to be said for the instructor. I think the biggest benefit I have gotten from it, is the structure, and the social networking. I go to the evening program and half the class works in the industry, so when employment opportunities open up, we know about them pretty quickly.

pacotaco

fsanyee wrote: »

I'm doing the same. I completed ccna 1-4 four years ago, and this year January I decided to take the exams. Three weeks ago I passed ICND1 and next week I'm going for ICND2.
The only good thing in the academy was the real lab...

Good point. You do have access to the lab equipment, so long as the academy is not too far away to benefit from spending extra time in the labs.