Ready to sit the exam???

sec_wiz

Hi all,

I have gone over the CBT Nuggets Security+ training videos (which gave me a bit of a foundation) and I just finished Darril's book last night (which is amazing might I add!)

I have done quite a few practise exams on ProPofs and scored 90+% in all of Darril's end of chapter quiz's as well as 86% in the final exam at the rear of the book on my first attempt.

I have done CompTIA's official practise questions severeal times, however continually get 70 - 75% I am unsure if it is due to the way the questions are structured (instead of straight to the point they seem to introduce more of a background to the situation) or if they are just generally harder.

My question is, should I be taking the exam now? continue to go through the same practise questions over and over? After a bit of direction here

Thanks.

NotHackingYou

I would continue trying the CompTIA practice exam until you can get in the 90's consistently. Remember the cut off for this exam is very high, around 83%. In my experience, the CompTIA practice exam was very similar to the real exam. The wording is confusing on the practice test but it's a good way to get used to what you'll see on the real test.

I used Darril's book and was able to get nearly 100% on his tests. I was able to score about 95% on the practice tests. I came away from the live test with a 91%.


Edited to add: Trying CompTIA's practice test a few more isn't about remembering the answers. Look up each question you cannot answer. Really investigate it. Learn why the right answer is right and why the wrong answers are wrong. If you do this, you will learn how to read CompTIA's questions AND you will gain an even better understanding of the material (which is really what this is all about).

sec_wiz

Thanks for the advice - CompTIA's practise test doesn't show the questions you answered incorrectly to my knowledge though? (the few times I've done it I only see the bar graph showing the percentage I got in each different 'topic')

Darril

sec_wiz,

That is great advice from CarlSaiyed. "Learn why the right answer is right and why the wrong answers are wrong." I would suggest that the score you get on practice tests isn't as important as understanding the content both from a real-world perspective and preparing for the exam.

When doing the practice test questions in the CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-301 Study Guide you should be able to identify why the correct answer is correct and why the incorrect answer is incorrect. If you're not sure, read the detailed explanation or go back to the area within the book that explains the concept. This way, you'll be able to get the question correct no matter how CompTIA words it.

The practice test questions on CompTIAs web site aren't CompTIAs practice test questions. CompTIA has outsourced this to MeasureUp and MeasureUp has hired writers to create questions based on the objectives. Also, MeasureUp questions often follow a three or four part formula as you seem to have recognized.

1) It gives you some background
2) It identifies a problem or sets a goal
3) It asks a question

In contrast, the actual exam will often just ask a question. As an example, MeasureUp may have a practice test question like this:

You are reviewing the elements of a PKI used by your company.

Company policy states that certificates must be checked to ensure they are valid and haven't been revoked.

Your company uses CRLs to meet this requirement.

Of the following choices, what is a true statement regarding a CRL?

A. It is available publically
B. It is used with digital signatures
C. It provides asymmetric encryption
D. It provides symmetric encryption

In contrast, the live exam may have a question like this:

Of the following choices, what is a true statement regarding a CRL?

A. It is available publically
B. It is used with digital signatures
C. It provides asymmetric encryption
D. It provides symmetric encryption

If you purchase MeasureUp's practice test questions, you'll get their correct answers and explanations. One risk of repeatedly doing the free questions without knowing what the correct answer is, is that you may end up memorizing the wrong answers.

sec_wiz wrote: »

My question is, should I be taking the exam now? continue to go through the same practise questions over and over? After a bit of direction here

If you understand why the answers are correct or incorrect in the CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-301 Study Guide, I'd say you're ready. If you want to spend more time and get the answers and explanations from MeasureUp's practice test questions, you can purchase their product, but you're correct that you won't get this information when taking the free questions through the CompTIA web site.

HTH

NotHackingYou

sec_wiz wrote: »

Thanks for the advice - CompTIA's practise test doesn't show the questions you answered incorrectly to my knowledge though? (the few times I've done it I only see the bar graph showing the percentage I got in each different 'topic')

Yes, they don't give you feedback on which questions were right. However, the practice test gives you plenty of time to work through each question you are not sure of. Google each subject when you reach a question you aren't 100% on. This will force you to really learn the material and apply it to CompTIA's methods of proposing questions.


Remember, this is about learning, not passing a test.