Failed GSEC last month

Dtrack

I failed my GSEC exam last month by a couple of points, I plan to retake this month. The practice test was nothing like the real exam. There were too many of the real case scenerios questions. Any other tips or suggestions, besides the ones posted here. I know JDMurray has a great blog on the GSEC exam. Feeling real bumed out since I left that testing center.

JDMurray

Did you really see the GSEC practice exam items as being very different from the actual GSEC exam items? They were somewhat simpler and designed to test your knowledge of the GSEC's topics, but I thought they gave a good representation of the format I saw on my GSEC exam. Yes, there were some much more complex questions on the actual GSEC exam, but they were hardly the majority.

Considering the GSEC exam item's contents is based on the material in the books, understanding the material, making a good index of the books, and taking your time on the exam is most of what it takes to pass.

twodogs62

The Gsec covers lots of material.

Listen to mp3s and study material well.

highlight key items and make a good index.

know most of material without having to look up answers and then spend more time on the scenario questions.

azmatt

My GCIH index was over 30 pages and i took it to kinkos to have it bound. Time invested in a good index will pay off in spades.

Dtrack

Yes they seemed much harder, more than half of the exam was real case scenerio. My practice test had a few, but most of the questions were like one sentence long. I am now making a much stronger index, reading the books all over and listening to the mp3s after reading each book. Would there be a big diffrence on the exam if im reading SANS course material 2011 edition?

JDMurray

What I understand from taking SANS 401, the GSEC exam material is updated periodically, maybe twice a year. The 2011 materials are probably still relevant enough to hit the ~75% passing mark. This is just a guess on my part. Are you challenging the GSEC exam?

Dtrack

I purchased the SANS on Demand course last year around the summer time. Just a few months back I decided to take the exam due to my job requirements. So yes I had to purchase the challenge exam. I doubt a "challenge exam" option would make the exam much harder.

JDMurray

GIAC exams are the same practice and final exams if they are purchased as a challenge or not. The difficultly of challenging is not having (licensed) access to the courseware. However, you do have the SANS 401 OnDemand courseware. The chance of passing on your second try is very good now that you've seen the actual exam, so it's just a matter of putting your brain to the grindstone to understand and retain what your are learning from the material.

Dtrack

Thanks for the advice, I have purchased the security bible as recommended on your blog. I really do think it will come in handy. Did I mention that I am completely new to this field w/ 1 year in the field experience. Maybe im shooting for the wrong Cert?

JDMurray

Well, there is no required professional work experience for GSEC, and the SANS 401 course is recommended for, "Anyone new to information security with some background in information systems and networking," so it really depends upon how much IT systems and networking experience you have as a base to build on.

Dtrack

Im shooting for the end of the month to retake the exam, will let you know how I did on my second attempt.

JDMurray

Good luck!

docrice

Take your time and learn the material. Don't rush through it. Just about all the topics will come up in a technically-oriented security career. 401 is a very dense course packed with all sorts of practical knowledge and the exam reflects that. GIAC exams are becoming less reference-the-book-for-answers and more understand-the-concepts-enough-to-apply-it-correctly. There are some easy "gimme" questions, but there are probably a good share which test your command of the material.

Joshbiz

DTrack, Did you Pass?
I'm going to take the GSec next month and need all the info I can get so reading you post helps to figure out what or how I should be studying.
Thank you for posting your exam adventure.

Dtrack

I chickened out, I will be taking it in two weeks for sure, my experation date will be due soon in March. Im briefly going over all the books one more time. My index is looking like one of the SANS book. I will let you know for sure how I did in two weeks.

Joshbiz

Well Good luck when you do take the exam.
I have till April 2 to take mine and I'm a little nervous because there is just so much material. Every time I find something I think could possibly be on the test I write it down. So my notes have become a huge index of info. Did you write your own Index or did you get them from somewhere? It would be really cool if we could all post our notes and index's but I am unsure if that is aloud or if we would get in trouble by doing that.
Well Keep me posted I am very interested on how you do. I will also let you know once I take mine.
Good luck!

Dtrack

Thanks, and yes I did write my own index. I dont see the harm of sharing our index and notes. I have SANS course materials 2011, not sure if you have the same year text. I dont mind sharing my index if the material is the same.

Joshbiz

I have the books from last year. I don't think they have changed because they gave us the recorded class from 2011.

Dtrack

Really, that is really good to know...confident now that the exam should have not changed as well.

beads

One of the better kept secrets of SANS/GIAC veterans is to have a separate keyword index by page as well as the summary index. From there its a matter of getting comfortable finding things during the exam - fast.

- beads

nkillgore

So... I feel like if you go through the SEC401 class and know where things are in the books, the test is really easy. A lot of the questions on my exam were verbatim quotes from the book. Some required minimal thought. Anyway, I have a GSEC practice exam that expires 5/26 if you want it. The class had been recently updated when I took it in November.

Joshbiz

Dtrack, Well did you take it? I finally scheduled mine for the 27th of march. Still studying and not very excited yet! lol
I have an amazing Glossary that I have a little bit of everything in so I hope I can mostly go on that but I am writing an index of all the books. I also have tons of Charts in this glossary so looking up subnets instead of doing the math should help me with the time constraint!

docrice

nkillgore wrote: »

So... I feel like if you go through the SEC401 class and know where things are in the books, the test is really easy. A lot of the questions on my exam were verbatim quotes from the book. Some required minimal thought.

While I didn't think the GSEC was easy even with the courseware available during the exam, I agree that the exam questions are written way too closely to the wording in the books. This is my main complaint about GIAC's test writers. At least the GWAPT exam didn't do that as much, but most of the other GIAC exams were like that in my experience. They really need to up the ante in this regard and it's the primary reason why their certifications mean less to me than they used to.

Dtrack

I will be Taking it tomorrow, not feeling to confident.......

Dtrack

I passed! Glad its over.

azmatt

Congrats!

Joshbiz

Dtrack Congratulations!!!!!!!!!! That's really cool..
So what advice could you give me?
I hope I could say those same words one day soon!!!

JDMurray

Congratulations!

broli720

Congratulations!!

Dtrack

Thanks Everyone. My advice is know the concept, alot of of the material is word for word. Have a good index know where everything is in the book and you should be fine. I felt that the exam was much easier the second time around. Good Luck Joshbiz, you will be fine! Looking foward to congratulating you.

Dtrack

Joshbiz did u pass?