pearson/vue practice test - is it worth it?

mikespranger

just went online to schedule my ICND1 and there were 3 options: one with a lab, one with a practice test for $197.50 and just the exam for $150

anyone have any experience with the practice test option? is it worth $47.50 or would I be better off going to boson or elsewhere?

also- is it just a disc, paper, or an actual at-the-site practice exam?

any help or advice would be greatly appreciated, would love to get my exam scheduled today.

Thanks!

Node Man

my odom icnd1 book ($40) came with a dvd with 2 free ICND1 exams, and 2 free CCNA exams, and each question has an "answer button" explaining how the correct answer was reached. I loved it.

txraider09

I purchased the Boson ExSim Max for 99 bucks. I feel like it was worth it. The format of the practice exams is like the real test and it will also give you the answers with explinations.

Roguetadhg

+1 for Boson ExSim Max. It's pretty awesome. I used it... and it was pretty spot on. Predicted my passing and failing. :P

txraider09

Just try not to memorize the answers because once you do that, using it as a gauge of how well you are doing goes out the window. I used it about a week before I took the CCENT.

Roguetadhg

Yeah. There's a right way and a wrong way to use a practice exam.

The best way I've found is to think opposite of the question...

ie: "Which of the following is a description of a vlan?"
Becomes: "Which of the following is NOT a description of a vlan? Why?"

Just knowing "Yes" or "No" doesn't cut it for Cisco. Know the theory behind "Why". I've had multiple questions where if I didn't know the theories I wouldn't easily gotten points wrong - and I did for my ICND1 first time. It's the one thing that kept with me is that even the simple looking questions have to be thought through. I love a challenge!

Node Man

The practice questions on the Cisco Learning Network are also very beneficial imo.

mikespranger

thanks for the info and insight everyone!

i opted against the one offered by Pearson - I have two discs, one that came with a book i bought by walker, says it has 100 practice questions from boson, but doesnt claim to be a simulation of the test. The other one came with an older version of Odom's book.

Haven't looked at either yet - so I don't memorize the questions as txraider said, but I think I'm going to crack into one tomorrow and maybe one saturday depending on how the 1st goes.

I am scheduled for the 19th and have NO idea how ready I am. I seem to have subnetting down ( I can do most of the questions on subnettingquestions.com w/ minimal use of scrap paper) but I know I am weak on theory.

Node Man

Theory is important. Like Roguetadhg said, knowing why some possible answers are wrong is very important.

goldenlight

buy the ciscopress icnd1 3rd edition by odom from Amazon it comes with 2 indy1 prace test along with 2 CCNa practice test. These test are by Pearson IT.. Book only cost $22.00 bucks

FloOz

I wouldn't waste your cash on the pearson practice tests. There are good practice tests on cisco.com and even on techexams that you can utilize.