Failed 1st attempt at CISSP...tried doing 2 certs in a week!

VAnavyGrl

I took the security+ exam last Thursday and passed with a 814 score. I had scheduled my CISSP about 3 weeks ago before I knew I was gonna also do the security+. Anyhow, I took the CISSP exam this morning after pulling an all nighter for additional studying and failed! Got a 645......I was basically delirious in exam room from lack of sleep! The lesson I learned here is that I actually have to study and be true to it instead of taking breaks in between studying...likes I took a couple of days off. I have a serious condition of short term memory so I can't study for a month and then take the exam....I've always had the memory blur! Hope to take this test in 30 days!! $600 is just insane!

DublinStudyGroup

Hey I got the same score. Did you find that the Security+ helped you with the CISSP?

jvrlopez

Sleeping well before an exam is key.

I tried taking a cert exam after pulling a mid shift, coming home, and staying up a few more hours until the testing center opened. That didn't work out too good...you can definitely feel the difference.

blackberrycubed

Sorry to hear, keep working at it.

JoJoCal19

My short term memory isn't great either and I have the same problem when studying. With the CISSP I had to read the Eric Conrad 11th Hour Study Guide a couple of times back to back to keep the main points fresh in memory, along with practice exams. After I read the regular Study Guide of his once, I couldn't remember stuff from the first couple of domains as well by the time I got to finish the book. I HIGHLY recommend his 11th Hour Study Guide.

VAnavyGrl

Yes, since I took both classes back to back...I felt security+ was a good refresher. I am going to try to take the CISSP again in November, giving myself more time to study this time around. In meantime, I am attending a CEH class next week and hopefully can take the test for that soon as well!! Since I am not working at the moment, I am taking advantage of every IT learning opportunity I can get!

VAnavyGrl

Thanks for the TIPS guys! As long as I study hard and stay focused I know I can do it!

beads

VANavyGrl;

For the tough stuff, say crypto and networking try studying the material for 20 minutes, take a short break, think about what you just read and absorb it. Short term memory is only 20 minutes and is hard to transfer to long term memory past 20 minutes. It sounds like a stupid trick but its actually human physiology working against us.

Otherwise the Security+ is a great start to the CISSP but not nearly as broad in practice. Scheduling them a week apart will give you a better breather between the two. Your mind simply needs the reset time to be effective in my personal experience.

Good luck and let us know how you do!

- Beads

samurai86

I have to agree with the short study time that beads is recommending. For the domains I struggled with I found it easier for me to read one concept that was new, or that I did not understand, then walk away and think about it. I would let me mind wander with it. For the stuff I did know I reinforced the details, and would keep going on.