FAILED CISSP 3-22-2014 - ISC2 changed the test!!!

bsr007

Took the CISSP yeterday and failed.I used Transcender, CCCure.org, Shon Harris book (6th edition) and the total tester questions that came with Shon's prep.I felt like I was in another galaxy as 90% of the questions had no feel whatsoever to all the prep and study I did. I am so pissed that I worked so hard preparing and studying to take a completely different exam then what I prepared for.I am going to contact ISC2 Monday and also am going to try to stop payment with VISA.TESTERS BEWARE!!

JDMurray

Sorry you failed the CISSP exam. What was your score? What is your prior InfoSec experience? The CISSP exam is for people that have many years of InfoSec experience under their belt.

The (ISC)2 has no control over the study material that you choose to use. The (ISC)2 recommends study references in the CISSP Candidate Information Bulletin. I don't believe that any of the study references you mentioned are in it.

BGraves

Sorry to hear you failed! It's a tough test for sure!
Trying to stop payment on a test you legitimately failed...seems a bit extreme however....

zxbane

Sorry to hear you failed, although you used to same material that myself and others who recently passed used to successfully pass the exam. I can't imagine you will have much luck with stopping the payment.. I would recommend studying more on your weak areas and trying again.

aftereffector

The exam doesn't test your knowledge of the test prep resources. It tests your knowledge of the CBK, which the resources help you study.

sojourn

Trying to get your money back because you failed? No chance.

It sounds like you learned answers to specific preparation questions, possibly based on memorisation of the answers, rather than the actual content of the CBK. You maybe relied too much on test questions. It's been repeated over and over on these forums and others, that the CCCure etc questions should be used to highlight areas where knowledge is lacking and as a learning tool, rather than as an exact copy of the time of questions you expect to receive on the real exam.

The person with the best study habits I've read on this forum was Jonnyg, he discusses his study methods here:

http://www.techexams.net/forums/isc-sscp-cissp/98567-cissp-readiness-assessment.html

bsr007

First - let me say I should not have wrote that sensationalized headline "ISC2 changed the test" - too emotionally motivated - I apologize for that.

Fact is I have no reference point for what the test ever is/was because it was my first attempt - I had no right to make the comment. It was just so much different than any of the test prep material I was working with. It is clear to me now I underestimated it and I need to work even harder.

Back to the studying I go...

zxbane

Glad to see the change in attitude, just hit the study materials hard and make sure you understand the concepts and terms completely and aren't just getting comfortable with the practice tests and other resources. As others mentioned too make sure you are comfortable with the content of the CBK.

Be sure to come back and make another thread or bump this one when you pass next time around!

BGraves

Most of us know what it's like to fail an exam, I've failed several and left the testing center upset and wondering where I went wrong...
Don't beat yourself up, it really is one of the most difficult exams I've ever taken and mentally and emotionally frustrating.
Personally, I think they design it to be that way on purpose....

Get your frustrations out, review your exam sheet to identify your weak areas, and pick yourself up and make a plan for success this time around.
(I would say...don't just study your weak areas though...study your strong ones too to keep those sharp as well)

GarudaMin

It's been so long since I took CISSP. Some people have already mentioned to look at CBK. Don't forget CIB topics (I am assuming it still exists).

Jonnyg

It may be worth looking into making flash cards for yourself as you go through your studies. Whenever you come across a topic you can't honestly explain well, create a flash card with the important information pertaining to that topic. This method will help you legitimately know the topics instead of only knowing them half-way and in the context of a specific, single question, as with Transcender, CCCure, or any other practice question source you may use. This method helped me substantially in passing the exam. Everyone is different, but I would recommend giving it a try. It is a great, old fashioned way to drill in important information and have it stick to long-term memory in a useful context so you can apply it to any question you may get on the actual exam.

Good luck with your studies and on your next attempt!

LeifAlire

Sorry I got to laugh because what your saying is YOU didn't prepare enough and then FAILED and now want your money back WTF?!!?!?!
1. Study harder
2. Study harder
3. Test and Pass exam
4. If fail step 3 take some lessons learned and start at step 1 again...If you find it too hard maybe go for comptia sec+ exam first.