Failed CISSP with Score of 638

No_NerdNo_Nerd Banned Posts: 168
Failed CISSP today with score of 638
Bottom of document as follows

Software Development Security
Security and Risk Management
Security Engineering
Security Operations
Identity and Access Management
Communication and Network Security
Asset Security
Security Assent and Testing

I am thinking test again in 4 months


Prep was intense 30 Days

2 weeks reading the official study guide
Several hundred CC questions
Boston's Training
Training Camp online boot camp ( not impressed with the online version, maybe their onsite is better)

Made a killer prep sheet but it seems that nothing on the sheet was there.

It was almost as if nothing I studied was on the exam. Not an excuse to fail by any means ....

I will go crack open a bottle of 18 year old scotch and get back at it in 3 days. I will have to slow down on the prep as my grad school projects are starting to need more time. I really do not want to be employed without CISSP . I graduate in May 2016 so I think I can make everything work out.


My background is in Network Admin, and Crypto and IT management. Maybe 6 years Army IT and total IT 10 years.

Failure to complete CISSP with a 700+ is not an option for me. Gotta get this wrapped up so I can knock out the MBA and start on the MS.

Comments

  • pskroyalpskroyal Member Posts: 4 ■□□□□□□□□□
    No_Nerd wrote: »
    Failed CISSP today with score of 638
    Bottom of document as follows

    Software Development Security
    Security and Risk Management
    Security Engineering
    Security Operations
    Identity and Access Management
    Communication and Network Security
    Asset Security
    Security Assent and Testing

    I am thinking test again in 4 months


    Prep was intense 30 Days

    2 weeks reading the official study guide
    Several hundred CC questions
    Boston's Training
    Training Camp online boot camp ( not impressed with the online version, maybe their onsite is better)

    Made a killer prep sheet but it seems that nothing on the sheet was there.

    It was almost as if nothing I studied was on the exam. Not an excuse to fail by any means ....

    I will go crack open a bottle of 18 year old scotch and get back at it in 3 days. I will have to slow down on the prep as my grad school projects are starting to need more time. I really do not want to be employed without CISSP . I graduate in May 2016 so I think I can make everything work out.


    My background is in Network Admin, and Crypto and IT management. Maybe 6 years Army IT and total IT 10 years.

    Failure to complete CISSP with a 700+ is not an option for me. Gotta get this wrapped up so I can knock out the MBA and start on the MS.


    sorry to hear that, dont get discouraged, you were close and you can get it the next time, in what areas were you having trouble with? didnt you watch cybrary videos? its a must....and use the sybex 7th edition and their online questions the next time...
    what areas are you going to focus more the next time?
    Thanks!
  • No_NerdNo_Nerd Banned Posts: 168
    I can't seem to find their online questions I. Did use fed vte and cbt nuggets. No excuses I will get it next time for sure
  • Mike7Mike7 Member Posts: 1,107 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Very sorry to read about this.
    No_Nerd wrote: »
    Made a killer prep sheet but it seems that nothing on the sheet was there.
    It was almost as if nothing I studied was on the exam. Not an excuse to fail by any means ....

    The CISSP tests on your understanding and application of concepts and there is not a lot of things to memorise.


    For some tips, read http://www.techexams.net/forums/isc-sscp-cissp/117111-why-most-them-fail-cissp-exam.html#post1001076
    Hope you do well next time.
  • No_NerdNo_Nerd Banned Posts: 168
    Yep I am gonna kill it next time. That post was full of good info. I think I let my confidence get the best of me. I am excited to get back at it soon. Just annoying because all the studying and school takes time away from my family. And without a result to show. It is never a good thing.
  • CLICKCLICK Member Posts: 88 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Hang in there man, your persistence and tenacity will surely get you through the next attempt. Here's the Sybex online prep links in case you need it still <https://sybextestbanks.wiley.com/public/course/index/id/102&gt;

    Best,
  • sameojsameoj Member Posts: 366 ■■■□□□□□□□
    You will kill the CISSP exam next attempt.
  • Hunter85Hunter85 Member Posts: 60 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Do you think you should have focused on different subjects on your study?

    Would you say you failed because:

    Terminologies that you arent familiar with was asked

    or

    You didnt quite get which answer was the best/worst/most likely situation?

    I am studying for CISSP for more than 1.5 months now. I am really good with the idea behind most of the staff but I dont see myself where I should be when it comes to memorizing

    -ISO standards (I know few of them but if you count it, the book mentions about 20 to 30 different standards)
    -Block sizes and key lengths of each and every cryptographic algorithm
    -Different types of equipment used for SONET and FDDI (like SAS, SAC, DAK, CSU, DSU)
    -Different categories of TCSEC, ITSEC (for example I am really not sure if I should know what is the equivalent of TCSEC B1 in ITSEC or what F-B3 E6 means, I only know that it is better than B2 or E5)
    -Or break down and details of each and every step in BCP (I feel like knowing the main idea and order should be enough but study guides explain paragraphs of information for each step)
  • No_NerdNo_Nerd Banned Posts: 168
    Second part by far. I was allways able to get the answers narrowed down to two choices..... and. I just was nt 100 percenr. Next time i will get it and if I have to fly back to the mainland for a good prep course then I will do it
  • ecuisonecuison Member Posts: 131 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Keep at it you will get it!
    Accomplishments: B.S. - Business (Information Management) | CISSP | CCSP | TOGAF v9.2 Certified | Security + | Network +
  • E Double UE Double U Member Posts: 2,228 ■■■■■■■■■■
    No_Nerd wrote: »
    Just annoying because all the studying and school takes time away from my family. And without a result to show.

    I know this feeling all too well. Hang in there!
    Alphabet soup from (ISC)2, ISACA, GIAC, EC-Council, Microsoft, ITIL, Cisco, Scrum, CompTIA, AWS
  • cfirstencfirsten Member Posts: 42 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Hunter85 wrote: »
    ....

    -ISO standards (I know few of them but if you count it, the book mentions about 20 to 30 different standards)
    -Block sizes and key lengths of each and every cryptographic algorithm
    -Different types of equipment used for SONET and FDDI (like SAS, SAC, DAK, CSU, DSU)
    -Different categories of TCSEC, ITSEC (for example I am really not sure if I should know what is the equivalent of TCSEC B1 in ITSEC or what F-B3 E6 means, I only know that it is better than B2 or E5)
    -Or break down and details of each and every step in BCP (I feel like knowing the main idea and order should be enough but study guides explain paragraphs of information for each step)

    I would study all these; they will not ask you key lengths, at least I don't remember having questions like that, they will ask you general concepts on encryption, which is more/less secure, which algorithm would you use in this scenario based on this/that.

    I made a chart somewhere in here, after I passed my exam, on the levels of ITSEC/TCSEC, these are basic things, you should know these levels. They do not go that deep into key lengths on algorithms but they might ask you to choose different algorithms based on their strength. You have to know the difference between hashing and encryption, between asymmetric and symmetric enc.

    To me it seemed like I over studied because the exam was pretty straight forward. I did have some weirdo questions but not that many to affect my final score. Also study the risk formula, ALE and so on, I forgot it by now, and don't think they will give you a simple question yeah, we want to invest in this AV that costs us xxx$/year, calculate the investment. They will wrap that in about 20 Russian dolls and will ask you for the answer :).

    OP
    You certainly have what it takes: determination. That's all you need on this exam, if you study hard and go at it again and again you will pass. Don't worry about it, hit the books again, do another thousand questions and try again.
  • Dan-in-MDDan-in-MD Member Posts: 52 ■■■□□□□□□□
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