Tried and Failed this morning

Hello all,

I am just finding this forum a couple hours after my first attempt. I was given about a week and a half from a potential employer to study and pass the test today in order to land a spot I was being offered. I spent every night after work reading The Security + Passport book and answering any online questions I could find. After a 36-hour cram session without any sleep (yes I know its not ideal) I went for my exam this morning. I am going to be honest I am really deflated. I scored a 640 after walking in there feeling pretty good about what I knew. I did all the practice tests and reviewed any wrong answers until I aced the tests non-stop for about a week. So now I am pretty down on my myself. The potential employer told me they will be offering another person the position after I informed them I would need to use my retake. I really don't know what to do from here. I want to get the cert because I have spent a lot of energy and effort (even tho its only been a week and a half) on getting ready but am pretty shaken by the actual exam I had to take. It felt like I was seeing those questions for the first time. Every single one was worded in a way that makes you question your answer. I didn't have any straight up questions like ALL the practice tests I've seen are. It was 63 questions of scenarios and "what ifs" and I didn't do well. I'm basically writing this looking for help or motivation or even encouragement to try again. I never thought this test was gonna be a cake walk but I DID think some of the 900 plus practice questions I studied and repeated answered would have helped me pass today but I was wrong. So that's my post. Sorry to ramble just not sure what to do now

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PCTechLinc

Really, don't beat yourself up. The new Security+ is very difficult. My current employer required me to pass the new version (I have a Good-For-Life Security+) as an organizational requirement. I was given two weeks to study. Thankfully I had previous knowledge due to my Master's studies in IT Security, but I still thought the test was a challenge. You REALLY need to spend a lot of time studying each objective, and understanding each answer. Personally I think the Boson practice exams are the best, but you're looking at $99 there. If you are paying for everything yourself, that will eat a large chunk out of your wallet.

My opinion is to look at your score report and see where you need to focus your study energy. If you're looking for a good free resource, Professor Messer has his website, and publishes all his videos to Youtube. I haven't watched his videos, but I have only heard good feedback. Give yourself an adequate amount of time, and when you're ready (and can afford it), go for it again. Don't let it beat you. I had a former student BADLY fail the Linux+ exams after a year of studying. I kept getting onto her to try again, and after another year and a half, she took both tests again on the same day and passed. I have failed my share of exams, but I eventually overcame those challenges.

DON'T GIVE UP! Keep coming back, and I can't wait to see your "PASSED" post!

p@r0tuXus

Professor Messer's videos + Exam Notes
CBT Nuggets Videos w/Keith Barker

Give it 2 weeks

BengalsFan

I appreciate yall taking the time to comment on here. I am planning on a retake but will give myself some time now that I missed the job offer I was in a hurry for. I have seen a couple people mention the Boson test questions. I would have no problem purchasing those (I'm already in 400, what's another 100 bucks) if I knew they would simulate how the questions are worded on the actual exam. I actually feel like I had a decent grasp of a lot of the data but it was the way the questions were phrased that rattled me so much I think. I would even settle for some applicable simulations of the performance questions. It's tough to know what to go back to review less absorbed material since they don't tell you what questions you missed and they sections they do provide are so broad it's a daunting task to dive back into this again after this morning. Again I want to get this cert, I've paid to much money not to get it and Im not easy defeated kind of person. This was just my first test like this with a job on the line, with money on the line, and I expected myself to do better. Like I said originally I walked into the facility thinking I was going to do well because of how hard I worked this last week and a half. Seeing that failed message at the end just hit me hard like someone just told me that my dog died or something. I wanted to do better and hopefully will after taking yall's advice.

Thanks Again,

Mooseboost

First of all - don't let yourself get discouraged. I know it sucks working hard towards something and failing, but at least you have a better feel for the exam now that you have taken it.

I didn't use the Boson exams for Sec+ but I did for the CCNA. If their quality on the CompTIA stuff is close to their Cisco stuff then the practice exam will be very close to the real exam in terms of difficulty. If you can afford it I would recommend it.

They should have given you a report that shows you where you were weak at. I would study those topics and then reschedule the exam. YouTube has some pretty good free resources and Cybrary does as well.

Don't give up!

GeekyChick

Don't beat yourself up. If it's anything like the N+, which I think it is, then I know it's hard. I just took the N+ and I agree the questions were worded strangely. They used phrases that weren't on any of the sample tests. Two weeks isn't very much time to prepare for this test, unless of course it's just a review for you. Anyway, don't give up if this is what you want. I'm sure there will be other job opportunities for you because this field is wide open. Best of luck to you.

tmtex

Curious as to what experience you have and any other certs/training

Mad76e

Actually i passed that exam with only 2 points at my favor.. 752 points (750 to pass), and i know its a hard one.. Especially with all acronyms. I know i could have done better than that, but i was tired and i hadn't slept properly the exam day (nervs)

BengalsFan

I am currently working as the Senior Intelligence Analyst for a company in Dayton, OH. I have been working in my current role for 6 years but I will admit that my entire experience has been spent as a user. This was my first step in a different career field and my first time working with any of this material.

BengalsFan

I really appreciate all the kind words and the encouragement to continue working towards this goal.

averageguy72

Keep at it!

The Total Seminars question format is similar in wording to the actual test, in my experience. I had them but went through one test and thought "the real test can't be this oddly worded" so I didn't use them...turns out it was. You can either get the DVD with this book (https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Security-Certification-Practice-SY0-401/dp/0071833447) or just off the website. Also highly recommend the Darril Gibson website as well, if you haven't tried it. His simulations were dead on for the actual test for all but one that I had on it when I took it.

chrisone

Don't be sad my friend. I can't even beat a video game in that amount of time

That being said, I see a lesson(s) to be learned here. You only took this test when an opportunity was offered right? You should have had this certification goal before that even came about. Why? because there are hundreds of employers who will give you a job for having security+ to begin with. I would not give up, keep studying for that cert. Start formulating a plan and a goal for 2017. Something similar to the following: my 2017 certification goals are "Sec+, CEH, SSCP, GPEN, CCNA, whatever."

Lessons learned here:
1. Be goal oriented
2. Do not wait for an opportunity to fall out the sky before you start to study for a test.
3. YOU! make opportunities happen for yourself!

Recover, regroup, rebuild, motivate, sustain habit!

Believe you got this!

Mannyman

my advise.
FIRST my path
1. i started with professor messer (he made me sleep) not because he is not good but because it is like a monologue.
2. cbt nuggets keith (omg!)sleep again. he is ok. look for his ipv4 course. 5stars
at this point i understood that videos does not work for me.
THEN i found a book 'study guide' from dulaney and easttom
AND with my background in network and all this 'tools' i walked to my first test
I passed all the practice test with more that 95%
....FAIL...694!!!
what to do? where study? I was superdown..
THEN i found somebody here that he wrote something about a new tool
GET CERTIFIED GET AHEAD. darril gibson
i bought both the 'study guide' and the book with the practice questions.
the first, I thought was somebody trying to sell something here.
but i had no options at the time.
first day with the book I failed the first test in this book. with 66 %
after 2 month with Darril Gibson
I walked the second time with 'my heart in my hand'

.
the test was twice the hard that the first but
I PASSED with 795. and with time to check twice all the questions
MY ADVISE.
buy the books and restart to study again.
don't waste your time.
every time you don t know something go in internet.
check for examples.to me was easy because I checked in 4 languages.. but
YOU CAN.
think about. English is not my language and these books were easy to read.
full of real examples from the real world.
GOOD LUCK!! BUONA FORTUNA!! BUENA SUERTE!! GLUCK AUF!!

ultm8mind

Hey man, what's up? Don't get down on yourself, I mean you're already a Bengals fan so how much worse could it be? LOL, just kidding. Look, I have to say the Darril Gibson GCGA PREMIUM Content is what did it for me. I have alot going on in life and used this over this past holiday season to pass. I downloaded the audio, listened to them repeatedly, took the quizzes, both chapter but numerous times I took the pre- and post tests. I listened to the audio even in my sleep, you HAVE to know the curriculum not just the questions you see and memorize them, I'd say that works for A+ and Net+ but not Sec+. I think you just have to take the time to understand the information presented to you and how it's used realistically, regardless if you never use it again, you have to know it. I hope you bought the package with the free retest, if not do so next attempt just incase. Good luck and do not get down on yourself about this because I actually know someone who teaches the class and needed to take the new 401 test after teaching 301 forever and they failed. So that should let you know how ridiculous this test is. Read it, listen to it, know it...Good luck on your retake, get back on that horse!!

coffeeisgood

PCTechLinc wrote: »

Really, don't beat yourself up. The new Security+ is very difficult. My current employer required me to pass the new version (I have a Good-For-Life Security+) as an organizational requirement. I was given two weeks to study. Thankfully I had previous knowledge due to my Master's studies in IT Security, but I still thought the test was a challenge. You REALLY need to spend a lot of time studying each objective, and understanding each answer. Personally I think the Boson practice exams are the best, but you're looking at $99 there. If you are paying for everything yourself, that will eat a large chunk out of your wallet.

My opinion is to look at your score report and see where you need to focus your study energy. If you're looking for a good free resource, Professor Messer has his website, and publishes all his videos to Youtube. I haven't watched his videos, but I have only heard good feedback. Give yourself an adequate amount of time, and when you're ready (and can afford it), go for it again. Don't let it beat you. I had a former student BADLY fail the Linux+ exams after a year of studying. I kept getting onto her to try again, and after another year and a half, she took both tests again on the same day and passed. I have failed my share of exams, but I eventually overcame those challenges.

DON'T GIVE UP! Keep coming back, and I can't wait to see your "PASSED" post!

always wondered if any employers actually checked \ cared on the difference between the old (for life) Security+ and the new version...

I have the old (for life) Security+ & sometimes I consider just taking off my cert list. Not sure if I will go back & retake it, for me there is no reason.

islandblue

I'm so sorry to hear that you didn't pass. I took the test yesterday and thank goodness I passed. I know how you feel because I seriously thought I didn't make it. I stopped trying after question #30. I just kept guessing. I only had about 10 days to study while attending a 4-day Sec+ boot camp that my employer paid for. My take: (1) If you have to take it again within less than a month, FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS...Don't do anything else but eat, work, sleep, and study. I had to shut down friends and family lolz. I even missed the Steelers game against the Patriots and I love my Steelers. I was extremely stressed out because I needed to pass the exam to keep my current position (2) Buy Darril Gibson's book and take all the exams in there over and over again (3) Do not just focus on memorizing the material; understand it very well to a point where you can actually talk about it without looking it up (4) Have faith. You're not the first one to fail and you will not be the last (5) On the actual day of the exam, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW...(6) Also, it helps to have a support team. My husband went with me on testing day. It is good to share stressful moments like this with people who care and who support you. Pass or fail, you know that it is more important to have people who will keep rooting for you.

Take care. I am rooting for you to pass the Sec+!

Jae102

Another things is get Darril Gibson's Premium content. I probably would have failed with out it.

VictorVictor5

^^^^^^I second Jae102's post. Same thing would've happened to me if I didn't get the premium site. Just make sure you're getting 90%, especially on the simulation part. You got this!

cdx

Professor Messor Youtube Videos on Security+ (For Lecture Material)
Darril Gibson Book, Practice Tests, and his Premium content from his website is C-R-I-T-I-C-A-L if you want to pass this test.