Round 2 and CISSP exam gets Knocked Out!!!

Took the CISSP exam yesterday and passed. It was the 2nd time of sitting the exam. I narrowly missed it last time scoring 695.

These are some of the reasons I think I failed it first time. I hope this helps some wannabe CISSP’s
1. Question exhaustion. Leading up to the exam I focused on taking practice test after practice test. By the time I got into the exam I did not have the focus I needed as I had question exhaustion
2. Time of exam. This could be personal preference, but I’m an early riser and I find my brain works better in the morning. The first attempt my exam was at 12:00 and I spent the morning taking practice tests which lead to fatigue and was not the best preparation at all
3. Exam approach. My approach to the exam the first time was also wrong. I had heard that you should read the answers first and then the questions. This did not work for me on my first attempt. Also due to the fatigue I was not focused enough on the questions and some I was just clicking and hoping. This time around though I read the question a few times and then picked the wrong answers usually leaving me with two right answers. When there were only 2 answers to pick from it was easier to pick out the right answer.

Okay here is the study materials I used
Sybex 7th Edition – Cover to to Cover and then read certain chapters and all the exams essentials multiple times
Kelly Handerhan Cybrary Videos – I watched these many times
CBT Nuggetts – I watched these many times
Eric Conrad 11th hour – Day before exam I got through about 80%
Research – You tube videos, internet search etc
Sunflower PDF

Practice Exams
Transceder
CCure
Sybex questions with the book
Sybex Practice Exam book
Mcgraw hill Exams

Flash Cards
created loads had them stuck on the shower, by the toilet and all over my bedroom wall

I started studying for the CISSP back in October. I have 1 year old twins and a 4 year old, so I needed a lot of support from my family and it did add pressure to family life. I did find a few conflicts in the various study materials I was using, but I just went with whatever the Sybex book stated. During the exam I took refreshment breaks which helped. When I reached 200 questions I was feeling it and had less than 60 mins to go. I managed to stay calm and I had about 4 mins left. I did intend on reviewing questions, but there was not really any time. I clicked through a few questions and then thought nope I’m knackered. I hit submit and walked to get my print out which read congratulations.
Any questions then let me know

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Comments

pinksj

Congratulations. This exam does adds pressure to the family and there support is so important. Thank you for the write up it does help and glad that now you have the family life back and spend time with the kids.

newmove

I'm very happy for you mate...Congratulations!

Falcon56

Glad to read this post! I knew you were going to nail it. As dumb as this sounds, I think your lack of a big breakfast hurt you more than anything last time. Wasn't going to post that until you passed.....LOL

Congrats and thank for sharing the adventure with us! Now go relax a little bit!

cjthedj45

newmove wrote: »

I'm very happy for you mate...Congratulations!

Thank you

cjthedj45

Falcon56 wrote: »

Glad to read this post! I knew you were going to nail it. As dumb as this sounds, I think your lack of a big breakfast hurt you more than anything last time. Wasn't going to post that until you passed.....LOL

Congrats and thank for sharing the adventure with us! Now go relax a little bit!

Yep every little thing counts with this exam preparation is key. It's pretty awesome as well as I'm on the gcih course in 2 weeks times can't wait. So good to get this under my bellt before the sans course

JasminLandry

Congrats on the pass, well deserved!

Which practice exams do you think helped you out the most? I'm aiming to take this exam by the end of the summer or the end of the year, we'll see.

Johnjaplin

Congrats man! I knew you would make it

cjthedj45

JasminLandry wrote: »

Congrats on the pass, well deserved!

Which practice exams do you think helped you out the most? I'm aiming to take this exam by the end of the summer or the end of the year, we'll see.

I quite liked the Sybex practice tests, but not heard to may people mention the ones below. Also the ones that came with the book. If I'm honest though on my 2nd attempt I did less practice exams and more study and I think that helped me more. There are 2 x 250 questions with the sybex book plus a 100 for each domain. I did half the questions and one 250 question exam 2 days before the exam. I scored 74%, but still smashed the real thing. A lot of people say this is not a memorization exam and I agree with that to an extent, but there are certainly some ones to remember. I made a few of mine up for example eal level

For - Functionally tested
Some - Structurally teted
Men - methodically tested
Making - methodically design tested and reviewed
Sugar - semi formally tested
Seems - semi formally design tested and reviewed
Foreign - Formally design tested and reviewed

Then there are some classics:

Some - Segment - Transport
People - Packet - Network
Fear - Frame - Data link
Birthdays - Bits - Physical

Away - Application
Pizza - Presentation
Sausage - Session
Throw - Transport
Not - Network
Do - Data link
Please - Physical

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CISSP-Official-ISC2-Practice-Tests/dp/1119252288/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494364431&sr=8-1&keywords=sybex+practice+tests

Good Luck with the exam

cjthedj45

JasminLandry wrote: »

Congrats on the pass, well deserved!

Which practice exams do you think helped you out the most? I'm aiming to take this exam by the end of the summer or the end of the year, we'll see.

shimasensei

Congratulations!

cisco4life

Congrats!

d3s3rtf0x

congrats mate. really happy for you.

jcundiff

congrats! now get that paperwork in and hurry up and wait

tejul.gudka@gmail.com

Hi, I took the exam and also scored 695. I'm studying hard but am feeling a little uneasy. There is so much content and am struggling to get into a rhythm second time around. I have two weeks to go. I like you felt I did too many practise questions first time around just before the exam and felt exhausted. Any tips for a plan in the last two weeks?

Kyrak

Congrats! I'm two weeks out from my first attempt and am hoping I will get it the first time!

MitM

Congrats!

malindak

Hey Congratz... you deserve this.

cjthedj45

tejul.gudka@gmail.com wrote: »

Hi, I took the exam and also scored 695. I'm studying hard but am feeling a little uneasy. There is so much content and am struggling to get into a rhythm second time around. I have two weeks to go. I like you felt I did too many practise questions first time around just before the exam and felt exhausted. Any tips for a plan in the last two weeks?

You will fill uneasy. I did there was so much pressure on me to pass. I did one practice exam before the test and it was like 2 days before and I got 74% which is not a great score at all. The thing I really learned from taking the first test is you need to be fresh for the exam. On my first attempt I was agitated and wanted to get out of there. This meant I almost did not care about some of the questions and did not answer them with the thought they deserved. When I answered the questions this time I read the question multiple times and the answers. To help me conceptually understand I also used the scratch pad to draw things out this really helped. The only slight thing you need to be careful with this approach is time. I started to panic about a 190 questions as I had about 50 mins left. Take your time though and look for the wrong answers don't dive straight to what you think is the right answer. Isolate the wrong answers possibly leaving you with 2 correct answers re-read the question again and this should point you to the correct answer.

I did not do any practice exams in the last 2 days. I read 80% of the 11th hour and I would say this helped it seemed to bring everything together. Also this forum has always advised good sleep and good breakfast. I would agree with this as well 6 hours is a long time and you need to be fresh. I also reviewed all of my notes.

Good Luck I think you can do it. Please let us know your result.

cjthedj45

malindak wrote: »

Hey Congratz... you deserve this.

Cheers Malindak. I was hoping you would see this because if I remember correctly you thought I had a better shot of passing it 3rd time. Well I did it 2nd time!! He he. The first time my approach was all wrong and it was a learning curve. The way you approach this exam is key for me. You had it locked down first time and were confident you would pass as well. So fairplay. What other certs do you have as your displaying none?

sameoj

Congrats

cfirsten

You didn't disappoint me after all

. I had faith in you man!!! Congratulations!!! I'm happy for you!!

tejul.gudka@gmail.com

cjthedj45 wrote: »

You will fill uneasy. I did there was so much pressure on me to pass. I did one practice exam before the test and it was like 2 days before and I got 74% which is not a great score at all. The thing I really learned from taking the first test is you need to be fresh for the exam. On my first attempt I was agitated and wanted to get out of there. This meant I almost did not care about some of the questions and did not answer them with the thought they deserved. When I answered the questions this time I read the question multiple times and the answers. To help me conceptually understand I also used the scratch pad to draw things out this really helped. The only slight thing you need to be careful with this approach is time. I started to panic about a 190 questions as I had about 50 mins left. Take your time though and look for the wrong answers don't dive straight to what you think is the right answer. Isolate the wrong answers possibly leaving you with 2 correct answers re-read the question again and this should point you to the correct answer.

I did not do any practice exams in the last 2 days. I read 80% of the 11th hour and I would say this helped it seemed to bring everything together. Also this forum has always advised good sleep and good breakfast. I would agree with this as well 6 hours is a long time and you need to be fresh. I also reviewed all of my notes.

Good Luck I think you can do it. Please let us know your result.

Thank you CJTHEDJ45!

The exam is on Wednesday. I am nervous. I spent yesterday and this morning doing two 250 practice questions sets (Sybex) and got 89% and 78% respectively. There are a couple of sections I am rusty on as I have not revisited them since my first attempt. I will spend the afternoon going through these.

I agree. No more practice questions. I also really like your thoughts about reading the questions twice and omitting two of the answers. I found that spending a little more time, the answer came to me rather than me looking for it. (if that makes sense). I know I am weaker in some areas and I will not become an expert in those areas even if I gave myself a year to study for this.

I've decided to re-read the areas I struggled with (I've made a list) today.
Spend tomorrow and Tuesday reading my notes a few times, going through the Sunflower v2. review module and lastly trying to memorize some of the terms I struggle to remember. (My own little **** sheet I've been walking around with for a few weeks). This is to make sure I don't miss out on any easy marks.

Praying I pass this time... I feel even more pressure this time around....

Deadly-Dosage

Way to fight through it! Congrats and I wish you and you family well as you are free from this insane exam!

Deadly-Dosage

cjthedj45 wrote: »

I made a few of mine up for example eal level

For - Functionally tested
Some - Structurally teted
Men - methodically tested
Making - methodically design tested and reviewed
Sugar - semi formally tested
Seems - semi formally design tested and reviewed
Foreign - Formally design tested and reviewed

Then there are some classics:

Some - Segment - Transport
People - Packet - Network
Fear - Frame - Data link
Birthdays - Bits - Physical

Away - Application
Pizza - Presentation
Sausage - Session
Throw - Transport
Not - Network
Do - Data link
Please - Physical

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CISSP-Official-ISC2-Practice-Tests/dp/1119252288/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494364431&sr=8-1&keywords=sybex+practice+tests

Good Luck with the exam

Nicely done! Dang I wish I would of had the EAL one!

Deadly-Dosage

tejul.gudka@gmail.com wrote: »

Thank you CJTHEDJ45!

The exam is on Wednesday. I am nervous. I spent yesterday and this morning doing two 250 practice questions sets (Sybex) and got 89% and 78% respectively. There are a couple of sections I am rusty on as I have not revisited them since my first attempt. I will spend the afternoon going through these.

I agree. No more practice questions. I also really like your thoughts about reading the questions twice and omitting two of the answers. I found that spending a little more time, the answer came to me rather than me looking for it. (if that makes sense). I know I am weaker in some areas and I will not become an expert in those areas even if I gave myself a year to study for this.

I've decided to re-read the areas I struggled with (I've made a list) today.
Spend tomorrow and Tuesday reading my notes a few times, going through the Sunflower v2. review module and lastly trying to memorize some of the terms I struggle to remember. (My own little **** sheet I've been walking around with for a few weeks). This is to make sure I don't miss out on any easy marks.

Praying I pass this time... I feel even more pressure this time around....

Praying for ya too buddy. One thing I recall (after reading cjthedj45 scratchpad comment) is when I was stuck on the question and if I could narrow it down I would write the question # down then the 2 answers I was stuck between and marked it. That way when I went back, I kinda had an idea on which one or idea I was bouncing between. The last 2 times I went back and I couldn't remember what I was doing so it was as if I started from scratch. The proctor was nice and gave me two sheets.
Good luck tejul.gudka!

JD

CryptoQue

Congrats!!!

tejul.gudka@gmail.com

Deadly-Dosage wrote: »

Praying for ya too buddy. One thing I recall (after reading cjthedj45 scratchpad comment) is when I was stuck on the question and if I could narrow it down I would write the question # down then the 2 answers I was stuck between and marked it. That way when I went back, I kinda had an idea on which one or idea I was bouncing between. The last 2 times I went back and I couldn't remember what I was doing so it was as if I started from scratch. The proctor was nice and gave me two sheets.
Good luck tejul.gudka!

JD

I passed!

Thanks for everyone's encouragement. What a great feeling!!!

tejul.gudka@gmail.com

cjthedj45 wrote: »

You will fill uneasy. I did there was so much pressure on me to pass. I did one practice exam before the test and it was like 2 days before and I got 74% which is not a great score at all. The thing I really learned from taking the first test is you need to be fresh for the exam. On my first attempt I was agitated and wanted to get out of there. This meant I almost did not care about some of the questions and did not answer them with the thought they deserved. When I answered the questions this time I read the question multiple times and the answers. To help me conceptually understand I also used the scratch pad to draw things out this really helped. The only slight thing you need to be careful with this approach is time. I started to panic about a 190 questions as I had about 50 mins left. Take your time though and look for the wrong answers don't dive straight to what you think is the right answer. Isolate the wrong answers possibly leaving you with 2 correct answers re-read the question again and this should point you to the correct answer.

I did not do any practice exams in the last 2 days. I read 80% of the 11th hour and I would say this helped it seemed to bring everything together. Also this forum has always advised good sleep and good breakfast. I would agree with this as well 6 hours is a long time and you need to be fresh. I also reviewed all of my notes.

Good Luck I think you can do it. Please let us know your result.

I passed a few hours ago! Thanks for your encouragement. All the hard work has paid off!

Deadly-Dosage

tejul.gudka@gmail.com wrote: »

I passed! Thanks for everyone's encouragement. What a great feeling!!!

No worries now! Pay off was today! As they say in the Lego Movie, you just got to believe!