Passed 11/4 on my Second Attempt

Today was exactly 1 month since my first attempt at this beast, where I barely missed the mark with a score of 695 (see last thread: http://www.techexams.net/forums/isc-sscp-cissp/129416-failed-10-4-score-695-a.html#post1120611)

This is a long grueling exam. So I cant really say by the end of the exam I was much more confident this second time. The major thing that I did differently was take a break. I probably could have kept going but I got up at 150 questions, ate a snack, drank some water, and hit the restroom. It wasn't a very long break but it did make me feel reenergized. I knocked out the last 100 questions and reviewed all of my 10 or so flagged questions and changed 2 answers based on other info I picked up during the exam. I got psyched out at the desk to get my print out because I saw two papers (which denotes a failure) and I felt my stomach drop, so I was surprised when the lady at the desk said, "whoops only one of these is yours" it took a second to set in. I quickly flipped the paper over to see the words "CONGRATULATIONS".

Thanks for the info and support from this Forum! I really wouldn't have been able to pass with out the suggestions and support I found here.

p.s. I didnt post my resources because it is more of the same as everyone else's pass thread (Conrad, Sybex, Cybrary, etc.)

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jamesleecoleman

Congratulations!

Saw the post on Reddit too

TheProfezzor

Congratulations. Welcome to the Club!

Congratulations

Congrats!

Not bad!

Congratz!

Been following your progress, must be a huge relief ... Well done!!!

sameoj

Congrats

DZA_

Congratulations mstd0n! You definitely made a come back with this one. How did you tackle your weak areas and were there any one particular resource that made you succeed the second time around? I have another colleague who failed on his first attempt (687) and needs some guidance on how to prepare mentally for his retake. Same like you, I passed on my second attempt 30 days later.

DJVeritas

Two papers......the universe can be cruel

mstd0n

@DZA_ I think the big thing for me was taking my weakest domains denoted on the initital attempt and skim through those sections in the chapter overviews of the official CBK and Shawn's book. I should also note neither of those were sources i used for prep. Every time I would hit a topic or subject I wasn't confident on I wrote it down.

I then went to YouTube for videos outlining the topics and followed that up with sari green on safari books.

And of course more practice tests. I used Wiley and Transcender, of which Wiley was more useful.

ITSec14

That feeling you get when the testing center employee hands you one page instead of two

mstd0n

ITSec14 wrote: »

That feeling you get when the testing center employee hands you one page instead of two

DJVeritas wrote: »

Two papers......the universe can be cruel

You're both right! I was so down about seeing the two pages coming my way initially I could barely process what it meant when she only handed me one of them. I quickly looked to the middle of the page where my failing marks were the last time, but the layout was much different. I frantically started back up at the top and the first word was Congratulations. I literally laughed out loud and then sat down for a minute. The lady working and the other tester behind me probably thought I was crazy.

TheRedBar0n

Well done my good sir!