How much do you study per night/week

I just joined last week and I really enjoy this community, but I am curious as to how much actual studying do you do when you prep for certifications?

When I studied for my Comptia certs, I put in about 60 mins a night, with only 30 days per certification for studying. Now that I am going full steam ahead on CCNA, I find myself studying 120 to 150 minutes a night...

How about you guys?

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Comments

dynamik

I usually try to do an hour or two per day, maybe more on the weekends, but then take a day or two off when I start feeling burnt out. I haven't done much lately because of fun life events getting in the way.

Bokeh

If you gave up the pole dancing job, you'd have more time to study! Perhaps that was you I saw the other day doing the face plant off the pole?

I agree though, 1-2 hours a day. right now I go through notes I took the night before in the am before work, go over a study guide at lunch, then back to more reading and note taking after work.

down77

On average I spend about an hour per night on weekdays. Last year I did a bit more but with the birth of my son I've been spending more family time. The books will still be there when the family goes to sleep

BigTex71

At the time I was working on my certs I was unemployed - so I could spend more time focusing on the certs. I spent about 6 - 8 hours a day on them, about 4 days a week. This helped me get all my current certs done quickly. But I also had plenty of real-world experience with the subjects I was getting certified in, so that helped fly through the certs. Also, I HAD to put in 20+ hours a week in the 'classroom' at TechSkills if I wanted the government to continue to pay for my certifications (due to losing my job overseas to outsourcing.)

After I finished those certs and I got my current job, I haven't made much time for my continuing certifications yet, but I imagine 1 or 2 hours a day would easily be enough to progress quickly towards my next test.

So I figure an hour or two a day should be sufficient, as long as it is stuff you are familiar with.

CompuTron99

I'm working on the Security+ Cert at this moment:

I try 2-3 hours a day. That's before work , some during work (it gets quiet somedays), and some after work. I actually take the weekends off until about 2 weeks before and review my notes, take practice exams, etc.

After I pass my exam, I take a week off.. then it's on to the next one (or 2).

keenon

not enough if any.. i used to study about 2 hours a day( 5 am and at lunch).. now i still study about the same but not cisco

snadam

dynamik wrote: »

I usually try to do an hour or two per day, maybe more on the weekends, but then take a day or two off when I start feeling burnt out. I haven't done much lately because of fun life events getting in the way.

Its always the "fun" life events that make your day

Weekdays, Id like to get at least 2 hours in. Weekends, I run the marathon and study as much as possible. Thats when Im studying for something, of course

networker050184

On days I'm only reading I usually get about two hours in like everyone else. When I do lab time I usually go for a lot longer because its so much more enjoyable.

PC509

Depends on my schedule. I won't give up family time, but I read at night before bed, or during slow times during the day.

Lab time is whenever I get free time. Cisco stuff is fun to me, so I make some extra time for that. Which reminds me...

I am low on funds, so I hit it hard when I decide I want to earn the cert, then slow down until I get the funds and schedule the exam 2-3 weeks out. Then it's balls to the wall. But, depending on my schedule. This week has been non-stop studying (2-3 hours a day, anyway) for Linux+. I just finished a class last Spring semester for Linux/Unix, as well as a few years doing sys admin work with it (mostly qmail, apache and BIND, though). It'll be challenging, but I'm up for it.

undomiel

It goes in spurts. I'll find myself spending several hours a day researching interesting topics such as name resolution or NTFS structure and turn it into a blog post, but sometimes I just find myself sitting around playing video games. It all depends upon the work load as well. Need to save time for wife maintenance as well.

I need to get on the ball about the next cert. My problem is a lack of a finishing line to cross, I believe.

Chivalry1

About 3 hours a day. Studying for CISSP.

blargoe

When I am prepping for an exam, I do about 1/2 hour at lunch time and anywhere between 1-3 hours at night.

rsutton

Right now, 30 minutes of reading and 30 minutes of labbing. Studying for the CCNA.

msteinhilber

Weekdays I spent about an hour of my break at work usually in a book studying, then another couple hours at night after my son heads to bed. I'm usually in this routine every day during the week but I suspect that will be reduced next week when I'll be finished with my degree. Weekends as of now are about 4-5 hours on Saturday and another 4-5 on Sunday, couple hours each day when my son is napping and the rest at night. Definitely will be cutting back on the weekends and starting to get out more and relax and enjoy some things in life a bit more once my schooling is done though. Then I'll get back full swing and knock out some certifications I've been studying for on and off.

jovan88

studying for BSCI, about 1 hour reading and 1.5 hours labbing a night

not nearly enough IMO

mikedisd2

Half hour in the morn, CBTs at work, an hour at night when family is in bed.

Must.. become... Uber-nerd...

Then I'll show them ALL !!!

Turgon

WilliamK99 wrote: »

I just joined last week and I really enjoy this community, but I am curious as to how much actual studying do you do when you prep for certifications?

When I studied for my Comptia certs, I put in about 60 mins a night, with only 30 days per certification for studying. Now that I am going full steam ahead on CCNA, I find myself studying 120 to 150 minutes a night...

How about you guys?

It varies. When Im contracting there is little or no time to study on works time. Perhaps some reading or a practice exam some lunchtimes when I don't work through lunch. Occasionally I can do some reading on and off during a quiet morning. But I usually have lots to do for projects when deadlines are pressing so that really isn't a regular thing. I find it difficult to switch off from work when on site and do study anyway. No lab time on works time. A commute home then helping my wife with our son. Perhaps an hour or two in the evenings, more at the weekends although instead of work there are chores to catch up on at home, shopping etc. At the moment Im taking time off contracting so I can dedicate more hours to studying which is certainly helping inbetween time giving my wife a break to help look after our boy.

Slowhand

Bokeh wrote: »

If you gave up the pole dancing job, you'd have more time to study!

But if dynamik gave up his pole-dancing, what would I do with all those rolls of pennies I've been saving up to throw on (at) the stage?

As for how much time I study, it depends. I'm back in school now so I spend an hour or two every weeknight doing homework, and I've been keeping wonky hours at work, so my cert-studies have suffered. Under normal circumstances, though, I tend to go between getting an hour of reading in a night, (more on the weekends,) along with some stints of marathon-reading when inspiration hits, as well as getting a wild hair up my. . . router, and doing some lab-work when I've had enough of the books.

snadam

Slowhand wrote: »

But if dynamik gave up his pole-dancing, what would I do with all those rolls of pennies I've been saving up to throw on (at) the stage?

Its all about the Roosevelt's, baby!

ULWiz

With full time work and school i try and get a hour in per day. Sometimes its extremely hard to study with a 2 1/2 year old as well. The way i usually do it is listen to CBT through my iphone when i drive to and from work. Other than that i study after 9pm when kids and finacee are in bed. THat is what i usually do.

Divine-Assault

Well during this summer I pretty much isolated myself from my social life because my friends tend to always steer me away from studying. During the summer I usually study about 4-6 hours a day since I'm not working or anything but once I go back to school I'll probably study about 1-2 hours a day. After my first certification, I feel as if I've become a certification addict... FTW

maumercado

With full time work (7:30am to 6:00pm everyday) and also now Im learning french with pimsleur and rosetta stone courses, I still try to find at least an hour 3 times a week and 4 hours on the weekend to study the certs... still since Im the only internal IT guy to manage all the comany's infrastructure there are week days and weekends that I dont want to do anything at all...

Ive been studying for the 70-290 exam for 2 months now... still feel that Im not that well prepared for the exam even though I work with a 2003 domain everyday...

coffeeking

Try dedicating 1-2 hours during weeknights, should do more on weekends but not the case all the time. currently studying for security+, so a lot theoretical stuff and a lot of reading, lately I have been falling asleep earlier than I usually do; I think its the continuous reading.

mrgetdown88

I try to read a page in between calls at work, and i do about 40 calls per day so I get some good work done. then about an hour or two of lab at night (When I'm not playing videogames) 3 days during the work week. Now that school is about to start back up, I can expect that amount of time to dwindle. Zero hours during Sundays, its football season. Go Skins!!!

UnixGuy

Divine-Assault wrote: »

... After my first certification, I feel as if I've become a certification addict... FTW

welcome to the club

TheFORCE

Im studying for my Network+ right now, i have about 4-5 books/booklets/notes to study from. I started on monday, so far ive done 10 chapters from the "All in one Comptia Network+ Exam guide 4th edition 2009 objective" in 4-5 days, i read 2 chapters a day. One in the morning, one at night before bed. Im hoping to be ready by September to take the exam.

JoJoCal19

I work fulltime and go to school almost full time (3 classes) so I usually will study about 30 -60 minutes on my lunch break and then an additional 1 hour and sometimes 2 hours in the weekdays depending on whether I have schoolwork, TV shows that are on or other stuff I have to do. I usually do about 4-6 hours on Sat and Sun either when Im trying to study up on something quickly or when it gets to 2 weekends from test date. Since football season is here I dont think I will spend more than 1 hour on Sat and Sun studying. Thankfully Im doing the A+ right now so I can slack. After football season Ill pick up the pace to knock out my MCSA.

ScottWilliamsonOC

I try to take a test 30 to 60 days from the first day I study. After that, you will forget things.

From my A+ and Network+ test, I studied probably a total of 15 hours before I took the test. I took the tests when I had five years experience, so no reason for me to study all night during the week.

Now.. CCNA. Have fun! I had little experience in networking (95% of my experience was with Windows.) I studied probably 3 hours a night for almost two months. I failed the first time. I studied again for 3 weeks (cramming) and I passed the second time.

From my 2003 Server Microsoft test, I studied 90 minutes M to Th, 4 hours on Saturday and Sunday for five weeks. I probably over studied, but I passed first time. I was going to go for my MCSE, but I was "tossed" into a management position... priorities changed.

ITIL.. piece of cake. Really. I read a 200 page study guide twice, took the test, and passed.

PMP... Take a couple classes. Join PMI, get with study groups. It is a difficult test. I spent three months studying for the beast. 200 questions, 4 hours.

Right now, I have nothing on the horizon. Taking extended education classes for various management areas such as employee motivation, business writing, etc...

L0gicB0mb508

I usually read a couple hours total a day. I think when I get on the ball for CCSP I'll definitely pick up the pace and add the lab time in.

Paul Boz

I'm in a unique position in that I travel a LOT. I've already got over 50 airline segments this year and its not even the 4th quarter yet. All of those flights afford me perfect study time. I usually load up my ipod with relevant MP3s (the SANS course I'm doing right now, for example, provides 50+ hours of audio). I'll put CBT videos on a usb stick because I travel with two laptops. If I kill the battery in one I can just resume videos on the other. This means I don't even have to bother spending time looking for electrical outlets in the airports.

Hotels are also great avenues for studying. Unlike being at home, you really have no distractions. there is no spouse watching TV or making noises, no loud noises from outside, and a complete lack of entertainment beyond a television. I get a LOT of studying done in hotels for these reasons.

when I'm not on the road I usually get about 8 hours in per week, usually spread over the weekends. I spend all day at work doing the stuff that I'm studying so I don't really have the gas to go home and study during the week.