Taking ICND2 test tomorrow.

After 5 months of studying, I'm finally taking the ICND2 test tomorrow. I feel like I've hit a wall with studying, so I'm going to go for it and hope I pass. I've watched CBT Nuggets and Train Signal videos, read the Odom book four times, taken countless practice tests (including the Boson), and watched the Cisco quick learning modules. Does anybody have any last minute advice?

Find more posts tagged with

Save $250 on 2025 certification boot camps from Infosec!

Book now with code EOY2025

Button

Comments

billscott92787

AD227529 wrote: »

After 5 months of studying, I'm finally taking the ICND2 test tomorrow. I feel like I've hit a wall with studying, so I'm going to go for it and hope I pass. I've watch CBT Nuggets and Train Signal videos, read the Odom book four times, taken countless practice tests (including the Boson), and watched the Cisco quick learning modules. Does anybody have any last minute advice?

Sounds like you have been well prepared. I will give you the advice that Mike from the forum gave me when I was taking my CCNA and it really helped. Read the questions FULLY, next read the answers, then re-read the question again, and then select the correct answers. Do not spend too much time on one simulator question. If you don't get it after about 10 minutes you're not going to, do the best of your ability and move on, otherwise you could run out of time before completing the exam. The other other recommendation that I have is:

subnettingquestions.com - Free Subnetting Questions and Answers Randomly Generated Online be SURE that you can do these within around 15 seconds. Yes, it is possible. If you can do these, then you will be fine with the preparation that you have described. Good luck and let us know the outcome

marco71

It's a little bit late for that, but I hope you did practice on real routers/switches or at least played with some sims, otherwise the sim-questions would be difficult; dont spend more than 2 min. for a question or more than 12-14 min. for a sim and try to answer to simple questions as fast as possible, less than a minute ...
Keep focus on the text because some questions are tricky.
Good luck!

Geetar28

AD227529 wrote: »

After 5 months of studying, I'm finally taking the ICND2 test tomorrow. I feel like I've hit a wall with studying, so I'm going to go for it and hope I pass. I've watched CBT Nuggets and Train Signal videos, read the Odom book four times, taken countless practice tests (including the Boson), and watched the Cisco quick learning modules. Does anybody have any last minute advice?

Dude if that ain't enough I don't know what is....four times for the Odom book...hell ...go in there and kick that ICND2's ass!!!!

7255carl

Best of luck, let us know how it goes

thenjduke

Good luck.

mikej412

Good Luck!

Watch your time management during the exam. If you've done plenty of lab work, the SIMs should be a "piece of cake" -- so don't spend more than 10 minutes on one. There are some ungraded questions, so if you get a "bad SIM" you can leave a comment and hope it's a defective beta question. But you do get partial credit on SIMs (one of the few things about exam grading that Cisco has confirmed) so make sure you put something in if you're drawing a blank.

Make sure you read the question, all the answers, and then read the question again. If you've misread the question you may jump on the right answer for the wrong question.

If you get an "exhibit" question -- diagram, lump of description and/or configurations, and possible answers -- jump to the last sentence or two in the description to get an idea what they are asking for, and maybe glance at the possible answers so you have some options to consider. Then go through the shaggy dog description and look at the diagram and pick out only the pieces to solve the problem. If you know what your doing, and what you should be looking for, these multiple choice questions can be easy. If you plod through the diagram and try to understand each piece of information as you read it (whether it's actually relevant to the problem or not), the a simple multiple choice question can turn into a time suck.

And try to relax. It's only a test. It's only a test. It's only a test.

Oh -- the links to the exam demo/tutorial and Cisco NDA are in the CCNA Forum FAQ. If you go through those now you can use that time before the exam to jot down an emergency brain freeze subnetting chart on your dry erase note sheet(s). Or you can get the exam that much quicker.

cerberos

Mike nailed it for you... Most important thing is to take some rest and sleep well the night of your exam, you'll strictly need a fresh, fast clear mind on this day... And as Mike told you, it's only a test, stress won't help so relax... Goodluck pal

AD227529

PASSED! Man, that test was tough and I thought for sure I'd failed it. I almost ran out of time. I think I was probably a little too cautious on the exam and that's why I almost ran out of time. That's what happens when you're nervous, but it paid off. It feels great to finally be a CCNA. I've dreamed of this day for a long time. Thanks to everyone for your well wishes and advice. I'd especially like to thank the moderators/administrators of this site. It is an invaluable tool for all of us taking the Cisco exams. I'm thinking of taking the CCNA Security exam next, but I need a break from studying for awhile.

verbala

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!! any tips or pointers ? I'm taking the same test tomorrow.. just reviewing everything I can.

mikej412

AD227529 wrote: »

PASSED!

Congratulations!!

Enjoy your "study break"

and good luck with your CCNA Security studies

7255carl

congrats on the pass!!

Geetar28

Congratulations!!!! Enjoy Cloud 9...

If you have any general tips, i.e. which aspect of your studying helped you the most etc..please post.

AD227529

I'll try to pass along some advice to the guys getting ready to take the ICND2. You need to be a master at switching (switch security, trunking, vlan's, inter-vlan routing, router-on-a-stick). Brush up on your subnetting skills and absolutely know how to do Variable Length Subnets (VLSM). If I can borrow a quote from Wyatt Earp "Take your time, but do it in a hurry!" I almost ran out of time on the exam. Don't go so fast that you make mistakes, but don't be overly-cautious like I was. I spent my last few days before the test going back over my notes from the Cisco Press book, CBT Nuggets/Train Signal, and taking every practice test I could find, mostly the Boson that came with the book. Good luck on the exam. It is tough, but if you know the material you will pass. Just don't let the clock get you. Best of luck to everyone! There is no feeling like passing it and knowing you are finally a CCNA.

billscott92787

AD227529 wrote: »

PASSED! Man, that test was tough and I thought for sure I'd failed it. I almost ran out of time. I think I was probably a little too cautious on the exam and that's why I almost ran out of time. That's what happens when you're nervous, but it paid off. It feels great to finally be a CCNA. I've dreamed of this day for a long time. Thanks to everyone for your well wishes and advice. I'd especially like to thank the moderators/administrators of this site. It is an invaluable tool for all of us taking the Cisco exams. I'm thinking of taking the CCNA Security exam next, but I need a break from studying for awhile.

Congrats on the pass! Good luck on your future studies. I know what it feels like to need a break. I've been wanting one since the CCNA but I started my CCNP track two weeks later. That was my break

I'm not taking a break until I am CCNP. Chances are who knows if I will even take one then. The more I learn the more I want to keep learning more

marco71

Congratulations !!!

kenny831

Congrats! Good job.

cerberos

Congratulations AD227529