Cisco Network Academy: About?

Hello all -

I did some searching around on TE and the web, but I really could not find what I am looking for.

My question is: How is the Networking Academy delivered to the would be student? From what I can tell it just looks like a bunch of reading, and slide shows, but thats just my impression from digging around Youtube etc for videos. I am wondering if it is self narrating or just a big e-book? In my opinion it looks like a instructor lead program not a self study program.

My second question: Is this the Academy looked upon as one of the best places to learn the CCNA? Per my web searched and scrounging around the Cisco website it looks like its mainly a high school course thing, and I can kind of agree to that given that the first part of the Academy course is going over how a basic computer works.

Nonetheless, forgive my nuewbtuebe question, but I would like to hear from you all in regards to CNA.

- Thanks in adv

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Comments

mikej412

http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/48162-what-cisco-networking-academy.html

I think it's been announced that they are going to just go with books, rather than the web based courseware on the next upgrade.

Academy students have access to Labs and Packet Tracer for the less demanding tasks (and the CCENT

).

The CCNA is split into 4 "semesters" which can fit into two Community College semesters.

jaykoolzboy

sthompson86 wrote: »

Hello all -

I did some searching around on TE and the web, but I really could not find what I am looking for.

My question is: How is the Networking Academy delivered to the would be student? From what I can tell it just looks like a bunch of reading, and slide shows, but thats just my impression from digging around Youtube etc for videos. I am wondering if it is self narrating or just a big e-book? In my opinion it looks like a instructor lead program not a self study program.

My second question: Is this the Academy looked upon as one of the best places to learn the CCNA? Per my web searched and scrounging around the Cisco website it looks like its mainly a high school course thing, and I can kind of agree to that given that the first part of the Academy course is going over how a basic computer works.

Nonetheless, forgive my nuewbtuebe question, but I would like to hear from you all in regards to CNA.

- Thanks in adv

The official Cisco Academy CCNA slide shows is the hardest book I have ever read , you really gotta know a lot to understand all the topics on the slide shows. So your confusion is normal.

IMO you should use 3rd party book and lab books to fulfill your needs

My personal recommendation would be
CBT
The world famous "This is Chris Bryant CCIE (whatever number)" video
Todd Lammle's CCNA third party book
Free labworks Free CCNA Workbook

Then one of the practice tests like Transcender, Jeremy's workbook, Labsim.........

Last but not least, if you have no networking exp any all, please spend at least 4-6 month to master those (not just for the test, but for your own good)

Forsaken_GA

When I went through the Academy for CCNA years ago (2004 I think?), it was all pretty much web based modules with text and illustration, along with a text book and a work book, as well as lecture and hands on lab. This was at a community college, and the classes were part of my associates degree.

As for how valuable it was.... it depends on your drive. I had a few issues with it. Most of the people I was in class with were looking to change careers and heard you could make big money being Cisco certified. Then they actually got into the classes and found out it wasnt all that simple. The college I was in did quarters instead of semesters, and each quarter was a new class. You had to join the program at the beginning of that years set, or else you waited for next year (this is why my associates took 2.5 years instead of 2, I had to wait for the next class rotation to begin). There were 25 students in my class at the beginning. It had dwindled to 10 by the last quarter.

Each week was a small quiz on what that weeks module was about, taken on the academy website and recorded there. These were also used as the basis for our grades. My gripe came from the fact that every Thursday the teacher would stand up front and quiz the class, using the same questions that would be on the academy quiz the following day. He never told us the answers. Folks didn't catch on for the first few weeks, but after that, everyone was furiously writing down the questions to look up in the book that night so they could get the right answer. Eventually, folks started meeting after class to discuss the answers and everyone would come to a consensus on what was right.

I felt this cheapened the experience, as having the questions ahead of time is a huge advantage. And with the mindshare, folks were scoring much higher on the quiz than they had any right to be. From what I gathered, an Academy's pass rate is very important as to whether or not they get to keep the program, so I understand the teacher was looking out for himself and the school, but I think that begat bad habits.

I was always way ahead of the class. My lab partner and I were always done on lab days well before everyone else, and I tended to roam around and help other folks that were having difficulty. Eventually, by the fourth quarter, I was annoyed with the glacial pace this was all going at, and just up an decided to take the CCNA one day, and I passed. From that point on, I was pretty much the teachers TA. I didn't have to do anything anymore, because even if he failed me, I could still get credit for the class and graduate just by exempting it because I already had a CCNA. A few weeks after I passed, the teacher handed me a letter about a local cisco partner that had a position open that was sent to him from a former student.

So was the Academy worthwhile? For me, it was. I felt the training material itself was subpar, I could have learned just as much through self-study. But the hands on access to the lab gear was invaluable. I was working for Wal-Mart to pay the bills while in school, so I didn't have cash laying around to buy gear with, and emulation still had a long way to go. It was also valuable because of the connections I made, particularly with the teacher. It led me to the beginning of my career as a network engineer.

Of the 25 people that started that class, I was the only one to have passed the CCNA (this was true until at least 2 years after I finished the course, we all used to stay in touch, but we drifted apart). I know of two others that attempted it and failed. Of the entire class, I was pretty much the only one who was unquestionably had the caliber and potential to be a good network engy. (I'm not trying to be arrogant, or put the rest of my class down, just being real. When you spend a year with a group of folks that is gradually growing smaller, you get to know people pretty well). There was one other who didn't necessarily have the natural affinity that alot of net engys seem to have for making things talk to each other, but she did have the potential to grow into it if she'd decided to pursue it. Everyone else pretty much decided that it wasn't for them, completed the classes to complete their associates degrees, and then went on and did something else with their lives.

The Academy is not a silver bullet. If you're clueless on this entire networking thing, then it's a good primer. If you're good at studying on your own and have a clue or two, you'd be safe to do without. It will ultimately be what you make of it.

I do recommend that if you have the opportunity to attend the Academy in a classroom setting, do so. I made some good friends in that classroom, and the contact with the teacher is something I will forever be greatful for. He invites me back to speak to his CCNA and CCNP students each year, and I gladly accept and make time for it.

alan2308

I just finished the four CNA classes as part of my degree program in May, and my experience matches Forsaken_GA's pretty much. Most people are there because their employer wants them to get certified, or because they heard Cisco is where the money is. You'll finish the 4th class with less than half of the people you started with in semester 1. The one or two people who are truly passionate about the material will do well and everyone else will take notice.

Getting access to Packet Tracer was great, but I hardly used it. Each row (4 or 5 people) had access to a rack with 6 routers (2800's and 2600XM's), 6 switches (2950's and 2960's) and one Adtran 550 which rocks as a FR switch. And Since most of the class preferred to do the labs at home on PT, I pretty much had the rack to myself every week. Access to the equipment that I was able to work with alone made it worth it.

sthompson86

jaykoolzboy wrote: »

IMO you should use 3rd party book and lab books to fulfill your needs

My personal recommendation would be
CBT
The world famous "This is Chris Bryant CCIE (whatever number)" video
Todd Lammle's CCNA third party book
Free labworks Free CCNA Workbook

Yes, I prefer a book 10 fold over what the CNA looks to be.

Freeccnaworkbook is great too, I have already set up the GNs3 Sim, and started working through those labs.

The Chris Bryant stuff looks like its worth $25 also.

Thanks man

sthompson86

Forsaken_GA wrote: »

When I went through the Academy for CCNA years ago (2004 I think?), it was all pretty much web based modules with text and illustration, along with a text book and a work book, as well as lecture and hands on lab. This was at a community college, and the classes were part of my associates degree.

As for how valuable it was.... it depends on your drive. I had a few issues with it. Most of the people I was in class with were looking to change careers and heard you could make big money being Cisco certified. Then they actually got into the classes and found out it wasnt all that simple. The college I was in did quarters instead of semesters, and each quarter was a new class. You had to join the program at the beginning of that years set, or else you waited for next year (this is why my associates took 2.5 years instead of 2, I had to wait for the next class rotation to begin). There were 25 students in my class at the beginning. It had dwindled to 10 by the last quarter.

Each week was a small quiz on what that weeks module was about, taken on the academy website and recorded there. These were also used as the basis for our grades. My gripe came from the fact that every Thursday the teacher would stand up front and quiz the class, using the same questions that would be on the academy quiz the following day. He never told us the answers. Folks didn't catch on for the first few weeks, but after that, everyone was furiously writing down the questions to look up in the book that night so they could get the right answer. Eventually, folks started meeting after class to discuss the answers and everyone would come to a consensus on what was right.

I felt this cheapened the experience, as having the questions ahead of time is a huge advantage. And with the mindshare, folks were scoring much higher on the quiz than they had any right to be. From what I gathered, an Academy's pass rate is very important as to whether or not they get to keep the program, so I understand the teacher was looking out for himself and the school, but I think that begat bad habits.

I was always way ahead of the class. My lab partner and I were always done on lab days well before everyone else, and I tended to roam around and help other folks that were having difficulty. Eventually, by the fourth quarter, I was annoyed with the glacial pace this was all going at, and just up an decided to take the CCNA one day, and I passed. From that point on, I was pretty much the teachers TA. I didn't have to do anything anymore, because even if he failed me, I could still get credit for the class and graduate just by exempting it because I already had a CCNA. A few weeks after I passed, the teacher handed me a letter about a local cisco partner that had a position open that was sent to him from a former student.

So was the Academy worthwhile? For me, it was. I felt the training material itself was subpar, I could have learned just as much through self-study. But the hands on access to the lab gear was invaluable. I was working for Wal-Mart to pay the bills while in school, so I didn't have cash laying around to buy gear with, and emulation still had a long way to go. It was also valuable because of the connections I made, particularly with the teacher. It led me to the beginning of my career as a network engineer.

Of the 25 people that started that class, I was the only one to have passed the CCNA (this was true until at least 2 years after I finished the course, we all used to stay in touch, but we drifted apart). I know of two others that attempted it and failed. Of the entire class, I was pretty much the only one who was unquestionably had the caliber and potential to be a good network engy. (I'm not trying to be arrogant, or put the rest of my class down, just being real. When you spend a year with a group of folks that is gradually growing smaller, you get to know people pretty well). There was one other who didn't necessarily have the natural affinity that alot of net engys seem to have for making things talk to each other, but she did have the potential to grow into it if she'd decided to pursue it. Everyone else pretty much decided that it wasn't for them, completed the classes to complete their associates degrees, and then went on and did something else with their lives.

The Academy is not a silver bullet. If you're clueless on this entire networking thing, then it's a good primer. If you're good at studying on your own and have a clue or two, you'd be safe to do without. It will ultimately be what you make of it.

I do recommend that if you have the opportunity to attend the Academy in a classroom setting, do so. I made some good friends in that classroom, and the contact with the teacher is something I will forever be greatful for. He invites me back to speak to his CCNA and CCNP students each year, and I gladly accept and make time for it.

Thats kind of the vibe I get from it, for it reminds me normal school books rather than a self study cert book.

Its rather funny, but I spent pretty much all this past summer reading certification books while racking up on my CompTIA certs. Now during my last semester in school when I read a standard text books for my Electronics class, I am like .... whatt the heck... because the book is instructor driven not self study driven, therefore, when i read the school text I really do not understand the material because the teacher has to fill in the mythical emptiness, which is unlike a cert book.

Nonetheless, as I stated above per the examples of I have seen of CNA online it seems very instructor/class driven not favoring self study.

I like to explorer all my options when I prepare for a cert - Great advice guys.

PhildoBaggins

mikej412 wrote: »

http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/48162-what-cisco-networking-academy.html

I think it's been announced that they are going to just go with books, rather than the web based courseware on the next upgrade.

Academy students have access to Labs and Packet Tracer for the less demanding tasks (and the CCENT ).

The CCNA is split into 4 "semesters" which can fit into two Community College semesters.

I think you are correct...They have integrated the web learning into the foundation library books. Well at least in my 2010 printed CCNP set.

sthompson86

PhildoBaggins wrote: »

They have integrated the web learning into the foundation library books. Well at least in my 2010 printed CCNP set.

I like that. I cant get into e-reading/Kindle etc. I just cant focus looking at a computer screen.

gouki2005

this was my exp in the academy

the material is kinda dry is just a lot of technician stuff sometimes hard to understand the manual is huge and is not enough to pass the ccna exam in fact i used cbt nuggets videos + Sybex book the labs are ok it help you to understand a lot of things the instructors are good too...but the sad part is theres a lot of cheating there...in order to pass to the next module you must get a 750 in the final exam..if you check the desktop or downloads folder you can find the ccna answers and question of the 4 modules (people bring the **** all the time) its suck because lot of people use that to pass and nobody controls that thx God in my country is not cheap and is not easy do the ccna exam because i think the academy certificate is a joke ANYONE can get that one in fact i had a girl as partner in the module 4 and i asked her to do easy thing like "please let me see the routes of the router" and she replied with "how can i do that " 0.o ccna MODULE 4.. asking for the show ip route command

come on

PhildoBaggins

gouki2005 wrote: »

this was my exp in the academy

the material is kinda dry is just a lot of technician stuff sometimes hard to understand the manual is huge and is not enough to pass the ccna exam in fact i used cbt nuggets videos + Sybex book the labs are ok it help you to understand a lot of things the instructors are good too...but the sad part is theres a lot of cheating there...in order to pass to the next module you must get a 750 in the final exam..if you check the desktop or downloads folder you can find the ccna answers and question of the 4 modules (people bring the **** all the time) its suck because lot of people use that to pass and nobody controls that thx God in my country is not cheap and is not easy do the ccna exam because i think the academy certificate is a joke ANYONE can get that one in fact i had a girl as partner in the module 4 and i asked her to do easy thing like "please let me see the routes of the router" and she replied with "how can i do that " 0.o ccna MODULE 4.. asking for the show ip route command
come on

I think this is sadly quite the norm among any certification oriented program. I worked for a company called Computer Education Institute back in 2001 when I was a kid and just about all the teachers had memory **** handouts for pre-certification day they gave to the students.

egb893

I used the Cisco Networking Academy for my classes as part of my degree plan at a community college. The textbooks for the class matched the information on the Netacad website. We were encouraged to use the site because it was the most up to date source of information. The site had animations and some interactive lessons and quizzes but it was hard reading it on the computer. The last class I didn’t read much of the material and relied on in class lectures and CBT Nuggets. If you’re thinking of taking it at a college be sure to check out the equipment in their lab and that they offer open lab time. Over all I feel the material provided prepared me for the CCNA exam really well. The last test of CCNA 4 the instructor has the option to give a voucher exam that will let you take the CCNA for a big discount if you score 70% or higher be sure to ask.

The first quiz of the first class my instructor went over a different version of the quiz we were about to take. He went over the answers and how to think about the questions. After that he never did it again.

spiderjericho

I'm a Netacad instructor.

I think the CCNA Exploration, if you have the time (here's the major issue), is great. It's probably better than self study or a bootcamp, as you're going through each subject with an instructor who explains and breaks everything down to you (depending on where you take the course).

The CCNA course is broken down into four modules/classes. Network Fundamentals, Routing Protocols and Concepts, LAN Switching and Wireless and Accessing the WAN.

The lessons are delivered via power-point presentation slides and instruction followed by labs.

After each lesson, the student takes a quiz. At the end of the module is a written exam and a practical application/lab to test you on the subjects/topics in the module.

The student is usually given hardcover text books, lab manuals, are given access to online curriculum (which is the same as the text books) and packet tracer.

New to the program this year are Passport 21, which includes case studies and a sim city/packet tracer game/activity called Aspire. There are also practice lab and written finals.

The program is great if you get a good instructor and have the time to undertake it.

The CCNP program is not what it once was as there are no longer Cisco created slide shows or online curriculum. Instead, the student is given a lab book and must purchase the Foundational Learning Guides for Route, Switch and Troubleshoot.

And as far as studying for the CCNA. Packet tracer is great. It has 90 percent of the IOS commands. It has low overhead on your PC (and works in Linux and Windows). It also has switches. IT IS NOT USEFUL FOR CCNP, as it does not include many of the protocols and commands in that program.

sthompson86

spiderjericho wrote: »

I'm a Netacad instructor.

I

The program is great if you get a good instructor and have the time to undertake it.

T

ahh ok. So it is instructor lead. Now that makes a bit more sense, per the samples i saw on youtube. At first I thought it was self study based.

- Thanks

gosh1976

I am taking the Netacad exploration courses at a University and I'm pretty much happy with my experience so far. The lectures could be better but they are ok. I like a little more interaction between class and professor but that's probably just as much due to the class as it is due to the style of the instructor. That said the professor is available everyday via phone and encourages us to call. He is available while we are doing the lab exercises and he also does regular study sessions on Saturdays and during the week.

We have plenty of equipment in the lab for the class size. We also have a pretty cool NetLab set up for virtual lab practice 24x7.

Just like any other course your experience could vary depending on what you are willing to put into it and the quality of the instructor. In this course experiences may also depend on the lab equipment available.

badboyeee

I start my very first class this weekend. Thanks everyone for sharing their experiences, I hope mine will be a positive one. I also hope the class will have adequate lab equipment so I don't have to get my own.

I am wanting to take my CCENT in a few months. Upon completion of the Network Fundamentals module, would that be adequate to pass CCENT? supplementing with self-study resources as well of course..

gosh1976

no network fundamentals is not enough to pass the CCENT. You will not cover everything that is on the ICND1 until the beginning of the last module. I took the exam after completing network fundamentals and 90% of the switching module. However I had to study ahead to learn the stuff that's on ICND1 concerning WAN and routing.

badboyeee

gosh1976 wrote: »

no network fundamentals is not enough to pass the CCENT. You will not cover everything that is on the ICND1 until the beginning of the last module. I took the exam after completing network fundamentals and 90% of the switching module. However I had to study ahead to learn the stuff that's on ICND1 concerning WAN and routing.

oh great.. i don't want to wait a whole year to take CCENT. did you get discount vouchers or do you have to complete the whole course first?

thanks for the info btw

gosh1976

This weekend is a terrible time to start a cisco net academy class! The net academy website is being taken down in an hour or two and will not be back up until Monday! If you have your login already - now is the time to go look around at the site!

There are two different tracks both with 4 modules:

CCNA discovery - with this track after the first two modules and getting a high enough grade you get the ICND1 half off voucher. Then after the other two modules you get the ICND2 voucher assuming one receives a higher grade. This seems to be more real world oriented to an extent but doesn't go as in depth with most topics. There's more "career exploration and soft skills stuff." --probably better for someone having never worked in IT and who doesn't have any other certs.

CCNA exploration - this is what you are taking if you are taking network fundamentals. After doing the 4 modules: net fundamentals, switching, routing, WAN with the required score you can choose between the single exam composite voucher or the 2 test vouchers for ICND1 & 2. This is the better track in my opinion going more in depth with the theory and "practical application."

So, you are probably out of luck on the voucher but you could try and get in good with the instructor and when you get close to ready for the ICND1 you could ask if there is any way that you could get access to a voucher early. Doesn't hurt to try.

alan2308

gosh1976 wrote: »

So, you are probably out of luck on the voucher but you could try and get in good with the instructor and when you get close to ready for the ICND1 you could ask if there is any way that you could get access to a voucher early. Doesn't hurt to try.

The instructor has no control over it. The voucher is posted by Cisco, not your instructor.

badboyeee

gosh1976 wrote: »

This weekend is a terrible time to start a cisco net academy class! The net academy website is being taken down in an hour or two and will not be back up until Monday! If you have your login already - now is the time to go look around at the site!

There are two different tracks both with 4 modules:

CCNA discovery - with this track after the first two modules and getting a high enough grade you get the ICND1 half off voucher. Then after the other two modules you get the ICND2 voucher assuming one receives a higher grade. This seems to be more real world oriented to an extent but doesn't go as in depth with most topics. There's more "career exploration and soft skills stuff." --probably better for someone having never worked in IT and who doesn't have any other certs.

CCNA exploration - this is what you are taking if you are taking network fundamentals. After doing the 4 modules: net fundamentals, switching, routing, WAN with the required score you can choose between the single exam composite voucher or the 2 test vouchers for ICND1 & 2. This is the better track in my opinion going more in depth with the theory and "practical application."

So, you are probably out of luck on the voucher but you could try and get in good with the instructor and when you get close to ready for the ICND1 you could ask if there is any way that you could get access to a voucher early. Doesn't hurt to try.

Wow thanks for the info. I registered for NetAcad yesterday. I wasn't exactly sure what I was in either, but through the website found I will be in the CCNA Exploration track (Network Fundamentals).

No biggie with the voucher, I can take CCENT early without any discount. After taking 3 CompTIA exams, $125 feels cheap

. I can wait a year for ICND2.

So if the entire course is one year, how extensive will it be? Would it be possible to study for other certs at the same time? I work full-time as well.

Well I hope I get a good instructor with adequate lab equipment. I'll complete at least the first module, and see how I like it. I signed up for the Saturday classes, kind of sucks I gave up my Saturdays. What happens if you can't attend a class or two? I hope one or two absences won't cause an automatic fail..

gosh1976

The course is pretty extensive and it seems like on many topics it is a bit more in depth than needed to get a pass on the exam. At my school the courses cover two semester with two modules per semester. The pace seems slow to me but there were people in the class that had trouble keeping up and two people failed and therefore won't be around for the second semester.

If I could decide on which MS exam to concentrate on I think I could get enough studying in to take another exam before I take the CCNA sometime before the summer. However I keep switching from studying for the 70-680 to the 70-640 to the 70-642. I spend a lot of time studying though and I have the benefit of a job that allows for at least an hour or two of study during the work day.

You'll just have to get in the class and see how it goes- just don't let yourself get behind.

Be careful with deciding on whether to continue based on the network fundamentals module. The fun stuff doesn't really start until the second module. The first module will be a lot of review for someone with the Network+ covering stuff like the OSI model, ethernet, subnetting. There's hardly a reason to touch any of the lab equipment til the end of the first module when you get to the chapter covering basic IOS configuration.

I doubt one or two absences would result in an automatic fail but the attendance policy would be up to the individual instructors and/or institution.

curtisdaley

I believe the CCNA Exploration Material to be great.

It is Instructor Led however, this has its benefits:

It has given me the oppurtunity to ask questions when i'm stuck on certain parts of a lab experiment (this happens occassionally).

Or asking for advice for furthering my self, educationally and career wise.

The CCNA Exploration course has given me access to a Lab:

Where I develop my skills on real equipment.

The Cisco Lab I use at my Uni, has around 10 bench's, each with a pod, each pod has atleast 2 1841 routers, a 2810, a 2811 router, 3 2950 switches, 2/3 linksys wireless g access points. Each pod has a patch panel, to interface the ethernet and serial connections of the pc's to switches/routers!

sentimetal

I'm enrolled in the Cisco academy at a local community college - 2nd week and they're already having us explain OSI and TCP/IP layers. It helps that the instructor is extremely knowledgeable and amazing at teaching; he definitely knows his Cisco. He was the dean of Devry's Business and Networking/Communications sector at one time and seems to have been in networking for 13+ years.

I honestly feel like the more study I put into these class, the more I'll get out of it. Due to a stressful week (family drama, job interviews) I actually forgot to read chapter 2 in the CCNA discovery book and felt vastly behind during the lecture tonight... I will be sure to NOT let this happen again.

If I wasn't enrolled in a class at the local community college, I'd definitely say self-study is more efficient and a better pace than just taking the Net Academy classes. If you plan on taking the Net Acad. online, I'd suggest maybe taking the first module or two and then going off on your own and self-studying.

Kai123

My ccna netacad got me started and motivated. After a month I stopped going because it was using up my time to study for the CCNA.

All we did was read off the ccna academy course material. Maybe once a week use packet tracer with no explanation on what to do.

I never thought I could "get" networking, but at least the course put me on the path. I am genuinely interested and passionate, before I just wanted the CCNA.

Another local collage has the same course, The difference is you have equipment to use every lesson for a bit more money. It all depends on the college.

Kai.

JockVSJock

Was wondering about how to join the Cisco Network Academy.

The reason for this is I'm in the US Army and looking to get access to Packet Tracer so I can create/troubleshoot labs while trying to knock out my CCNA.

Was wondering what the cost is and how it all works, and if it is available to people who are self-studying for the CCNA.

thanks

Timber Wolf

The easiest way to take the Network Academy classes is to sign up at your local community college if they offer them.

If your Active Duty than the army should have its own Cisco training but weather or not they send you is probably going to be depended upon your unit and your position.

MrRyte

Timber Wolf wrote: »

The easiest way to take the Network Academy classes is to sign up at your local community college if they offer them.

Although it's easier, it's not always a sure bet. First see if you can find out who the best teachers are. I've had some teachers that included and challenged the students and some that just stood in front of the class and almost talks everyone to sleep (not good when class is 3 1/2 hrs long after a long day of work.....

) And like Forsaken mentioned try to find others that have the same level of drive and interest to learn Cisco Networking. Don't compare yourself to them; just try to learn from and help each other out since every student learns at different paces.

Forsaken_GA wrote: »

There were 25 students in my class at the beginning. It had dwindled to 10 by the last quarter.

Kinda like my class. Started with 28 people on the first day of CCNA1; on the last day of CCNA4 (10 1/2 months later) there were only 5 students left. Can't imagine how empty it will be in CCNP class...

tomaifauchai

MrRyte wrote: »

there were only 5 students left. Can't imagine how empty it will be in CCNP class...

We lost about 20% of the class but it wasn't just about Cisco. (A chance)

Didn't found any CCNP classes near my home here but i think once you got the basics, you can continue it by yourself at home and also with job experience.

gramacorp

sthompson86 wrote: »

Thats kind of the vibe I get from it, for it reminds me normal school books rather than a self study cert book.

Its rather funny, but I spent pretty much all this past summer reading certification books while racking up on my CompTIA certs. Now during my last semester in school when I read a standard text books for my Electronics class, I am like .... whatt the heck... because the book is instructor driven not self study driven, therefore, when i read the school text I really do not understand the material because the teacher has to fill in the mythical emptiness, which is unlike a cert book.

Nonetheless, as I stated above per the examples of I have seen of CNA online it seems very instructor/class driven not favoring self study.

I like to explorer all my options when I prepare for a cert - Great advice guys.

Hey! I'm from your area. What school do you attend?