booking ICND1

alliasneoalliasneo Member Posts: 186
Hi,

I'm going to book the ICND1 exam for the start of November. The annoying thing is that I havn't actually passed a Boson test exam yet. I've taken two as 'custom' exams and chosen 50 questions for it to generate. I got 68% on both which was weird but still means I got 32% wrong.
Feels like I've been studying this material forever and this is only the entry level. I feel pretty confident with subnetting and I've been going over and over the arp process and broadcasts. I would say Security and WAN links (frame relay etc) are probably my weakest areas.
I feel that I should book the exam and see what it's like though and I can see where I'm going wrong? What do you guys think? Should I wait and keep studying or just go for it and if I fail I fail and I'll try again?

Comments

  • BlackoutBlackout Member Posts: 512 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Don't base anything off the practice exams, if your confident with the material take the test, the boson tests are worlds harder than the actual exam.
    Current Certification Path: CCNA, CCNP Security, CCDA, CCIE Security

    "Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect"

    Vincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi
  • SurferdudeHBSurferdudeHB Member Posts: 199 ■■■□□□□□□□
    alliasneo wrote: »
    Hi,

    I'm going to book the ICND1 exam for the start of November. The annoying thing is that I havn't actually passed a Boson test exam yet. I've taken two as 'custom' exams and chosen 50 questions for it to generate. I got 68% on both which was weird but still means I got 32% wrong.
    Feels like I've been studying this material forever and this is only the entry level. I feel pretty confident with subnetting and I've been going over and over the arp process and broadcasts. I would say Security and WAN links (frame relay etc) are probably my weakest areas.
    I feel that I should book the exam and see what it's like though and I can see where I'm going wrong? What do you guys think? Should I wait and keep studying or just go for it and if I fail I fail and I'll try again?

    Same here bud. I'm having trouble with the Boson test and I have been studying for two months now. I'm going to take the test at the end of the month and do my best.
  • murdoctxmurdoctx Member Posts: 13 ■□□□□□□□□□
    From what I have read the Boson ExSim is harder than the real thing. I took a free practice test on the cisco site which was 33 questions and i rated an 87. I haven't done an exam on the boson sim yet but I did purchase it yesterday. I have been studying CCNA for about 2 weeks now. Don't worry about it, go in and take the test next month. When you go to take it don't think about how much you want/need to pass it. just focus on the material and don't second guess yourself. Good luck, and I hope to pass mine before December knock on wood. :)
  • alliasneoalliasneo Member Posts: 186
    thanks for the advice everyone. I'm gonna book it and see how it goes. I do feel that I know the material but always fall down when it comes to questions on the exam. I want to move on to my ICND2 studies already!

    How long did you guys study for before you took the exam? I'm looking at 3months at the moment.
  • method115method115 Member Posts: 85 ■■□□□□□□□□
    If you can't pass the boson exam keep studying.

    Do you at least understand why your getting the questions wrong? I like to take the test using the "show answers" option. That way I can pick what I think is the answer and see if I'm right or not right away. If I get it wrong I read the explanation that way I learn while I take the test.

    Also it depends on what kind of questions your getting wrong. If you answer questions wrong that are like this "What commands lets you see the XX" then those aren't so important you only get one or two of those.

    Now if your getting questions wrong regarding which route a packet will take or what the source/destination IP will be for a packet at switch/router A. Then you need to study cause these are fundamental topics you need to know.

    At the end of the day does it really matter if you pass the test next week or one month from now? If not then I say take your time whats the rush? The worst that will happen is you'll be over prepared for this test.

    Honestly ICND1 was a very easy test for me but I was passing the Boson exams with a score above 85%.
  • alliasneoalliasneo Member Posts: 186
    I was just looking at the Boson Software and I just realised that it's the Cisco press CCNA ICND1 practice exam that I have and not the Boson Exams. I can't believe I didn't realise this before. I just took the Demo Boson test which is 12 questions and I got 1 wrong. I'm tempted to buy the full thing but it's $99 plus I want to take the exam early next month so that will be money.

    Method115 - thanks for your reply. I'm going to go through the Cisco Press practice again with the answers on I think and see what I get wrong where etc.

    Does anyone think it's worth me investing in the boson exams?
  • method115method115 Member Posts: 85 ■■□□□□□□□□
    alliasneo wrote: »
    I was just looking at the Boson Software and I just realised that it's the Cisco press CCNA ICND1 practice exam that I have and not the Boson Exams. I can't believe I didn't realise this before. I just took the Demo Boson test which is 12 questions and I got 1 wrong. I'm tempted to buy the full thing but it's $99 plus I want to take the exam early next month so that will be money.

    Method115 - thanks for your reply. I'm going to go through the Cisco Press practice again with the answers on I think and see what I get wrong where etc.

    Does anyone think it's worth me investing in the boson exams?

    I wouldn't get the extra Boson exam. The one that comes with the book is very good if you can pass that one and understand all the answers (not just memorize the right ones) then you'll pass ICND1. The test for ICND2 doesn't prepare you as good as this one so save your money for an extra test for ICND2 as it's much harder.
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