CISSP study plan for exam in Dec27

maronvomramaronvomra Member Posts: 40 ■■□□□□□□□□
Hi everyone,

Me back again after Passing SSCP at the end of Oct. Now after a month of vacation I just came back and started CISSP. My exam is on Dec27.
If it was my previous life (without getting engaged), I wouldn't have worried about this that much but now my time get diverted to another direction also icon_rolleyes.gif
I am thinking about just only studying the AIO and the practice tests from cccure.org and other ones. Whats your suggestions? Should I go through the dummies/11th hour also?

Thanks.

Comments

  • JDMurrayJDMurray Admin Posts: 13,023 Admin
    You sure aren't giving yourself much time to study. Having passed the SSCP so recently gives you a big boost, but now you must give priority to studying the domains and domain material in the CISSP CBK that doesn't overlap with the SSCP CBK--and there's quite a bit of that. Consider that time is short, I would suggest going with the CISSP study guides that are the easiest for you to digest. If you are not a fast reader/learner, you might want to consider going with CISSP videos and practice exams instead of the heavier books.
  • maronvomramaronvomra Member Posts: 40 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Thanks for the suggestions.

    I just finished the BCP/DRP of AIO and it took me almost 6 hours. But most of it I already had the idea from SSCP. Won't be lucky for all other CBKs obviously. I think, I will follow your suggestions and will finish the study guides first before hitting the big one and do lots of practice questions to shape my way of thinking.
    We will find out I guess whether its possible to PASS by studying 26 days, in between works.icon_sad.gif
  • email2vmemail2vm Member Posts: 17 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Since you have already scheduled exam and you are having time constrains, I would suggest you to to keep a strict and steady schedule. Cccure is no close to real exam but they do help to strengthen basics from each domain. I would also recommend to go through CBK at least once.
  • maronvomramaronvomra Member Posts: 40 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Thank you for the suggestion. After I come back doing a 10hr shift duty I really dont have the energy left in me to open AIO. But I am trying my best. So far I finished reading the last 4 domains in AIo.this week my plan is to keep reading these 4 until get confident.
    Next 2 weeks other 6 domains. SSCP is paying off here for some domains.the last week only dummies and practice questions and the AIO notes I will create now.
    Wish me luck. Even though I can kind of see the result now..
  • email2vmemail2vm Member Posts: 17 ■■■□□□□□□□
    All the best mate. Do let us know how it went.
  • maronvomramaronvomra Member Posts: 40 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Have finished 6 domains so far and after each tried the CISSP practice exams book from Shan harris and out of my surprise I did pretty well. So now I am confused whether those 25 questions from each chapter were too easy or what !!

    I am just going through pages after pages of AIO and its like never ending chapters in AIO icon_rolleyes.gif. This week, I will try to take the main juice part out from AIO (if I can) and switch to guides like 11th hour and dummies and practice tests from next week (last week).
  • IvanjamIvanjam Member Posts: 978 ■■■■□□□□□□
    @maronvomra - good luck on the CISSP exam! icon_thumright.gif
    Fall 2014: Start MA in Mathematics [X]
    Fall 2016: Start PhD in Mathematics [X]
  • maronvomramaronvomra Member Posts: 40 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Rescheduled my exam on Jan-16. After Christmas can't take the chance of hearing sad news..
  • Jake007Jake007 Member Posts: 65 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Maronvomra,

    you will do well, the biggest advice I can suggest to you is, READ the questions a few times to get a clear understanding as to what they are ASKING you, do the process of elimination narrow it down to two answers and this will give you a better understanding.

    Some questions like most test you will know the answer right away, others think about what they are asking you, they are meant to be misleading and have you pick the wrong answer.

    You will pass it.
  • maronvomramaronvomra Member Posts: 40 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Thank you for the suggestions. I will try my best.
  • maronvomramaronvomra Member Posts: 40 ■■□□□□□□□□
    finally the big day is coming close again. No more rescheduling this time. I just want to get it over with now, no matter what.

    3 days left, reading one last time all the chapters in AIO. Parallely doing some practice questions. Reading the Quick Tips from all chapters in AIO.

    Lets see what happens on Wed.
  • PaperlanternPaperlantern Member Posts: 352
    You can read 1100+ pages in 3 days? Kudos to you!

    And good luck to you on the exam, may your right answers be plentiful, and your frustration be small.
  • maronvomramaronvomra Member Posts: 40 ■■□□□□□□□□
    couldn't take it anymore. Just finished 5 CBKs from AIO (crypto, bcp,legal, app. sec, Ops sec).

    Won't touch AIO again unless couldn't pass. Moved to CISSP study guide by Conrad (latest edition).

    Will continue with this until D-Day (watching parts of band of brothers in between studying):D
  • Jake007Jake007 Member Posts: 65 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Do the Test Banks.
  • ThistlebackThistleback Member Posts: 151
    Best of Luck on Wednesday!
    Feel the fear, and do it anyway!
  • maronvomramaronvomra Member Posts: 40 ■■□□□□□□□□
    umm... after doing some practice questions now I finally got confident that I will definitely not pass tomorrow for sure .. no chance .. :)

    at least now I will know one way you cannot trick this giant ..
  • jm0202jm0202 Member Posts: 87 ■■□□□□□□□□
    I felt the same... but i passed.. just be confident and read the questions several times... good luck
    maronvomra wrote: »
    umm... after doing some practice questions now I finally got confident that I will definitely not pass tomorrow for sure .. no chance .. :)

    at least now I will know one way you cannot trick this giant ..
  • Jake007Jake007 Member Posts: 65 ■■□□□□□□□□
    maronvomra wrote: »
    umm... after doing some practice questions now I finally got confident that I will definitely not pass tomorrow for sure .. no chance .. :)

    My friend dont sell yourself short if you do this, you will get very frustrated during the exam and it will just compound from question to question. Some answers will be very easy that you will know others will require some thought, just read what they are asking you vice what you think they want. Good luck take your time 6 hours is more than enough.

    If you dont know it mark it and come back to it.... this is the BEST thing i did.. when i revisted the question the second time around the answer was very clear.
  • jm0202jm0202 Member Posts: 87 ■■□□□□□□□□
  • maronvomramaronvomra Member Posts: 40 ■■□□□□□□□□
    as expected, failed with 677.

    It was unbelievable .. 6hrs was super pain .. my eyes/head all were hurting ..

    First round took me all the time so when I finished answering 250 then the time was showing 78:00 then I did my 2nd round and at the end it was showing 24:00. I knew I was weak in cryptography and that single handedly made this happen.

    Now I know what to focus..
  • jm0202jm0202 Member Posts: 87 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Don't get dis heated man.
    I would recommend you to read my post when I passed the CISSP. There is a SAN podcast on how to pass the CISSP and a document I found about the type of questions in the exam.
    maronvomra wrote: »
    as expected, failed with 677.

    It was unbelievable .. 6hrs was super pain .. my eyes/head all were hurting ..

    First round took me all the time so when I finished answering 250 then the time was showing 78:00 then I did my 2nd round and at the end it was showing 24:00. I knew I was weak in cryptography and that single handedly made this happen.

    Now I know what to focus..
  • jfitzgjfitzg Member Posts: 102 ■■■□□□□□□□
    jm0202 wrote: »
    Don't get dis heated man.
    I would recommend you to read my post when I passed the CISSP. There is a SAN podcast on how to pass the CISSP and a document I found about the type of questions in the exam.

    Could you provide the link for the podcast? I couldnt find it off a Google search
  • wes allenwes allen Member Posts: 540 ■■■■■□□□□□
  • emerald_octaneemerald_octane Member Posts: 613
    maronvomra wrote: »
    First round took me all the time so when I finished answering 250 then the time was showing 78:00 then I did my 2nd round and at the end it was showing 24:00. I knew I was weak in cryptography and that single handedly made this happen.

    Don't beat yourself too much man, seriously. Crypto kicks almost EVERYONEs behind unless they are some infosec prodigy (in which case, why take the test?). I think the official ISC2 material is best for this. All the other resources I looked at just didn't cut the mustard when it came to test time. Infact IIRC, there were three Crypto questions that I spent approx. 45 minutes on. I don't know if I got them right or bombed it but they ate me up.

    However as the role of vpn/file encryption increased importance in my role @ work I can guarantee you it helps to know the differences and nuances. Being able to tune the various encryption options ("nah, we don't need that level of security since this is a low profile application so lets bump it down and save some CPU cycles". "Nah that cypher is outdated and unused. ask the vendor for an updated version.") is extremely helpful.
  • krupal_bhattkrupal_bhatt Member Posts: 16 ■□□□□□□□□□
    What was your domain breakdown ? I.e. weakest to the strongest list ?
  • maronvomramaronvomra Member Posts: 40 ■■□□□□□□□□
    my breakdown was:
    1. crypto
    2. access control
    3. s/w development security
    4. Telecomm. & Network security
    5. Legal, regulations, investigations and compliance
    6. BCP
    7. Security Arch. & design
    8. Ops. Security
    9. Physical security
    10. Information security governance & Risk management
  • Jake007Jake007 Member Posts: 65 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Again, like has already been stated, we ALL didnt pass the first time around while thats a gratifiying goal; it will just prepare you for the next time you take the test. Now that you have seen whats on the test and the type of questions they have asked you you will be more prepared. Be advised that you will not see many if any of them same questions the next time around.

    When you took the test did you get up and take a break? walk away from the test for a few mins?? this is authorized ..
  • BundimanBundiman Member Posts: 201
    maronvomra have you scheduled a retake yet.
    Bachelor of Science, IT - Security Emphasis (Start Date: Apr 1st, 2013)
    Bachelor of Science, IT - Security Emphasis (Completed: Apr 25t, 2014)
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