Can I do it in three months from this starting point?

So I am giving myself three months and am going to try and take the CISSP test in late January. I know this is a ambitious endeavor but I feel that I have a good foundation on about 6 of the domains. I took the Sec+ in December last year and received a 900/900 but was prepped by a crash course (although I did study for about four months prior).

-I just took a practice exam from VTE (government sponsored training ~150 questions) and received a 60% with absolutely no studying at all.

-I am receiving the Son Harris 6th ed. tomorrow and am planning on knocking out a domain a week and having one week for just practice exams and flash cards

-I will devote about 2-3 hours a day to study and about 6 hours on the weekends

.....Do you think this is possible? Any suggestions?

BTW I am an InfoSec manager (2 years) and have only about 3 years exp. in general crypto

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5502george

Does anyone have any idea if there are particular domains that are weighted more than others in this CISSP?

beads

Officially they are all weighted the same. In practice, from what I have read over the years, is that physical and DRM/BCP appear to have the fewest questions while networking and crypto come up quite regularly. Not that you aren't responsible for those domains but reported to have the least number of actual questions involved on the test. As with anything else, any domain you study less for will be the one that comes replete over your individualized exam.

Add to that anyone who has taken the exam is also under a NDA not to discuss the exam or its contents. I am only reporting what I have read over the number of years of reading this and many other boards.

- B Eads

beads

5502george wrote: »

So I am giving myself three months and am going to try and take the CISSP test in late January. I know this is a ambitious endeavor but I feel that I have a good foundation on about 6 of the domains. I took the Sec+ in December last year and received a 900/900 but was prepped by a crash course (although I did study for about four months prior).

-I just took a practice exam from VTE (government sponsored training ~150 questions) and received a 60% with absolutely no studying at all.

-I am receiving the Son Harris 6th ed. tomorrow and am planning on knocking out a domain a week and having one week for just practice exams and flash cards

-I will devote about 2-3 hours a day to study and about 6 hours on the weekends

.....Do you think this is possible? Any suggestions?

BTW I am an InfoSec manager (2 years) and have only about 3 years exp. in general crypto

Play to your strengths and build on your weak domains (BCP/DRM; Application Security) Crypto is the domain that fouls most folks, then network security. The others just kind of fall in line (Legal and Ethics, Physical, etc.)

As long as you are able to keep yourself disciplined and motivated - should be no big deal. Save toward the end when folks either feel bored with the studying process or panic from a few too many "mental health days". Redz likes to think of it as working on his "Monitor Tan". Similar to a "Farmer's Tan" but in reverse.

- B Eads

NovaHax

Crypto is one of the harder domains for most. Being that you work in that domain may give you an advantage over many. Good luck man. It can be done!!!

NovaHax

I still have access to my VTE training from my government days (something I made sure I had access to prior to moving on). The content seems a bit hit and miss. But I am considering knocking out my ISSAP using the VTE course.

bobloblaw

You can do it in three months with your background and putting that amount of time in. Supplement your studies with an additional quizzer from any of the popular ones listed in this forum.

Good luck. Around ~250-300 hours should be more than enough. Try not to get discouraged. I put the book down for months at a time because I let it overwhelm me, only to ultimately spend about the same time total that you're planning on doing.

da_vato

I think you're sitting in good shape for the exam with your plan and experience. I do pretty much the same job here on Kirtland and took roughly the same amount of study time except I also went to a bootcamp.

zxbane

I actually just took the VTE CISSP practice exam they have on there as well and got a 74%. I've been studying for about a month and I am scheduled to test on December 7th. Feel like I have learned a lot but still have to brush up on the harder areas like crypto and sec. architecture etc.

JoJoCal19

Definitely doable in three months. But with your current level of knowledge I'd not go with the Shonn Harris book and instead go with Conrad's Study Guide as you'll be able to read through it much quicker. Also pick up the 11th hour.

5502george

da_vato wrote: »

I think you're sitting in good shape for the exam with your plan and experience. I do pretty much the same job here on Kirtland and took roughly the same amount of study time except I also went to a bootcamp.

What do you do on kirtland? 377th IA?

da_vato

IA manager for a branch in AFRL

5502george

da_vato wrote: »

IA manager for a branch in AFRL

Funny, do you know Leyba?

5502george

JoJoCal19 wrote: »

Definitely doable in three months. But with your current level of knowledge I'd not go with the Shonn Harris book and instead go with Conrad's Study Guide as you'll be able to read through it much quicker. Also pick up the 11th hour.

to all: Should I stick with Shon's book or go with Conrads Study Guide on this one?

da_vato

5502george wrote: »

Funny, do you know Leyba?

Doesnt ring a bell. I don't know people in all of the branches though.

5502george

Oh ok, I am here at the 150th FW on Kirt...small world!

joebanny

It is doable, when I was studying, I planned to use 3 months, I think I went over just a little bit, if you can stay disciplined with the time you mentioned and take many practice exams after each domain, I think you will be good to go. I practiced a lot with the questions in the Shon Harris CD and bought Transcender to supplement. Good luck to you!

qutubnoor

joebanny wrote: »

It is doable, when I was studying, I planned to use 3 months, I think I went over just a little bit, if you can stay disciplined with the time you mentioned and take many practice exams after each domain, I think you will be good to go. I practiced a lot with the questions in the Shon Harris CD and bought Transcender to supplement. Good luck to you!

I agree with Joebanny. I did mine in a month, however I was clocking almost 15 hours everyday (Had taken leave from my work as well) reading and testing myself on every bit of CISSP curriculum.. Its a bit over do however I didn't have a choice as I was determined to complete it within 2013.

botcity

5502george wrote: »

So I am giving myself three months and am going to try and take the CISSP test in late January. I know this is a ambitious endeavor but I feel that I have a good foundation on about 6 of the domains. I took the Sec+ in December last year and received a 900/900 but was prepped by a crash course (although I did study for about four months prior). -I just took a practice exam from VTE (government sponsored training ~150 questions) and received a 60% with absolutely no studying at all. -I am receiving the Son Harris 6th ed. tomorrow and am planning on knocking out a domain a week and having one week for just practice exams and flash cards -I will devote about 2-3 hours a day to study and about 6 hours on the weekends .....Do you think this is possible? Any suggestions? BTW I am an InfoSec manager (2 years) and have only about 3 years exp. in general crypto

I'm kind of in a similar situation. I'm not a sec mgr though. I do WAN scale threat analysis so 90% of my work is network related. I'll most likely need to fill in huge gaps on the App and Crypto domains. The only experience I have with those domains is OSCP training, self taught programming, and labs from public CTF events. Lol. I actually decided to pursue this cert after being turned down for a senior infosec manager job yesterday because I only have 5 years of experience in sec. *blah* Anyway. It's CISSP time!!!! Lets get it!!!