Greetings!
Passed my CISSP on first attempt 14/1/2015. When I clicked the "End Exam" button, I was quite confident of having made it; however, it probably just stated, "You have completed the exam". My general experience with any CBT is that they almost always state, "Congratulations" when someone passes the exam. I was so upset that instead of going to the printer to get my printed record of exam, I went to my locker, got all the stuff and was ready to leave. Then I picked up the paper on a second thought and as I was exiting, I took a cursory look and was super excited to see the "Congratulations!"
It took me a few weeks to prepare -- boot camp, and self-study, but this exam had been on my mind for many years so I was inadvertently preparing for it. I firmly believe that this exam cannot be passed without some real-life experience. I have indirectly and directly been involved with at least six of the domains over the past 10 years. Shon Harris book is a good guide for reference so I consulted it whenever I needed to get a detailed understanding of something.
To all yet to take the exam, here is my take on it:
- It is “really” an inch deep and a mile wide.
- It is extremely difficult to pass it without having real-world experience.
- Forget word to word definitions. Save a dozen or so, every single question makes you apply the concepts, not the definition.
- Time passes quick – I used over five hours.
- If a question does not make sense, or you don’t immediately come up with an answer, mark it for review and move on.
- Take a 5-minute break every hour or so. Make sure not to lose your momentum and time your break so you take it at the next difficult question that you face. When you come back, the answer will be immediately obvious.
- Don’t think about anything related to the exam in your break.
- The “CEO hat” is a life saver.
- If you get a question that has a lot of numbers, think beyond the numbers. They don’t want you to do complex math.
- “Most”, “Least”, “Best”, “Likely”, "Not" are all key words and conveniently highlighted.
- For the legal domain, you will not find a single question that is straight from any book; instead, it will be application of your knowledge about how the legal system works.
- Take “Review Questions” for what they really stand for -- “Review”. They are there to help you practice your cognitive skills and develop thinking patterns.
- Of the several thousand questions that I found on the internet from various sources, there was not a single question that appeared word to word, or even close.
Some logistics:
- Visit the test center/location a day in advance to familiarize yourself with the area, parking, etc.
- Arrive at least 30 minutes prior to exam and leave all notes/books/**** sheets/etc behind you. 30 minutes of cramming will likely confuse you more than help you.
- I was told that there is parking next door to my center, but found out that they close at 7 PM and I had up to 8 PM for exam time. I lost 15 minutes in finding an alternate parking.
- Have a light snack before the exam. A full meal can make you sleepy and an empty stomach takes a toll on the brain towards the end of the six hours.
- Check the ID requirements beforehand – They are very strict about them.
- Cold feet, shivering, panic – all normal; don’t give up. Stay focused.
- Sleep well the night and the night before – it helps.
- Above all, Relax!!
I am seriously considering going for the Architecture concentration ASAP while things are fresh in my mind.
Hope this helps.
Suhail
