Honest advice from someone who failed multiple times & doesn't have years of experien

Yes I failed multiple times. Call me stupid, call me what you will. But I have this thing called life, which includes wife, two kids, and a full time job. I am rather new to the security side but employment was assistant that I obtain my CISSP. The first time I failed was with a 661 (700 to pass). The next time I failed was with a 668. I passed on the third attempt.

This is what I learned:

* I tried taking the short cut, just studying the question and not really understanding the concepts. It takes time, lots of time. It gets aggravating because you will understand the first domain, and then by the time you are to the 8th domain, your saying, what was the first domain again.

* Each time I took the test, I never once received the same question. That question pool is so large, its ridiculous. Just like the recent reorganization didn't really change the test. I don't ever think they would change the test significantly, they would then loose that pool.

* Bootcamps are a waste of your time, unless you are ready to take the test and want a fast review. No bootcamp can prepare you for the test! They don't go deep enough into detail, just a fast pace 30,000 foot view... thats all.

* The new Shoni Harris test engine is a lot better that the previous version, but I felt it didn't go deep enough. The ********* test engine is ok, but it felt unprofessional, like a bunch of people pieced things together and then charged you for it. The best test engine out there is "Transcender," they give you detailed info, telling why questions are wrong and why they are right.

* THERE ARE NO ****, SO DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME! Of the three times I took it, there may have been some similarities to test engine questions, but never seen anything exactly the same.

* Here is the heartbreaker! You can get a test that only focuses on just a few of the 10 domains. Yes, this is true. The first time I took it, I got hit hard with forensics and law. Question like: you put the evidence in the bag and sealed it, what is your next step. So in return I focused on forensics a little more. Next test, must of got 3 questions on it.

* For an old fart like me, it was time span that played havoc on me. After three hours, you get a little tired. If you caffeine up, you will crash hard. You get to a point where things start to mesh together. The only thing to correct this is the test engine. Block time in a place you will not be disturbed and sit for 3 or 4 hours straight and attempt to do at least 200 questions at a time. This will prep you for the big show. Remember, there are no breaks for this test (except for bathroom) and it goes for 6 hours.

I share this because I wish someone would of given me a heads up. This test just doesn't happen over night, it takes time and commitment. You may get frustrated and life will definitely get in the way.
But in the end, its doable.

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Comments

kshahin

Thank You for sharing your experience! I am studding and I have wife, 2 kids, job and ..........

Khaos1911

Well, I have a wife, a kid, and a full time infosec job, but not a bunch of experience... And I passed it in April. So obviously, you having that second kid is the real problem!

pramin

Thanks for the information and guidance. Definitely informative.

RuleOf3

Sorry to be such a SANS cheerleader, but I really, really benefited from hearing the SANS perspective on how to "get" the exam questions (and as many have mentioned, how to approach them more analytically than technically).

And, voila! there is a free SANS webcast tomorrow on how to do just that:

Passing the CISSP
WHEN: Wednesday, June 3, 2015 at 12:00 pm Canberra / 10:00 am Singapore /7:30 am Bangalore
Featuring: Dr. Eric Cole https://www.sans.org/webcasts/passing-cissp-100192
Sure, they will mention their SANS class that costs $$, but the webcast won't be a waste of time, it will have valuable intel.

There is no way I would have passed the exam (last week, still recovering!) without SANS instructors reinforcing how to get into the proper mindset.

Hope it's OK to post a link to a free webcast ... I saw another one recently so figured it was fine. - Lisa

qptp

Thank you Lisa! It starts in 20 minutes for anyone wanting to join.

!nf0s3cure

Available now as a webcast if you missed the actual event. Seems good information.

RollTide

I'm watching the webcast by Eric Cole from SANS (link in few posts above) and he said that the psychometric analysis wait of 6-weeks would probably go on for a year before they have enough pool of test takers to give an instant pass/fail result at the testing center.

I don't think I'll be waiting a year just so I don't have to wait for the results. However, I might wait until after I review updated books for the updated domains (not counting the IC2 CBK which I read is useless).

mjsinhsv

oneMore wrote: »

Yes I failed multiple times. Call me stupid, call me what you will. But I have this thing called life, which includes wife, two kids, and a full time job. I am rather new to the security side but employment was assistant that I obtain my CISSP. The first time I failed was with a 661 (700 to pass). The next time I failed was with a 668. I passed on the third attempt.

This is what I learned:

* I tried taking the short cut, just studying the question and not really understanding the concepts. It takes time, lots of time. It gets aggravating because you will understand the first domain, and then by the time you are to the 8th domain, your saying, what was the first domain again.

* Each time I took the test, I never once received the same question. That question pool is so large, its ridiculous. Just like the recent reorganization didn't really change the test. I don't ever think they would change the test significantly, they would then loose that pool.

* Bootcamps are a waste of your time, unless you are ready to take the test and want a fast review. No bootcamp can prepare you for the test! They don't go deep enough into detail, just a fast pace 30,000 foot view... thats all.

* The new Shoni Harris test engine is a lot better that the previous version, but I felt it didn't go deep enough. The ********* test engine is ok, but it felt unprofessional, like a bunch of people pieced things together and then charged you for it. The best test engine out there is "Transcender," they give you detailed info, telling why questions are wrong and why they are right.

* THERE ARE NO ****, SO DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME! Of the three times I took it, there may have been some similarities to test engine questions, but never seen anything exactly the same.

* Here is the heartbreaker! You can get a test that only focuses on just a few of the 10 domains. Yes, this is true. The first time I took it, I got hit hard with forensics and law. Question like: you put the evidence in the bag and sealed it, what is your next step. So in return I focused on forensics a little more. Next test, must of got 3 questions on it.

* For an old fart like me, it was time span that played havoc on me. After three hours, you get a little tired. If you caffeine up, you will crash hard. You get to a point where things start to mesh together. The only thing to correct this is the test engine. Block time in a place you will not be disturbed and sit for 3 or 4 hours straight and attempt to do at least 200 questions at a time. This will prep you for the big show. Remember, there are no breaks for this test (except for bathroom) and it goes for 6 hours.

I share this because I wish someone would of given me a heads up. This test just doesn't happen over night, it takes time and commitment. You may get frustrated and life will definitely get in the way.
But in the end, its doable.

Excellent review onemore.
I am oldfart like yourself and had a similar experience.

Never did the bootcamp thing as I rarely get much out of classroom training other than getting a break from work to concentrate on training.
Personally, I would have never been able to pass with just a bootcamp.

I think some folks can benefit from a bootcamp if they use it as a refresher to fill in the gaps just before they take the test.

I rarely get much out of any classroom training unless it is something completely new.
It's always been my luck to implement projects and after it was completed, get sent to the school training.

You are spot on with everything else.
You can't bu11sh1t this test.
Either you know it....or you don't.

Archon

RollTide wrote: »

I'm watching the webcast by Eric Cole from SANS (link in few posts above) and he said that the psychometric analysis wait of 6-weeks would probably go on for a year before they have enough pool of test takers to give an instant pass/fail result at the testing center.

I don't think I'll be waiting a year just so I don't have to wait for the results. However, I might wait until after I review updated books for the updated domains (not counting the IC2 CBK which I read is useless).

I thought people who were sitting the exam now were getting their results at the test centre same day?

E Double U

@oneMore: I also passed on the 3rd attempt. I also have a wife, two kids, and a full-time job.

I agree that the CISSP bootcamp was a waste of time. Wish I had taken a SANS course instead, but you live and learn.

RollTide

Archon wrote: »

I thought people who were sitting the exam now were getting their results at the test centre same day?

I thought that also. Just relaying what the SANS webcast had noted.