Well I passed the SSCP today.
To SSCP or not to SSCP was a question I went back and forth on for a few weeks before opting to purchase the book. In the end I decided that although it might not have the greatest return on investment, it was the most logical next step for me certification-wise. It doesn't hurt that taking the SSCP gave me some good insight into ISC2 testing and should help when its time for me to take the CISSP.
I've been studying here and there about 3 months in my spare time. I just used Darril Gibson's AIO book. I read it once, taking the quizzes at the end of each chapter. I took the quiz and practice test on the CD and then I went back through the book a second time just skimming the areas that I felt I needed a little more review in.
After performing my own simple cost-benefit analysis, I purchased all (3) of the 50 question Studiscope practice exams. With the AIO book being a few years old and my only source, I felt it would be money well spent.
The Studiscope practice exams were very different from the practice exams on the CD from the AIO book. They seemed to focus on different areas of the material and were less one-dimensional than the AIO practice exams. I was scoring over 90% on all the AIO practice exams, and got a low 60% on my first Studiscope one. I reviewed the explanations for the correct answers and then took another and scored a 76%, reviewed the answers for that and took the final and a 86%.
The Studiscope questions proved most valuable in the way they made me aware of how poorly worded and potentially confusing questions could be. They reinforced how important re-reading each question was to ensure I understood what was being asked. They also reminded me of some of the more obscure items that could be asked as part of this exam.
The exam was not too bad, and although I did not feel 100% sure I would pass when I clicked the end exam button, I felt pretty confident.
