topic The CISSP Not Taken... in Exam Preparation

The CISSP Not Taken...

MitchGarvis — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 21:07:08 GMT

I did not pass my CISSP exam today. In my defense, I also did not fail it. I showed up at the testing centre in Hamilton, Ontario fifteen minutes before the scheduled exam; I paid for parking; I knew where I was going so I walked casually and with purpose through the McMaster Innovation Centre building to the rear elevator that would take me to the fourth floor, where I would find Room 411A. Only the building was eerily empty, and when I got to the elevator the call button did not work. A passing maintenance worker told me the building had been evacuated due to (possibly) a blown transformer that was causing unstable power that might be a safety risk. As the CISSP material is very clear on, human lives are of nearly infinite value in loss and risk calculation. It would have been hypocritical folly to say they made the wrong call... and if I did what difference would that make?

Now here's the problem... the staff at the local Pearson Vue must have evacuated the building as they should... but nobody notified Pearson Vue about the closure. Not only would I have had a much easier time rebooking the exam, I also would have received an email an hour before my exam (before I even left the house) telling me not to drive out there and pay for parking.

I do not know if I was going to pass the exam today, but I do know that when I woke up this morning I was at peace with the possibility that I might fail, so whatever the outcome this afternoon, the stress and anxiety that has been weighing me down since scheduling the test would have lifted, and if I failed then I would take a couple of weeks to study in a more relaxed fashion before rescheduling the exam for next month or the following. Not only are the stress and anxiety still there, as there is no indication of when I will be able to reschedule (I have to wait for the team at ISC2 to review the case and then issue a voucher, which might take 3-5 business days) so there is not even an anticipated end date for them now.

This is not anyone's fault... the testing facility had no choice but to evacuate and close for the day, Pearson Vue has policies they must follow with regard to the contract they have with ISC2, and the (very nice and helpful) call centre employee does not have the authority to just rebook my exam, he has to follow the policies and procedures as written. There is nobody at fault... which does not change my level of frustration one bit.

Oh and please don't tell me how great it is that I have at least two extra weeks to study for the exam... thanks, but I was prepared for today and this will throw my entire process off!

Thank you for letting me rant!

Re: The CISSP Not Taken...

denbesten — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 04:29:40 GMT

Without question, being yanked out of the test taking "zone" stinks and I feel for you.

The truly baffling part to me is that you were able to enter a building deemed a safety risk. You'd think that after the evacuation was complete, they would lock the door and place a "closed due to power issue" sign on it (which makes for a good piece of evidence to photograph). And, maybe notify the parking attendant.

I can understand you not receiving notice before you left home, but it is completely reasonable to expect an email from PearsonVue within 24 hours apologizing for the disruption and advising how to reschedule (probably call ISC2, as you did).

To me, the good news is that you have a strong case. PearsonVue's own records will ultimately show that it is not your fault, even if the local office does not 'fess up. Other PearsonVue test takers at that facility also would have been recorded as "no-shows", and a few unlucky souls will have been reported as abandoning the exam in the middle.

Re: The CISSP Not Taken...

nkeaton — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 14:21:50 GMT

@MitchGarvis Thank you for sharing that. I know that one of the Pearson Vue sites locally lost power last year. The people that I talked with about it (I only talked with a couple that were in the middle of their exam) said that it took a couple of days, but the test facility was on it for them. The only odd experience that I ever had was for my CCSP scheduled March of 2020. Yes, the pandemic shut the test sites down. Fortunately I rescheduled as soon as it was allowed because reservations were limited. When I got my notice, Pearson Vue had scheduled me for a Saturday. I don't schedule exams on the weekends. The other issue was that it was at a test center that was only a 9 hour drive for me. I have never taken a test in that state. There was no rescheduling fee because of the pandemic. Fortunately it worked out for me and passed my CCSP that June. I hope that your situation works out. In the meantime, if you have not read Luke's How to Think Like a Manager, I highly recommend it as think is what put me over the top to passing. It really helps to frame the mindset to answer questions correctly. I didn't use them, but a lot of people like Prabh Nair's Coffee Shots which are fairly concise "lessons". Best wishes on your exam.

Re: The CISSP Not Taken...

Steve-Wilme — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 14:52:19 GMT

Wasn't it so much easier when the exams were on paper. No desktop computers to fail due to electrical outages and free ISC2 pencils LOL

Re: The CISSP Not Taken...

nkeaton — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 15:45:10 GMT

@Steve-Wilme Now I would rather do a 6 hour linear exam than a 3 hour adaptive one. I started ISC2 certifications with their first online one, the CAP. I know several who took the paper and pencil CISSP and had other issues like making sure kept the question and answer booklets/sheets synchronized. I have been told that they endorsed each other at the exam location. Of course then there is the long wait on results. I am not a morning person and just know that I would get there with parking issues and 8:01 and be locked out. Funny, it was not that long ago. Both ISC2 and ISACA exams were kind of slow to become automated.

Re: The CISSP Not Taken...

MitchGarvis — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 18:59:55 GMT

@den that was my first thought... why wasn't the door open or at least why didn't they post a sentry preventing people from entering until they got their act in order. With electromagnetic locks I was not surprised that the door was not locked in an electrical incident. As I passed by an office on my to the elevator I passed a group of people who seemed to be discussing an incident response, but they did not advise me to turn around either... they could have done without one of their number.

After a good night sleep I am at least confident that I will get a voucher to reschedule the exam... although how long that will take, and then how long it will take to reschedule are both unknowns and sources of added anxiety. Sigh.

You are right, I was yanked from the Test Taking Zone and it was mentally draining... especially since as I stood outside the front door trying to deal with MY situation, I had to go into Manager Mode. A young lady who was there to test for her Nursing Boards relied on me to guide her through what she had to do. She was freaking out and her mother was crying that candidates are absolutely not allowed to cancel within 24-hours. They were clearly from a faraway foreign land and were hoping this was the daughter's ticket to a better life, and it was going to be lost because she could not get into the building (which they did eventually lock). I explained to her as calmly and helpfully as I could that this might be her first PearsonVue exam, it was my 110th (yes, I count) and that while the candidate cannot reschedule, the testing site can for emergencies such as this. No, I cannot give her a phone number (I know the number for PV Microsoft and PV ISC2 are different so I cannot imagine the number for the PV Nursing Board of Ontario would be the same) but I could at least explain to her how to track down where to go in her confirmation email to get the link for Customer Support.

Yesterday was no fun but I'm sure I'll finally be able to reschedule... eventually.

Re: The CISSP Not Taken...

MitchGarvis — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 19:13:27 GMT

@Steve-Wilme Even though remote testing had been available much sooner for Microsoft exams, for 91 of the first 92 exams that I sat were at testing centres, and it was only Covid that forced me to start taking my exams at home. In fact these last five years the only times I have driven to a testing centre were for ISC2 exams which does not offer that option. Truly I do not mind and have written extensively on my blog about cert exams from home versus on-site.

When I read that you were forced to delay four months and drive nine hours to your CCSP exam my first thought was horror for you; my second thought was to remind myself that what is happening to me is not the worst thing in the world. When people ask how I've endured certain things I tell them that war veterans tend to look at life different from most people... any day that nobody tried to make me dead is a good day. In other words yeah this incident sucks but it will get resolved and should only push me back a couple of weeks.

For the record, I know I have sat exams in three countries, three Canadian provinces, and six US states... but never have I had to drive to another state or province because that was the nearest testing site that was open. I feel for you!

At some point, hopefully by the end of this week, I will likely hear back from ISC2 with a voucher to reschedule my exam, which I hope to be able to do before the end of next week. In the meantime I am going to look for Luke's How to Think Like a Manager as well as Prabh Nair's Coffee Shots... I took the class, I read a couple of other books, and I made my own flash cards... but if I was not completely confident I was going to pass yesterday then I should not be afraid to expand my study materials based on recommendations from people who have already passed the exam I am preparing for. Thanks!

Re: The CISSP Not Taken...

nkeaton — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 20:01:39 GMT

@MitchGarvis Thank you for being compassionate with the person in your example. She probably definitely needed that. I am sure that you will end up being fine, but a little compassion goes a long way. Appreciate you.

Re: The CISSP Not Taken...

Steve-Wilme — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 09:48:17 GMT

The only exam I've taken remotely on-line was the CCSK. Given how unreliable internet connectivity is and the interruptions from my dog furiously barking, because she wasn't getting attention, it was far more stressful than attending a test centre.

Re: The CISSP Not Taken...

nkeaton — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 13:25:39 GMT

@Steve-Wilme The CCSK was also my only one not at a test center. I did it at work and noticed the white noise pumped in much more. I do want to attempt the CCAK so will have to do that somewhere else. I have heard too many nightmare stories from people taking ISACA, PMI, or CompTIA exams at home that would never choose that option or recommend it

Re: The CISSP Not Taken...

MitchGarvis — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 14:31:21 GMT

I have written about those issues and they are real! I tell all of my students that remote on-line exams might not be for you if:

* You live with others and cannot book your exams around their predictable schedules

* If the people you share a space with do not understand (or will not respect) that when you are taking exams they have to make themselves scarce and there is no emergency that supersedes that.

* Kids. Need I say more?

* Unreliable Internet

*Cramped and messy quarters

For better or for worse, I live alone with my dog. I have a neighbour who is happy to take care of Her Floofness when I need, so she is not an issue. My office area (from whence I teach) is professional and tidy, but with four 34" external monitors connected to my laptop it would have to be completely disassembled before it might be exam-acceptable (see picture in article), so instead I clear off my kitchen table and take my secondary laptop (which is clean anyways) over to the cleaner and less crowded kitchen. I lock my door, disable the IP security cameras that cover the kitchen and might be questioned if they did a floor-to-ceiling check, and then I am ready for the exam.

I should also mention that as I am primarily a trainer these days, several of the companies that I teach for have a contractual requirement for me to have a very reliable Internet connection, with the option of redundancy from my smart phone. I am not saying it never goes down... but I've lived here four years next month and the reliability has been in excess of four-nines (not measured but perceived... I know, BAD IT guy!).

I used to love going into the exam centre... and I still don't mind it! I just only do it when I have to. It saves on gas 😉 (Also... I live in Canada where I have experienced exam centre closures caused by both blizzards and ice storms... )

Re: The CISSP Not Taken...

MitchGarvis — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 14:42:29 GMT

@nkeaton As I said to @Steve-Wilme , it is definitely not for everyone. However as a technical trainer I speak to over a thousand potential exam takers every year and everyone has a different situation. For some, the closest exam centre is several hours away (as you experienced during Covid with your CCSP), for others there are mobility issues (I did a cohort last year for a group of disabled veterans). For many of my students who are deployed overseas (I teach for US Army quite a bit) the exam centres are in the cities but they are... REALLY NOT. My article Online Certification Exams – Are they worth it? – The World According to Mitch covers a lot of the challenges, advantages, and disadvantages to both. I am not saying one is better than the other, I am just saying that it is sometimes nice to have the choice.

(I still laugh though when I think of that one student who told me to get the privacy they needed for the exam they locked themselves in the WC with their laptop. I couldn't make that up!)

Re: The CISSP Not Taken...

CBMExamTeam — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 15:23:32 GMT

@MitchGarvis Thank you for reaching out via the ISC2 Community.

I am so sorry to learn that you had that unnerving experience at the testing center. Your post is amazingly philosophical; more than I'd have been.

I fully understand the anxiety and stress caused by suddenly being prevented from taking the exam.

I appreciate your attitude towards "fault" or "blame," and know that does not change one's level of frustration.

I see one of my colleagues has been assigned your case and should be contacting you today.

Christine,
Exam Administration
Exam Security

Re: The CISSP Not Taken...

MitchGarvis — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 16:35:25 GMT

Thanks Christine! There are so many parts to me that dictate that I should be calm and accepting of hiccoughs like this but sometimes being philosophical is the only way I can keep myself from 'losing it.' On my way home from the <non> exam I nearly stopped in at a pub and ordered a plate of wings and a beer... but that would have wrecked my diet; When I was at home I wanted to throw things... but that would have wrecked my stuff (and freaked out my doggie). And so I wax poetic and turn philosophical... and to use the old slogan, I keep calm and carry on.

Frankly, having someone to blame would be great! There is nobody I can even turn to to say 'YOU OWE ME $7 FOR THE PARKING!'... and yes, the staff at the local Pearson Vue likely dropped the ball in not reporting the evacuation, but to get angry at a staff who was being evacuated for safety reasons? I likely wouldn't have been fazed but I'm a combat vet. They are probably in their mid-20s and were scared. So... NOBODY is to blame, and I wait to hear from your colleague 😉

By the way... give Edgar kudos - he was quite professional and understanding.

Re: The CISSP Not Taken...

denbesten — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 17:30:20 GMT

@MitchGarvis wrote:
On my way home from the <non> exam I nearly stopped in at a pub and ordered a plate of wings and a beer... but that would have wrecked my diet;

Some old dead guy said "Everything in moderation, including moderation". This is one of those scenarios where I would feel completely comfortable "moderating" my diet.

And, in fact I did. When I took my exam, I left myself a box of high-end cookies in my car as a consolation prize. Fortunately, they were able to be repurposed as a celebration.

Re: The CISSP Not Taken...

MitchGarvis — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 18:59:51 GMT

I have earmarked a Cohiba Behike 56 from 2014 as my celebratory cigar... it has been in my humidor a very long time, and it has been decided by me that it will be smoked in the hours following my passing the CISSP exam. I do not believe in participation prizes. As for 'moderating' my diet... I have made too many excuses over the last 18 months and was not going to let myself fall off course once again because of this...certainly not on Day 5 of the renewed effort. Definitely good advice though!

Re: The CISSP Not Taken...

MitchGarvis — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 19:19:29 GMT

Thank you to all who commented! The highly effective folks at @CBMExamTeam helped me to reschedule for next week. I have one class to teach Monday (my FIRST delivery as an ISC2 Authorized Instructor!) but aside from that I will be diving back into the CISSP material tomorrow... it's going to be five days of deep immersion!

Re: The CISSP Not Taken...

nkeaton — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 00:53:52 GMT

@MitchGarvis Thank you. That is great news. I totally agree with you on every situation being different. I helped someone in Canada this year that had to drive a long way to test. They told me that live in Quebec, and there is a French mandate, and of course ISC2 exams are not in French. So I learned something. I emphasize to the people support at work that they are the answer to how they study best. I self-study which is usually reading and practice exams. Flash cards and study groups don’t work for me, but they do work for other people. So we all must learn to leverage our best study methods. The same is true in where and how to test. I will never recommend taking an exam out of a test center, not so much because of my preference, but because of nightmare stories that have been shared with me. So far toddlers are a worse issue than dogs at my current count. I feel that you will be fine on your exam. The range between 100 and 150 can be brutal and us a beast. Best wishes.

Re: The CISSP Not Taken...

MitchGarvis — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 13:55:05 GMT

It has been several years since I've had a toddler in the house... but I think of the reasons I have had to interrupt my class - two electrical outages, one fire alarm... and I once audited-to-teach a course that was being taught by a lovely instructor in Mexico City who was in the middle of her lecture when the major earthquake hit in June 2020... I was asked to take over teaching the class but fortunately before we got the details hammered out she came back online. Yeah there are all sorts of advantages to testing centres (poop stills happen but the testing centre would be able to corroborate the story and the 'investigation' would be much shorter.

Come to think of it... I once had an in-person exam crash in the last five questions... because of the diligent work of the staff I was able to re-sit it immediately again.

Re: The CISSP Not Taken...

MitchGarvis — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 23:41:47 GMT

I want to thank all of you for your support. Eight days after the evacuated exam centre I sat the exam (at a different centre, but only because the original one did not have availability) this afternoon... and passed.

I was scared when the exam ended after 100 questions. I was 100% convinced as I filled out the post-exam survey that I was rebooking. When the administrator handed me my score report I neither hooted nor hollered... well, not aloud. Inside I was screaming and shouting and jumping for joy.