topic Re: Failed CCSP but I know the content and think I passed in Exams

Failed CCSP but I know the content and think I passed

Ekeller1984 — Thu, 28 Nov 2019 14:09:51 GMT

I feel like I knew the content understood the questions and got a majority of them correct. Can I challenge the results? They wouldn’t give me my score. Also I used the ISC2 official content and the only stuff from their content in the exam was SAML, Crypto Shredding, and Data Dispersion. I feel it would do me no good to go back, regroup, study, and retest as I know the content.

Re: Failed CCSP but I know the content and think I passed

Cyberconstlearn — Thu, 28 Nov 2019 18:12:04 GMT

Was there any reference materials pointing to governing bodies with specific indexes? Also from what I understand, the ccsp is more technical in answering and managerial so you get like a 60/40 mix.

Re: Failed CCSP but I know the content and think I passed

denbesten — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 02:54:12 GMT

@Ekeller1984 wrote:
I feel like I knew the content understood the questions and got a majority of them correct. Can I challenge the results? They wouldn’t give me my score. Also I used the ISC2 official content and the only stuff from their content in the exam was SAML, Crypto Shredding, and Data Dispersion. I feel it would do me no good to go back, regroup, study, and retest as I know the content.

Given that (ISC)² does not return graded exams, I don't understand how you would know which answers are challenge worthy. Rest assured thought that (ISC)² already has our collective back. They statistically detect bad questions, which are then retired or sent back for rework by members who have passed the exam in question.

Back in "the day", scores were released for those who did not pass. Like you, I was disappointed when the practice was discontinued but I have come to realize that (ISC)² now gives us something much more useful... they report which of the domains you passed ("Above passing standard"), which you need to brush up on ("Near passing standard") and those which require extensive study ("Below passing standard"). With this, you can focus your studies on your weak spots, instead of just knowing that you need to study 10% harder.

Although you claim to be interested in challenging your score, it actually sounds like you are more interested in questioning the alignment between the CBK, the exam, the prep-materials and the official references. You might check out some of the other CCSP discussions. In them, you will find some CCSPs (who have more credible knowledge, given that they passed) who share your concerns and others that have additional study recommendations.

Re: Failed CCSP but I know the content and think I passed

AlecTrevelyan — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 06:26:00 GMT

@Ekeller1984 wrote:
I feel like I knew the content understood the questions and got a majority of them correct. Can I challenge the results? They wouldn’t give me my score. Also I used the ISC2 official content and the only stuff from their content in the exam was SAML, Crypto Shredding, and Data Dispersion. I feel it would do me no good to go back, regroup, study, and retest as I know the content.

There is a complaints procedure:

https://www.isc2.org/Contact-Us#accordion-1427f94f22f84b5aa6ccbaac84116cdd

Examination Score Review and Item Questions: No re-scoring of your examination is available. For questions regarding exam items and content, please use the Contact Us online form and select “Complaint” as the topic. You must be prepared to present a cogent, vigorous, and compelling defense of your incorrect responses. As a reminder, public discussion of specific exam items or content is not allowed due to the NDA and (ISC)² Code of Ethics.

Good luck!

Re: Failed CCSP but I know the content and think I passed

csjohnng — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 13:28:32 GMT

Well, definitely CCSP are more than "SAML, Crypto Shredding, and Data Dispersion" and maybe you are very familiar with the rest of the topic and you feel the only CCSP content are "SAML, Crypto Shredding, and Data Dispersion" which is useful to you which I cannot comment.

There are actually 6 domains if I go back to the exam outline. I recall the official study (the sybex one) is actually good (at least not a bad one for examination purpose)

Rather than going to appeal for your result or argue you have the "correct" answer, I would suggest you may review your exam result to see what's not good enough and focus more on those areas.

But of course, you are free to go for the complain path/procedure.

Good luck.

Re: Failed CCSP but I know the content and think I passed

Ekeller1984 — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 13:59:17 GMT

120 questions. I am positive I did not miss 50 or more since 20 do not count.

Re: Failed CCSP but I know the content and think I passed

csjohnng — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 16:47:59 GMT

if I did not mis-taken, from the CCSP exam outline

https://www.isc2.org/-/media/ISC2/Certifications/Exam-Outlines/CCSP-Exam-Outline.ashx

Total number of question is 125 (not 120). I started to understand your thinking when I am typing/editing.

May I ask you to think in another perspective, how to get yourself a positive pass? How many questions you need to get them correct in order to get a "sure" pass?

Also, there are saying (or rumours) that 25 are experimental and does not count, however, I don't see any official documentation on this and even it's yes, so you don't know exactly which 25 are experiential. (worst case you got these 25 all right, then you still need to score another 70 questions correct to get a pass). So under this assumption, worst case senerio, you need to have 95 question correct in order to have a "sure" pass.

So if you ignore these 25 experimental or not, and consider 125 as a whole.

To pass, you need to score 700 out of 1,000. Assume all question is equally weight (this assumption may not be correct as well, because it's not stated all questions are equally weight), which mean you should get 70% 125*0.7= 87.5 question (say 88 question) right or you get more than 30% 125*0.3= 37.5, ~38 question.

So if you are getting more 38 questions incorrectly, likely you won't able to pass. (not mention 50 and when you mention 50, you are assuming the questions you answer incorrectly, most of them are "experimental" and does not count).

Franky for a safe pass, by the above simple calcuation, you should be getting more 90 questions (95 is even better) correct and should not miss more than 35 questions. (or don't miss 30 question is even better).

So up this point, I think you may realise what's the potential problem.

Re: Failed CCSP but I know the content and think I passed

Ekeller1984 — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 17:03:24 GMT

It’s all good. Thanks for the posts everyone. I’ve decided to focus on AWS Cloud Certs for Cloud and more SANS stuff for Security going forward. I find these to work better for me personally and also make me a better Security Analyst where the ISC2 is the opposite in my experience. Best of luck and happy holidays!

Re: Failed CCSP but I know the content and think I passed

denbesten — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 18:52:56 GMT

@csjohnng wrote:

...Assume all question is equally weight (this assumption may not be correct as well, because it's not stated all questions are equally weight), which mean you should get 70% 125*0.7= 87.5 question (say 88 question) ...

By my math, one can fail the CCSP with as few as 5 wrong answers. From the FAQ, "Candidates must score above the proficiency level in all Domains in order to pass the exam." The legal/risk/compliance domain is weighted 13%, meaning it contains about 16 questions, 12 of which would need to be answered correctly. (5 =~ 125 * 13% * 70%).

With respect to the original discussion, I suspect that the primary problem was insufficient attention to detail -- equating "majority" with "proficiency level"; and disregarding the ranked list of domains by proficiency level on the results sheet. Carrying that same bad habit into the exam would be an excellent way to be caught by the distractors.

Re: Failed CCSP but I know the content and think I passed

AlecTrevelyan — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 19:50:36 GMT

@csjohnng wrote:
...
...
Also, there are saying (or rumours) that 25 are experimental and does not count, however, I don't see any official documentation on this and even it's yes, so you don't know exactly which 25 are experiential.
...
...

This is stated in the exam policies and procedures link you can find at the bottom of the main ISC2 site:

https://www.isc2.org/Register-for-Exam#accordion-b910a90c529245f2b5c2946a120daa5d

"Each of these exams contains 25 pre-test items. They’re included for research purposes only. The pre-test items aren’t identified, so answer every item to the best of your ability."

Re: Failed CCSP but I know the content and think I passed

AlecTrevelyan — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 19:56:49 GMT

@denbesten wrote:
...
...
By my math, one can fail the CCSP with as few as 5 wrong answers. From the FAQ, "Candidates must score above the proficiency level in all Domains in order to pass the exam."
...
...

Hey @denbesten

I believe the FAQ only states that for adaptive testing. i.e. The English language version of the CISSP.

The only thing stated for linear exams (such as the CCSP) is that you need a scaled score of at least 700 to pass.

Re: Failed CCSP but I know the content and think I passed

Ekeller1984 — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 20:02:40 GMT

It’s a scam.

Re: Failed CCSP but I know the content and think I passed

Cyberconstlearn — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 20:07:30 GMT

No it isn’t. I understand you’re frustrated but blatantly saying stuff like that just shows how unprepared you are, in experience, to have taken this test. Just as there are multiple ways to learn the other certificates, there is also an expected level of experience for each.

Re: Failed CCSP but I know the content and think I passed

denbesten — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 20:44:35 GMT

@AlecTrevelyan wrote:
I believe the FAQ only states that for adaptive testing. i.e. The English language version of the CISSP.

The only thing stated for linear exams (such as the CCSP) is that you need a scaled score of at least 700 to pass.

You are probably right, but (ISC)² does not paint a clear, consistent picture. For example, from the CAT FAQ, dating back to the timeframe when CISSP transitioned from linear to CAT:

The exam content outline and passing standard for both versions of the examination are exactly the same. Each candidate will be assessed on the same content and must demonstrate the same level of competency regardless of the exam format.

Given that CAT requires both 700 and proficiency in all domains, the above did cause me to make the leap to presuming that the same grading mechanism was also used in the linear versions, which may be a faulty presumption on my part.

Re: Failed CCSP but I know the content and think I passed

Ekeller1984 — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 20:44:59 GMT

It’s a scam. Sticking with ISACA and SANS going forward.

Re: Failed CCSP but I know the content and think I passed

AlecTrevelyan — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 13:01:57 GMT

@denbesten wrote:
@AlecTrevelyan wrote:
I believe the FAQ only states that for adaptive testing. i.e. The English language version of the CISSP.

The only thing stated for linear exams (such as the CCSP) is that you need a scaled score of at least 700 to pass.

You are probably right, but (ISC)² does not paint a clear, consistent picture. For example, from the CAT FAQ, dating back to the timeframe when CISSP transitioned from linear to CAT:

The exam content outline and passing standard for both versions of the examination are exactly the same. Each candidate will be assessed on the same content and must demonstrate the same level of competency regardless of the exam format.
Given that CAT requires both 700 and proficiency in all domains, the above did cause me to make the leap to presuming that the same grading mechanism was also used in the linear versions, which may be a faulty presumption on my part.

It's a reasonable presumption, and should be the way it's done - I'm just not sure that it is.

Re: Failed CCSP but I know the content and think I passed

AlecTrevelyan — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 13:06:59 GMT

@Ekeller1984 wrote:
It’s a scam. Sticking with ISACA and SANS going forward.

In my opinion the CCSP is ISC2's most difficult exam and has humbled many others so failing is certainly no disgrace but at the same time maybe it's not for everyone.

I wish you the very best with your goals!

Re: Failed CCSP but I know the content and think I passed

Jf9298 — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 03:21:13 GMT

I feel the same way. I knew the books back and forth, all the study questions and I am just shocked that I did not pass. I know all the material in the books and I don’t know what to do to learn about what’s on the exam and not in the books.

Re: Failed CCSP but I know the content and think I passed

rslade — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 19:11:11 GMT

@Jf9298 wrote:
I feel the same way. I knew the books back and forth, all the study questions and I am just shocked that I did not pass. I know all the material in the books and I don’t know what to do to learn about what’s on the exam and not in the books.

You can't know all that books. There are hundreds of them. Thousands of them.

However, the more important question is, how much experience do you have?

Re: Failed CCSP but I know the content and think I passed

Subnetwork — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 20:04:38 GMT

@rslade wrote:
@Jf9298 wrote:
I feel the same way. I knew the books back and forth, all the study questions and I am just shocked that I did not pass. I know all the material in the books and I don’t know what to do to learn about what’s on the exam and not in the books.
You can't know all that books. There are hundreds of them. Thousands of them.

However, the more important question is, how much experience do you have?

You could say this about any certification where there isn't enough "in scope" material to succeed.