topic Question on retake of exam: Timing after 1st attempt in Exams

Question on retake of exam: Timing after 1st attempt

jumblerr — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 00:27:45 GMT

( I already searched for an answer but couldn't find it here

I failed the CISSP-ISSEP exam on February 28th, I plan to retake this exam ASAP

Understanding the 30-day exclusion period, when would that end? Is it from the day you attempted, or some other metric? Want to confirm before I reschedule and find out it wasn't done right.

Also, do I have to wait for any kind of further notification from ISC2 before rescheduling?

Re: Question on retake of exam: Timing after 1st attempt

Early_Adopter — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 07:26:32 GMT

I would take this at face value, it says 30 days so thirty days it is. It says from ‘not passing’ so I’d also consider when you got your result if different(unless ISC2 inform you otherwise).

Perhaps you might buffer it by two days just to be sure, to you might even give yourself more time for reading, but assuming the day is correct the policy(under ‘results reporting’) looks clear, then my SWAG would be if you sat it and failed on Feb 28th 2019 then 30th March 2019 would seem like the right time).I’d go direct to member services though, as they would be considered authoritative for this.

https://www.isc2.org/Register-for-Exam

Re: Question on retake of exam: Timing after 1st attempt

AlecTrevelyan — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 10:16:04 GMT

Here's a post from @amandavanceISC2 about a CCSP retake so mentions a 90 day exclusion after the first exam attempt rather than 30 for the CISSP-ISSEP but the rest of the message applies:

https://community.isc2.org/t5/Certifications/CCSP-exam-retake/m-p/19074/highlight/true#M3765

Amanda suggests the test scheduling system shouldn't even let you book a date that is too soon, but to be careful you're not violating the ISC2 code of ethics if the system fails and actually lets you do it!

Hopefully Amanda can clarify if the 30 days is counted from the date of the test or the date you receive the result - which could actually be different, as @Early_Adopter mentioned, especially if your attempt was selected for additional psychometric analysis - or if it's some other metric?

Re: Question on retake of exam: Timing after 1st attempt

Early_Adopter — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 10:01:07 GMT

@AlecTrevelyan @amandavanceISC2

That 90 day limit info would need to be reconciled with the policy on the site for first retakes:

Re: Question on retake of exam: Timing after 1st attempt

AlecTrevelyan — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 10:40:35 GMT

The retake policy info on the site looks ok to me:

30/90/180 - 1st/2nd/3rd for the CISSP-ISSEP

90/90/180 - 1st/2nd/3rd for the CCSP

I edited my first post to hopefully reduce any confusion!

Re: Question on retake of exam: Timing after 1st attempt

Early_Adopter — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 10:19:44 GMT

Thanks.

Re: Question on retake of exam: Timing after 1st attempt

AlecTrevelyan — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 10:40:13 GMT

Actually, looking at the wording for the 3rd attempt in the screenshot provided by @Early_Adopter it clearly says "...after x days from the most recent exam attempt."

So that's the answer, in @jumblerr's instance it's 30 days after the 28th Feb which is the 30th March.

Re: Question on retake of exam: Timing after 1st attempt

Early_Adopter — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 10:48:12 GMT

That doesn’t nessaraily follow for the attemots 30 & 90 days, though I’m very much in agreement that it should and the language should be standardised.

I would also be great if the fourth attempt was covered - perhaps you can’t, perhaps it’s every six months for life? 😉

Re: Question on retake of exam: Timing after 1st attempt

AlecTrevelyan — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 10:59:25 GMT

Yes, I am making an assumption that what is applicable for the 3rd attempt is also applicable for the 1st and 2nd ones - I don't think it's an unreasonable assumption though, and could be used as a defence if the test scheduling system did allow you to book a date that was too soon after following this thought process and you're accused of breaking the code of ethics!

You're only allowed to take 3 attempts in a year, so I won't call it the 4th attempt but I know what you mean! I actually asked the same question previously but never got an answer:

https://community.isc2.org/t5/Member-Support/Failed-CISSP-big-time-disappointment/m-p/17199/highlight/true#M3346

Re: Question on retake of exam: Timing after 1st attempt

amandavanceISC2 — Mon, 04 Mar 2019 20:05:58 GMT

@AlecTrevelyan To confirm, it is 30/90/180 (or 90/90/180) days from the date of the last exam, not from when you received the results.

Best Regards,

Amanda Vance

Re: Question on retake of exam: Timing after 1st attempt

AlecTrevelyan — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 18:10:15 GMT

@amandavanceISC2 - Thanks Amanda! For curiosity's sake, could you clarify the requirements for subsequent attempts if you fail an exam for the 3rd time please?

Does that mean the person would need to wait 180 days between each attempt from then on?

Re: Question on retake of exam: Timing after 1st attempt

amandavanceISC2 — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 19:54:00 GMT

@AlecTrevelyan Not a problem! After the third exam attempt, you would have to wait 180 days to take the exam again. Then if you fail the fourth attempt, it will revert back to the original wait period (30/90/180 or 90/90/180). For example, if the candidate failed the third attempt at the CISSP, they would wait 180 days for the fourth attempt and if that attempt is failed, the fifth attempt would be 30 days. Important to remember though, you can only take an exam 3 times in one calendar year.

Best Regards,

Amanda

Re: Question on retake of exam: Timing after 1st attempt

AlecTrevelyan — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 22:23:32 GMT

Unexpected but interesting - thanks Amanda!