Opinion about exam, just finished !!

[Topshotta]

Good day everyone, hope all is well. I just completed my exam and wow it was challenging. To start off I read a lot of reviews saying to outsource to different material and I agree 100 percent. isc2 is no where near enough to help you pass this exam. Unfortunately, I failed as well. Just focusing on isc2 will set you up for failure in my opinion. The material in isc2 goes over the bare minimum or surface level and on the exam its more deep dive or advanced in my opinion. I don't like to talk bad but I feel they set us up to fail on this one. I studied my butt off with different material daily and I felt like I had to take a guess and hope I was right  on atleast a third of the exam. Some questions are worded weird to throw you off but other than that, this is not a friendly/beginner course in my opinion. My advice to anyone taking the test is to STUDY HARD AND OUTSOURCE!! Take multiple courses, read multiple books , etc. Don't rely just on isc2.  To be frank, I did do mike chappels CC study guide (which is amazing in my opinion) and a couple of other things but I guess it wasn't enough. The worst part about it was when I got my scores back they tell you what you were proficient in and what you aren't and it said I was below proficient in a majority of the categories which makes me feel like idk what I'm doing. But like i said I studied the isc2 material, Aced all their exams and what not so idk. Anyway thanks for reading, hope this helps someone. Going to figure out my next move. God Bless.

[FM99]

Thanks for the update this will help in preparing for the exam.

[fsohrabi]

I think ISC2 set you up for failure on purpose for 3 reasons. To make sure most people do not pass the test. The reason is not that the person did not Study or study hard enough, but I think for these particular reasons below 

1. Exam Type CAT. With the computerized random test, they make sure that you can't mark a question if you are unsure of the answer and come back to it later. Also, they add a fan to the flame by making sure that when you get a question wrong they ask you more of the same type of question wrong to lower your score 

2. They give you an unreasonable time limit. The test comprises 100-150 questions because it is the CAT type of exam. However, you have approximately 1 Minute or so for each question. I say not enough time to read, and comprehend all the question and all the answers and comprehend it and be able to eliminate the wrong answers to pick the correct one. Especially when you are given a scenario-type question that is very tricky and uses tick words to try and confuse the exam taker. 

3. They throw in 50 questions or so that are going to be on future exams. I say because of this, the test take is unable to evaluate how they are doing because We don't know which questions are the throwout questions. Therefore that adds to the stress of taking this exam. Also not know when the test ends so you don't know if the test will end at question 99 or question 150.  

Therefore besides the exam itself being hard and filled with trick-type scenarios these 3 reasons in my opinion add to the stress of taking this exam and a higher chance of failure. If I am wrong tell me why please, and I will remove my article.

[Engr12]

Thanks for this update! I would have to cancel my next week exams.

[dcontesti]

@fsohrabi 

Why would the organisation purposefully set out to fail anyone.

As to your thoughts:

1. Exam Type CAT - this method has been used for a number of years on MULTIPLE exams.  Unlike paper based testing, it is intended to test the test taker's ability.  This is a well known psychometric practice where a taker is asked a question and based on their success/failure, they may be asked a more difficult or less difficult question.  

2. Time Limits - All exams, whether (ISC)2 or college or high school have time limits.  Again this is typically based on Psychometrics.

3.  ALL exams have questions which the organisation (High school, college, etc) may put on an exam to test their performance.  You should keep in mind, for the CC exam, there are a potential of 75 scorable questions and potential of 25 unscorable (which means that if you get them wrong, it is not counted against you).

I believe that you are incorrect but are entitled to your opinion.

(ISC)2 has gone on record of providing 1 million Free exams for the CC and we have seen many people pass the exam and who may not claim the Certification.  

Not to mention that anyone that passes the exam is required to pay Annual Maintenance Fees to the organisation so why would they want folks to fail?  It's money in their pockets if one passes.

The organisation has always had a policy of not teaching the exams and have built firewalls between the exam development and any trainings they may provide.

My opinion only

d

[dcontesti]

@Topshotta Sorry to hear.

I believe you offer great advice here.

Best on your future endeavors.

d

[fsohrabi]

I respect your opinion as well. You do have some good points. But I will stand on my opinion. The reason being people who take the test in the US are not given a choice between taking the CAT exam or the regular type exam which you do have more time. and it is not CAT if you have a bit of a language barrier or you are the type of person who has a hard time taking exams not because you did not study but because you are just a bad exam taker or you get nervous then the CAT type exam is not helpful. Again just my opinion.

[JKWiniger]

@Topshotta I agree with you. With most exams I have taken it seems like 3rd party material is better. The offical material cannot teach towards the exam where 3rd party can. To me, it's as simple as that. I feel that so many people seem to feel if they just memorize questions and answer they will be good, but no! It comes down to understanding the concepts more than the answers...

John- 

[Topshotta]

I agree with you on your first point, it did seem like I was getting similar and more in depth questions to the ones I possibly have gotten wrong. ( It didn't tell me which ones I got wrong)

2nd point, I believe I was given enough time I read the questions thoroughly and tried to answer the best of my ability but some of the questions and answers I've never even heard of. I honestly felt like the scenario questions were rarely used in the test, maybe like 5 questions. It was more or so "just answer to the best of your ability" I would say there were about 25 questions I knew straight off the bat with little to no thinking.

Nonetheless I agree  with you, I did read there were gonna be pre questions that we would have to just be able to pray we get right which I think is messed up to put for beginners. Now I know what I'm up. against and will go about it a different way. Thanks for your response

[Topshotta]

@dcontesti, I didn't read anywhere it was that sort of exam. I'm just saying for an organization that claims this is for beginners I believe thats far from the truh. Sure the course they offer is beginner friendly but it hardly reflects the exam. For someone, who wouldve just went off isc2 material I would guarantee that they will fail the exam. So by me saying they are "setting us up for failure" I meant they didn't properly prepare us (me)for the exam. I did see a few comments saying isc2 was enough for them to pass and I'm proud. I also read a majority of people had to outsource to pass so... score and what not . I did read about the pre questions they throw in, I didn't know if it counted towards us or not. Thanks for your input