Re: CISSP Exam Retake Policy Issue

lphilippjr · ‎06-07-2019

I have taken the exam several times and always just missing. Here is my issue. I've tried to take the exam again and it tells me I can not because of the 3 times strike. So I looked at the policy and complained. I talked to ISC2 member support number and at first they agreed I could take it again, but retracted it and said I had to wait 180 days. So I showed them their retake policy was flawed and I needed someone to re-evaluate. All I kept hearing from the staff was it is the policy. Below is my testing results:

29 January 2019 CISSP Certified Information Systems Security Professional Fail
9 March 2018 CISSP Certified Information Systems Security Professional Fail
21 December 2017 CISSP Certified Information Systems Security Professional Fail

I asked for an explanation of the policy which is below:

Retake Policy
You can sit for ISC2 exams up to three times within a 12-month period.
For the CISSP-CAT, CISSP, SSCP, CAP, CSSLP, ISSAP, ISSEP and ISSMP:
If you don’t pass the exam the first time, you can retest after 30 days.
If you don’t pass a second time, you can retest after an additional 90 days.
If you don’t pass a third time, you can retest after 180 days from your most recent exam attempt.

I asked for an explanation of the 3 times within a 12 month period. But this is clearly not true based on their policy. ISC2 member support gave me the board number and I left a message. I am here now because I did not receive any call back from the board explaining me the policy above.

Clearly, I've taken the exam 3 times in a row, but not with a 12 month window as the rule states. This is why I said the rule needs to re-evaluated or take off the 12 month window. ISC2 is not adhering to its own policy. It is clearly flawed and I'm waiting for an explanation of 3 times in a 12 month window.

v/r,
Lawrence Philipp, Jr.

Glitch · ‎06-07-2019

I agree that your situation is unique because of the spacing in your tests but I still see them adhering to a currently correct policy (not that is shouldn't have an exam fall off clause).

The policy says you CAN take a test up to 3 times in a 12 month period, which is correct. It's doesn't say IF you take a test 3 times but just that you CAN. Next they state, If you don’t pass a third time, you can retest after 180 days from your most recent exam attempt. You are being blocked on there because it was your 3rd attempt. It does NOT say 3 attempts in 12 months but instead just 3 attempts so the policy is correct.

Now what I would suggest for the future policy is to have a clause that your first attempt falls off after 24 months but I also see how that could be confusing from a policy point of view and communication.

AlecTrevelyan · ‎06-07-2019

I agree this seems pretty silly!

That being said 180 days from 29th Jan 2019 is 28th July 2019 which isn't too far away.

Where I live the soonest you can book an exam is usually 4 weeks away anyway.

lphilippjr · ‎06-07-2019

Here is the problem. If I take it again, that still falls in the 3 times in a row? ISC2 shouldn't be allowed to move the 12 month window.

By your definition, if I taken the test each year in January. For instance January 2017, January 2018, and January 2019. I've taken the exam 3 times in a row, but now have to wait 180 days.

See my point? The policy is flawed. When does the time reset? The 12 month in my opinion sets a precedence. It needs to be addressed.

Glitch · ‎06-07-2019

No I see your point and I agree that the policy should be revised to have tests roll off.

Having said that though the current policy is correct in that it just says your CAN take the test 3 times in a year but still states that after the 3rd you have to wait 180 days. So taking the test every Jan and having to wait 180 days after the 3rd test even though you have done it over 2 years is correct by the current policy and how it's written. I has nothing to do with shifting a 12 month window it has to do with it being the 3rd attempt. The policy doesn't say whichever is lesser or greater so policy wise it's correct. I do think it should be re-written to have the first test fall off after 24 months or something like that though.

lphilippjr · ‎06-07-2019

Again, I see your point but also take in mind the Three attempts in 12 month window.

Its oxymoron.

Let's mix it up. Jan 2019, Mar 2019, than Oct 2019. The follows the rule of 3 attempts in 12 months. Then you must wait 180 days.

So what happens next round. April 2020? Say, I fail. Again, does it reset? or do I continue to wait 180 days?

The policy needs to be clear. I do not think it is clear enough. Perhaps I just go to another vendor and no worry about it.

As someone said, the support for resolving issues is slow for the amount of money ISC2 accumulates monthly. Raising the fees to $125 a month on top of that makes it difficult. It is crazy to not get any official responses.

dcontesti · ‎06-07-2019

@lphilippjr wrote:
I have taken the exam several times and always just missing. Here is my issue. I've tried to take the exam again and it tells me I can not because of the 3 times strike. So I looked at the policy and complained. I talked to ISC2 member support number and at first they agreed I could take it again, but retracted it and said I had to wait 180 days. So I showed them their retake policy was flawed and I needed someone to re-evaluate. All I kept hearing from the staff was it is the policy. Below is my testing results:

29 January 2019 CISSP Certified Information Systems Security Professional Fail
9 March 2018 CISSP Certified Information Systems Security Professional Fail
21 December 2017 CISSP Certified Information Systems Security Professional Fail

I asked for an explanation of the policy which is below:

Retake Policy
You can sit for ISC2 exams up to three times within a 12-month period.
For the CISSP-CAT, CISSP, SSCP, CAP, CSSLP, ISSAP, ISSEP and ISSMP:
If you don’t pass the exam the first time, you can retest after 30 days.
If you don’t pass a second time, you can retest after an additional 90 days.
If you don’t pass a third time, you can retest after 180 days from your most recent exam attempt.

I asked for an explanation of the 3 times within a 12 month period. But this is clearly not true based on their policy. ISC2 member support gave me the board number and I left a message. I am here now because I did not receive any call back from the board explaining me the policy above.

Clearly, I've taken the exam 3 times in a row, but not with a 12 month window as the rule states. This is why I said the rule needs to re-evaluated or take off the 12 month window. ISC2 is not adhering to its own policy. It is clearly flawed and I'm waiting for an explanation of 3 times in a 12 month window.

v/r,
Lawrence Philipp, Jr.

So I don't think the policy is flawed. You are just working outside its parameters.

I would say that you would need to wait at least 90 days from January to rewrite the exam.

Not sure who they passed you to but most likely someone in the office and not the board.....but what do I know.

But let's see if we can get you some assistance on this one. @Caridad would you be able to direct this to the appropriate person internally? MANY THANKS

Regards

Diana

AlecTrevelyan · ‎06-07-2019

@lphilippjr wrote:
...
...
Let's mix it up. Jan 2019, Mar 2019, than Oct 2019. The follows the rule of 3 attempts in 12 months. Then you must wait 180 days.

So what happens next round. April 2020? Say, I fail. Again, does it reset? or do I continue to wait 180 days?
...
...

Surprisingly, it resets back to 30/90/180 - I think it makes more sense for it to stay at 180 days:

https://community.isc2.org/t5/Certifications/Question-on-retake-of-exam-Timing-after-1st-attempt/m-p...

Like I said in my post earlier, your next available date is 28th July 2019 - that's only 7 weeks or so away!

amandavanceISC2 · ‎06-14-2019

@lphilippjr Thank you for your inquiry. Please note, the retake policy is two parts. You can only take the exam 3 times in one calendar year; however, the wait time is the same no matter when you took the exam. After the first failed attempt, you have to wait 30 days. After second, 90-days and then after third, 180 days, no matter what month, year you took that exam. Since your last exam was on January 29, 2019 and was the third attempt, you must wait 180 days to retake the exam from that date. If you fail the fourth exam, it reverts back to 30 and then 90, 180, so on...

Best Regards,

Amanda Vance

denbesten · ‎06-14-2019

@amandavanceISC2 wrote:
...The retake policy is two parts. You can only take the exam 3 times in one calendar year; ...After the first failed attempt, you have to wait 30 days. After second, 90-days and then after third, 180 days... fourth exam, it reverts back to 30 and then 90, 180, so on...

My first reaction is that this seems unnecessarily complex. It might be worth (ISC)² reflecting on what they are trying to achieve and if the above policy could be simplified.