Failed CISSP 3.25.2019

[devinashburn]

Hey guys I created an account to post my experience to help you all since you guys helped me so much. I’m a long time lurker and thought I should add my experience incase it’ll help anyone as i am seeking help myself. I wrote my experience in my notes on my phone, sitting outside of the testing center after the test center in my truck.

I walked in feeling confident and left feeling a bit confused. I didn’t see anything really regarding crypto or any formula I had memorized. I was above proficiency in 5 of the 8 domains and near in the other two, below in one. I feel like if I had a different version of the test I would likely have passed. A lot of the questions I had never saw before and they didn’t seem real clear on what they were referencing, in my opinion. In opposition there were questions that you knew exactly what they wanted. So I’m left feeling pretty bummed, burnt out and disappointed in myself as I really felt I had the content and understanding down. I studied off and on since about August. Then buckled down the last two weeks before the exam and reviewed the whole book, which was probably my problem. I feel like I focused on the wrong material. Any advice from anyone who has passed or failed the new or old test is very welcomed or any critiquing on how I should study.

Study material: Sybex 8th edition Practice tests from the book and the official isc2 practice test app and flash cards (was scoring 90 and above on all domains) Kelly handerhan videos

Thanks for everyone’s input on this board it does help and motivate.

[Chuxing]

@devinashburn 

I am very sorry to hear your failed attempt, but I am glad that you are strong enough to share your experiences here.

Take courage, analyze your weakness, and try again !

Each test contains a set to 'trial' questions that are not graded towards your score. Rather, they are there to test the questions themselves, to see if those questions need to be revised. I suspect that you have seen those as what you referred as "never saw before and they didn’t seem real clear".

Since you have 5 domain above proficiency, so you were NOT  "focused on the wrong material", rather the opposite - you ARE on the right track.

One word you used caught my attention: "memorized". I felt a cringe when I read it. "Understand" is too critical during your practices, whether you got the answers right or wrong.

Cheers,

[devinashburn]

Thank you Chuxing. Any opinions on testing engines?

[Chuxing]

Not exactly sure what do you mean by test engine, but if you are referring the adaptive test, personally I like it.

The adaptive test lets me know if I know my stuff or not faster. If I do, I can potentially shorten the test time significantly. The grueling part is that if I am not as good as I think I am, the test may take a very long time to decide if I can pass or not.

[devinashburn]

Apologies I should have clarified. I meant practice exams such as Boson, Pocket Prep etc.

[Chuxing]

Sorry don't have must experiences with those, just remember that Boson was quite popular in early days. They could help, but take it with a grain of salt, as many those tests contain mistakes.

Again, the key is always ask why, for the ones that you did wrong, or not sure. Once you know why, it could help you to understand similar questions in the same specific subject matter.

Best of luck,

[rslade]

> devinashburn (Viewer) posted a new reply in Certifications on 03-29-2019 01:39

> Apologies I should have clarified. I meant practice exams such as Boson, Pocket
> Prep etc.

Not worth your money. Or time.

I strongly suspect that it is these practice exams that confuse so many people and
leave them disappointed at how well they do on the actual exam.

https://community.isc2.org/t5/Certifications/CISSP-questions/m-p/18626

====================== (quote inserted randomly by Pegasus Mailer)
rslade@vcn.bc.ca slade@victoria.tc.ca rslade@computercrime.org
One person with a belief is equal to a force of 99 who have only
interests. - John Stuart Mill
victoria.tc.ca/techrev/rms.htm http://twitter.com/rslade
http://blogs.securiteam.com/index.php/archives/author/p1/
https://is.gd/RotlWB

[devinashburn]

I thats rslade, I was actually just looking at your post. Very informative.

[rslade]

> devinashburn (Viewer) posted a new topic in Certifications on 03-29-2019 10:59

> Any advice from anyone who has passed or failed the new or old test is
> very welcomed or any critiquing on how I should study.

Read "Security Engineering" by Ross Anderson.

Search "Anderson" on this system and read those threads.

Remember the "management answer" algorithm.

https://community.isc2.org/t5/Certifications/CISSP-questions/m-p/18626

[devinashburn]

"management answer algorithm"?