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masterminddrew3
Newcomer II

Last minute suggestions?

 

I am taking my CISSP Test on Jul 11....finishing up a boot camp this week (InfoSec Institute; have used them three times before). I am a previous CISSP holder (Expired in 2014). So lesson one, don't let it expire! I let a divorce get ahead of my life at the time and it set me back a little bit...but no excuses! Play like a champion.

Anyway, I have the 11th hour book, the sunflower, the Sybex book, and am finishing up the boot camp. I'm consistently in the mid 60s on my tests on Sybex, and am finishing those 150 question exams in about 45-65 minutes. I'm frustrated, a lot of this content is the same as before, but does anyone have any additional tips moving forward? I'm starting to build my last study plan...

Any help is appreciated. Feeling the pressure from my job to get this done so I don't lose my job!

7 Replies
Caute_cautim
Community Champion

First of all well done for overcoming life's challenges and barriers that are put in front of and getting over the hurdles it throws up.   It took me financially 6 years to do the same with my own situation. 

 

Any how; if you have your old study material available, re-read that core material and don't merely concentrate on one set of materials or you might become biased, which may lead you astray.   Cybrary the online community is a good source of materials, with different instructors, which may give you a different context, which may help.

 

Give yourself some space, to chill out between sessions, to ensure you absorb the material, before you challenges yourself again.   Note down the weak areas, and put some more effort into resolving any difficulties.  If you are having difficulties with the material especially the core fundamentals, find a different source, to provide a different context and angle, which may unblock any barriers to your learning.

 

Have multiple examination sources, some of the examinations solution providers from the UK, for instance, have some good material and a different set of questions to stretch you, so you don't become heavily dependent on the materials in front, but that you think around the subject..

 

It is challenging, but with your experience, look for the core issues, and ensure they are strong and that you can apply them to any situation you encounter.

 

Not sure this will help you - but being frustrated, may actually raise barriers and perhaps you need give yourself some breathing space, even if you think this is very hard to achieve, given what is going around you.  

 

Find some space, for a few hours and do something different - walk, drive to your favourite place early in the morning for instance and then come back refreshed.   Some deep breathing techniques from Yoga may help as well.

 

 

denbesten
Community Champion

Also, keep in mind that your mind and body are a machine.  They need maintenance to operate at peak performance. In the days leading up to the exam, eat good meals (both tasty and healthy), get enough sleep, avoid fights/confrontation and avoid making big changes in your life (e.g. it is not a good time to quit smoking and also not a good time for a first-date). 

 

Staying up the night before and "cramming" will dull your critical thinking skills much more than the few additional facts will help.

Flyslinger2
Community Champion

I would add the CISSP video series from CYBRARY.   Though there were "panels" I mostly listened to what Kelly was saying and trying to immediately turn it into a management situation.

 

 

Do well!

PlannerKSH
Newcomer I

The kind of test where you can't go back to a previous answer was new to me.  Read the questions very carefully.  I had questions about the best actions for people in various roles, and the best next action might be in the list, but it isn't the best next action for the person in the role given.  I read some questions 2 or 3 times to help be sure of the intent, and I think it helped.  I'm normally a pretty fast test taker, but I slowed down on the CISSP exam and I think it helped.

masterminddrew3
Newcomer II

Here's my diagnostic results

 CorrectTotalPercentageRank
Security and Risk Management131968.4%4
Asset Security & Crypto121963.2%5
Security Architecture and Eng161984.2%1
Comm and Network Security121963.2%5
Identity and Access Mgmt161984.2%1
Security Assess and Test101952.6%6
Security Ops131872.2%3
Software Dev151883.3%2
 10715071.3% 
PlannerKSH
Newcomer I

I'm still online, so I'll answer again. 

You seem to be strong in software, but you need some hardware help. 

Learn the layers, the OSL model.  And learn where the HW pieces fit in the model a little better. 

I now wish I'd learned it (OSL model) earlier in my career.  People often refer to it in my environment, and I have to chug through the thinking about it.

And the security assessment and test thing.  That is mostly a question of vocabulary - threat, vulnerability , penetration, risk, assessment, test.  That is another place where reading the question carefully comes in.

masterminddrew3
Newcomer II

I assume you mean the OSI model, which I feel comfortable with, I just need to remember what devices go where.  What's funny about the security testing part is I have my CEH and did pen testing work for a little while...must have just fell asleep during that section?  Nonetheless I have focused areas that I can work on for the next few days....