Passed CISSP exam (22-03-2018)

[SamuelSancho]

Hi All, I have passed the CISSP exam two days ago and I would like to share my experience and how I pass the exam in order to help other people.

I have more than 15 years of experience in IT and more than 10 years in security so I think I had a knowledge about IT before to begin to study the exam.

I have take an online official course in October and began to study.  I have use and read during 6 months the next books and tools:

-CISSP Official Guide (very very long)

-CISSP Study Guide

-Official Practice Test App

My opinion about the exam:

It does not matter how many books you read, the exam is more about deeply understand the concepts. The exam questions are totally different from Practice App or any web page I found in Internet. I think it is a hard exam and you go through different moods during it, from "I'm good" to "I do not have time" or "I do not understand the questions", this last one especially if english is not your native language (as is my case)

As advise:,

  -Read the books and be sure you understand the concepts.

  -Use nmemonics to remember lists.

  -Do as many practice test as you can.

  -Once you have more than 75% or 80% of success consistently, go to the exam.

Good luck.

Samuel

[christinecosta]

Well-wishings! I passed on the same day as you did. The position of the seat to the report was one of the most painful things I had! My exam only took 100 questions, and I also asked myself when it finished if I did so obverse it kicked me out. Luckily not! Do unwind and relish! You earn that.

[londewa]

Thanks Samuel, much appreciated and well done for nailing it.

[londewa]

Congratulations for passing the SSCP and CISSP in that space of time. Lot's of dedication for sure. Now I have a question - I passed my SSCP in October 2017 and I am currently working on my CISSP. I have been working it IT for more than 16 years and know and understand a lot of Security concepts but have not until January 2018 worked in IT Security specifically. What sort of areas of security experience is considered for the CISSP exam? There is currently no domain in the CISSP certification that I have never worked with so far. But because I have never specialised in IT Security full time, my experience doesn't count? Please someone help me understand this. It worries me.

[Clarkincnet]

Congratulations

[Johnbbaker]

Congratulations!

[Johnbbaker]

If you flag the ones you are unsure of, instead of answering them, then you can go back and answer them at the end.

[Johnbbaker]

You are correct, if you leave them unanswered, or flag them, then you can go back to them at the end. My test was very clear about the point of no return.

[SamuelSancho]

Be carefull, at least in my case there was no possibility to go back and respond at the end of the exam. I think this has changed recently.

[Johnbbaker]

I agree it is not an easy exam, however the amount of studying needed depends on how much experience you have. I was offered the class on short notice (3 weeks), and had to achieve 70% on the practice exams in order to qualify to attend. I then passed the course and took the exam at the end, passing on the 1st try. I was sweating, but I had enough experience ( and grace of God), to pass. So don't go crazy on the prep and second guess yourself, if you can score 80 on the practice tests, and use good test taking skills, you should do okay.

[mmccosker]

Samuel

Great job, you nailed this most difficult Exam about 2 weeks before I passed my CISSP on 04-07-2018.

I agree with your assessment of the preparation and the Exam itself!. I also had as many resources as I could find, the practice tests are worth the effort to teach yourself how to eliminate bad answers and select the

most correct answer!!

Good luck in your Security Career.

Michael McCosker