CCSP - Pretest Questions?

[fourthandcole]

Hello All,

Does the CCSP have pre-test questions that do not count towards your final score (like the CISSP)? I see older posts saying this is true, but cannot find anything recent confirming this.

Can anyone answer this for me or point me in the right direction? Thanks for any help!

[Beads]

Looks like six pages of CCSP quiz books to include ISC(2) offerings on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ccsp+exam+questions&crid=E8J5QQINS3E&sprefix=ccsp+que%2Caps%2C418&ref=nb_...

I have a couple lying around in my library as well.

- B/Eads

[fourthandcole]

Thanks for chiming in. I was actually referring to questions on the actual test that do not count towards your final score. I know on the CISSP they have unscored practice questions that every test taker answers (ISC2 is testing questions out), I was curious if the CCSP still does this as well.

[Beads]

Keep in mind, I did my CISSP back in 2005 and have been asked similar questions since the day I took the exam. People asking for cheats and shortcuts is legend in this field.

I offer no apologies.

- B/Eads

[CBMExamTeam]

@fourthandcole Thank you for reaching out via the Community board.

Yes, there are pretest items on the CCSP exam. 

[fourthandcole]

@Beads I hope that didn't come across as me looking for shortcuts. I was just trying to familiarize myself with the format of the test.

I do appreciate the study content you sent though, I purchased the Official Study guide and Practice Tests. 

[denbesten]

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@fourthandcole wrote:
 I hope that didn't come across as me looking for shortcuts. 

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No worries.  I did not take it that way.  You were using "pre-test" to mean "not-graded and being considered for future inclusion", whereas I suspect @Beads was responding to the more-common request for "retired test questions" (which is not available).

That said, since you don't know which questions are worth zero points, their presence truly is irrelevant.  The strategy of focusing on reading comprehension and thoughtfully selecting the best answer to each questions still applies.

[fourthandcole]

@denbesten Yes, totally agree with the statement regarding the importance of concept comprehension.

The reason I was asking was because when I took the CISSP, I was able to chalk up questions I was not familiar with to being "pre-test" questions. Make my best guess and move on, but it helped with my test taking confidence knowing that some curveballs would be coming.

That being said, you are right in that thoughtfully selecting the best answer to each question still applies.

[denbesten]

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@fourthandcole wrote:

... helped with my test taking confidence knowing that some curveballs would be coming..

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Yes, maintaining confidence is important.  Another detail that may help is knowing that one needs to attain only 700/1000 points. Academia, calls that a C-.   If you truly know your stuff, it takes quite a few curveballs before it becomes a problem. And, since it is pass/fail, nobody knows if you skimmed the bar.

Reminds me of the old joke ... What do you call the person who passed medical school with the lowest grade?  .... Doctor.