2010-11-14 07:40:00
It has been a very long time in coming, but yesterday I finally took my CISSP exam. I started preparing for my exam five months ago, but reading the big 1200 study guide from cover to cover. I've followed online classes and went to a week-long review class. And finally I took a few practice exams, both the ones included with the Harris book as well as those at CCCure.org. And finally, in the last week before the exam I read through an excellent CISSP summary, written by my colleague Maarten de Frankrijker (awesome work Maarten!).
All in all I felt pretty well prepared for the exam.
Yesterday I left home at seven and because I arrived at the exam site 1.5 hours early I quickly went to the market in nearby Nieuwegein to pick up some stuff and have a chat with old acquaintances. I arrived back at the exam site half an hour early, at 0830. While other people were still rifling through their study guides and summaries, I instead opted to simply read "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" ^_^ I mean, if you don't know the materials an hour before the exam, all the cramming in the world isn't going to help you :)
We started the exam at 1005 and I finished at 1310, so it took me almost exactly three hours including breaks. My strategy for the test? I divided the 250 questions into ten blocks of 25. For each block I answered the questions in the booklet, did a quick double check and then copied the answers to the answer sheet. I then took a one minute break, stretching, yawning and having a drink after which it was back to the next block of questions. After a hundred questions (so twice in the exam) I take a longer break, to walk around a little, to do some more stretching, to have a sandwich, etc. All in all, I made sure to remain relaxed at all times, assuming that pressure would only make me screw up questions.
Could I have used more time? Sure. Could I have gone over all 250 questions to see if I had made any mistakes? Sure. But I didn't. I felt right about the majority of questions I'd answered and figured that, if I -did- make any mistakes, I'd play the numbers game. How many questions would I have accidentally answered incorrectly? I feel that the chance is small. So, I was the first one to finish the exam and walk out of there.
I'm very curious what the results will be! Unfortunately it'll take a while for the results to come in, a few weeks I'm told.
kilala.nl tags: work, sysadmin,
View or add comments (curr. 10)
Posted by Thomas
We'll see. :)
Though I'm not quite sure if they even communicate your score. I believe they only tell you if you fail/pass and if you fail in which areas.
Posted by Luthien
*respect*! Sooo cool :)
And i'm impressed by the way you handled it. Loved the 'walking around and eating a sandwich'. Gosh... I could learn from you!
Posted by Thomas
@ Mistoffelees:
Yeah, during the exam you're allowed to walk towards the back of the room to have a sandwich over there. It's not like they'll let you walk around in between all the tables :D
So, pace back and forth in the back of the room and (after signing out with the proctor) walking to and from the toilets.
@ Luthien:
Hahaha, now you're exagerating :)
Posted by Luthien
would love to just walk around in an examroom. All the other ppl getting nervous because you just have the time to walk around while they're freakin' out!
I'm not exagerating, coz'usually i'm the one freakin out and being totally unorganised ;) So, respect!
Posted by Menno
Judging by your photo your positioned yourself near the buffet table anyway. XD
Posted by Thomas
@ Luthien:
Awww... *sympathy* No need to get worked up about most exams :) You should know that...
@ Menno:
I was in fact in the back row, however that spot was assigned to me and I didn't pick it. When registering for the exam they make a list of all attendants and pre-assign them desks in the exam room.
Not that I minded my seat in the back :)
Posted by Mistoffelees
That is very cool, and a great approach to holding this sort of exam.
Good job! and fingers are crossed :)
Posted by Maarten de Frankrijker
Version 2.0 *update 2017* with the 8 doemains, can be found here:
https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/dc6afa_fc8dba86e57a4f3cb9aaf66aff6f9d22.pdf
ing. Maarten de Frankrijker, CISSP, CEH
All content, with exception of "borrowed" blogpost images, or unless otherwise indicated, is copyright of Tess Sluijter. The character Kilala the cat-demon is copyright of Rumiko Takahashi and used here without permission.
2010-11-15 10:16:00
Posted by Menno
I hereby start a percentage pool :)
Knowing you Thomas, I say you will get a 90% score on the exam.