 |
 |
 |
           |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
Cisco Certification: What To Expect On Exam Day
Cisco Certification: Taking Your First Certification Exam You've studied hard; you've practiced your configurations; you've used your flash cards over and over again; and finally, the big day is here. Your first certification exam! For many Cisco certification candidates, their first exam is the CCNA Composite exam or one of the two exams that make up the CCNA, the Introduction To Networking exam or the ICND (Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices) exam. Walking into a testing center for the first time can be a nerve-wracking experience. You've got enough on your mind just keeping all that new information straight without worrying about what the testing experience will be like. You're not there to take the exam. You're there to pass the exam. With this aggressive attitude in mind, let's take a look at what you should expect (and not expect) when taking your first Cisco certification exam. Be Early and Bring Your ID. If the testing center is not in a part of town that you drive to in the morning, and you've got a 9 AM exam, you may find the traffic is much heavier that time of morning than you expected. Driving up to the testing center 10 minutes late is not a good way to get started. If you've never been to the center before, check their website for directions, or call them for directions. If at all possible, drive to the center the night before your exam. Make sure to bring your wallet or purse. You cannot take the exam without proper identification. You'll probably be asked for two forms of ID, one of which must be a picture ID. The Testing Room Despite the best efforts of VUE and Prometric, some testing center rooms are afterthoughts. I strongly advise that if you're taking your exam at a technical school, ask to see the testing room BEFORE you sign up for the exam. If it looks like a converted broom closet, it probably is. Those rooms also tend to be right next to classrooms, which can result in distracting noise during your exam. If your testing center specializes in giving computer-based exams rather than classes, you're probably in good shape. Again, feel free to drop by the testing center before your exam to take a peek at the testing room. Most testing rooms have a window that employees use to keep an eye on testers, and you should be able to take a peek through the window. When you go in, you'll be asked to enter your social security number as your testing ID. Once you do that, the exam engine starts running. However, this doesn't mean the test starts. The Survey When you take a Cisco exam, you'll first be presented with a survey. The survey consists of 10 - 20 questions asking about your background, preparation methods, and comfort level with different technologies. This is a good time to catch your breath before starting the exam. The survey will only take about five minutes, and this time does not count against your exam time. Pay Attention To The Exam Tutorials You'll then be presented with an exam tutorial, showing you how to answer the different types of questions Cisco may ask. While most of these questions types are common sense (multiple choice, single answer, fill-in-the-blank), I strongly urge you to pay special attention to the router simulator question tutorial. The simulator questions carry more weight than the other questions; indeed, it's almost impossible to pass the CCNA exams if you totally miss the simulator questions. While the interface for these exams is intuitive, sometimes students who fail their exam complain that they were not given enough information to answer the question. The real problem is that they didn't look in the right place for that information. It's not hidden, but spend a few minutes with the tutorial and do not go forward until you're comfortable with the simulator interface. The Exam Itself Finally, the exam starts! Remember, you're not being asked anything you don't know. If you have prepared correctly with the right tools, you'll have a passing grade on your screen before you know it. Speaking of that grade, you'll be presented with it about five seconds after you answer the final question. Cisco exams no longer allow CCNA and CCNP candidates to go back once a question is answered, so be prepared for that. Knowing what to expect when you go into the testing room for the first time will magnify your chances of success. Work hard (and smart!) while studying, achieve a combination of theoretical knowledge and hands-on work with real Cisco routers, and you are on your way to exam success! Chris Bryant CCIE #12933 Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage. The Bryant Advantage's website offers FREE ebooks and tutorials for the CCNA and CCNP exams, FREE subscriptions to "Cisco Certification Central", and sells the best CCNA and CCNP prep courses and books on the market today. Visit his site at http://www.thebryantadvantage.com today !
MORE RESOURCES:
Personal-Tech - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
What Exactly are Screensavers? - part II Here are some tips on how to use screensavers:First of all you should be careful when you use a screensaver on a LCD. A pixel it's on when it's dark on a LCD. Desktop Security Software Risks - Part 2 This is the third in a series of articles highlighting reasons why we need a new model for anti-virus and security solutions.Reason #2: the Desktop Security Software RisksThe risks of placing software on the desktop are such that I will be breaking this article into two parts. Compile .BAT Files into Native Windows Applications (.EXE) Since the DOS days, batch files have been one of the most convenient and immediate ways to accomplish certain tasks. Even today it's possible to find some remarkably sophisticated utilities written as command-line batch files. Does Microsoft Show Hackers How To Attack? After another security hole recently surfaced in Microsoft's Windows operating system, the software giant released a patch this past Friday to plug the possibly devastating "back door" which allows hackers to potentially seize control of any pc running Windows.The latest threat, "Download. Why Build Your Own Computer System Have you ever thought about building your own computer system? Maybe you've heard friends talking about doing this sort of thing, but you were never sure what was involved. This article attempts to answer two questions. Choosing a Portable MP3 Player: Part 1 MP3 players are everywhere! It seems that the number of makes and models in this market is growing daily, with features and capabilities intended to appeal to just about anyone shopping for one of these devices.MP3 players have been around much longer than the Apple iPod , but there is no arguing that this one device opened the market to a much larger customer base. This Page Cannot Be Displayed - What to Do When Your Internet Breaks The DNS (Domain Name System) servers are what your computer uses to figure out where to go on the internet. www. Cisco CCNA / CCNP Certification: OSPF ASBRs Explained And Illustrated When I first started studying for my CCNP, some of the concepts of OSPF really confused me. This was especially true for the ASBR, stub areas, and total stub areas. Are You Well Protected? Winter?the official start of the cold and flu season. Though, technically speaking, things got started a little early. Advantages and Guidelines of Automated Testing "Automated Testing" is automating the manual testing process currently in use. This requires that a formalized "manual testing process", currently exists in the company or organization. Have You Invited A Spy Into Your Computer? Yes, it's true. You may have inadvertently invited a spy into your computer. Cut Through the Hype and Make the Right Digital Camera Comparisons There are soooo many choices. With all the styles and features, and prices are all over the map, digital camera comparisons can be mind-boggling. Build Your Own Computer I'm eighty-one years old and I bought my first computer six years ago. When I bought it I hardly knew how to turn it on. Windows PDA Medical Software Benefits PDA Medical BenefitsIf you are concerned about your medical history, the Internet has some great windows medical pda software that is available for free. Freeware is all the rage, and finding good quality freeware that is medically related is easy and fun. Bluetooth Headphones For Your PDA Nothing is worse than having to negotiate all kinds of cables with your many electronic devices. This is why bluetooth technology is so fantastic. Back Up, Back Up, Back Up! This is not your typical lost data story. I was a good girl and I kept my files on the network drive just like the company recommended. Font Organizers Review, Part I Do you know how many fonts are currently installed on your PC? What is the difference between OpenType, TrueType, PostScript Type 1 and Printer fonts? If the answer is 'No', it's time to consider getting a font organizer.TypografThis extremely well-done 32-bit app lets you preview, print, and manage TrueType and Type 1 fonts. How To Remove One Operating System from a Dual Boot Windows XP Computer In Windows Xp, you can install two operating systems on the same hard disk of one computer.Whether you have two copies of Windows Xp, or two different operating systems, then you end up with dual boot machine when you restart your Windows Xp computer. Make Windows XP Run Faster! A friend told me: "My computer startup seems to be taking a long time. And when the hard disk finally stops churning, everything just seems slower than when it was new. 4 Easy Ways to Speed Up A Sluggish PC Computers are supposed to speed up our productivity?to help us do more in less time. What do you do when your computer is running so slow that it's keeping you from getting your work done? Before you kick it to the curb, try these easy, do-it-yourself suggestions to help your system run & perform better.
|
 |