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 !
executive chauffeured services Bradford .. Madison to Airport carIf you ask most people what frustrates them most about... Read More
PDA Medical BenefitsIf you are concerned about your medical history,... Read More
After reading this good article you will know some important... Read More
Music lovers have been carrying around radios and other bulky... Read More
Time is money. And when you constantly have to divide... Read More
When studying for your Cisco CCNA, CCNP, or CCIE exam,... Read More
Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the... Read More
The following practice, if done regularly, may help you to... Read More
Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the... Read More
If you've been kicking around the idea of building your... Read More
"Aaaaaahhhhhh! I've been invaded by a virus!" Getting a virus... Read More
Computer is an electronic machine work on the instructions of... Read More
Tech support tells me to type 'regedt32' as opposed to... Read More
World War II - Germany decided to attack Poland. Poland... Read More
Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the... Read More
Ad Blocking is getting to be a common sport on... Read More
CCNAs and CCNA candidates hear it all the time: ???Get... Read More
Apache, MysQL and PHP for Windows could be a nice... Read More
So I'll start from the very beginning.One day I was... Read More
In Windows Xp, you can install two operating systems on... Read More
The Internet can be a dangerous place.While you're enjoying the... Read More
Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the... Read More
How long do you think DVDs have around? 20 years?... Read More
This is not your typical lost data story. I was... Read More
The Internet is an awesome tool, but be careful and... Read More
O'Hare Chicago prom limo ..Stop Getting LostOne of the greatest uses for a pocket... Read More
Nothing is worse than having to negotiate all kinds of... Read More
Your first step in removing dangerous infections from your computer... Read More
I got my eyes set on a iPod mini, as... Read More
After another security hole recently surfaced in Microsoft's Windows operating... Read More
You don't have to fork out $250 for a super-diggy-whizbang... Read More
There have been some questions on anti-skip protection on mp3... Read More
Plasma and LCD TVs are the latest trend in home... Read More
Choose Not To ConformPalm pilots and pdas are constantly growing... Read More
The first step is: Start > My DocumentsSo you have... Read More
Step 1:Open WinRAR and browse to the folder with your... Read More
First things first, what is Firefox? Well, it's a browser.... Read More
iPod users start to get the picture and it's turning... Read More
Getting a new computer should be an exciting and gratifying... Read More
In my humble opinion nothing makes a long trip easier... Read More
What is a Refurbished Computer?Refurbished Computers. Remanufactured Computers. Reconditioned Computers.... Read More
Yes, it's true. You may have inadvertently invited a spy... Read More
Are you looking for an MP3 player but am not... Read More
In this era of Internet, most people are frequent users... Read More
Peoples' private information needs to stay private, even after it... Read More
CCNAs and CCNA candidates hear it all the time: ???Get... Read More
Saving Lives With A Pocket PCFree medical downloads can be... Read More
The Internet is an awesome tool, but be careful and... Read More
World War II - Germany decided to attack Poland. Poland... Read More
Most people download and save so much information on their... Read More
Personal Technology |