Cisco Certification: Taking Your First Certification Exam

Youâ??ve studied hard; youâ??ve practiced your configurations; youâ??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. Youâ??ve got enough on your mind just keeping all that new information straight without worrying about what the testing experience will be like.

Youâ??re not there to take the exam. Youâ??re there to pass the exam. With this aggressive attitude in mind, letâ??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 youâ??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 youâ??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. Youâ??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 youâ??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, youâ??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, youâ??ll be asked to enter your social security number as your testing ID. Once you do that, the exam engine starts running. However, this doesnâ??t mean the test starts.

The Survey

When you take a Cisco exam, youâ??ll first be presented with a survey. The survey consists of 10 â?" 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

Youâ??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, itâ??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 didnâ??t look in the right place for that information. Itâ??s not hidden, but spend a few minutes with the tutorial and do not go forward until youâ??re comfortable with the simulator interface.

The Exam Itself

Finally, the exam starts! Remember, youâ??re not being asked anything you donâ??t know. If you have prepared correctly with the right tools, youâ??ll have a passing grade on your screen before you know it.

Speaking of that grade, youâ??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 (TM) #12933, has been active in the Cisco certification community for years. He has written several books that have helped CCNA candidates around the world achieve the coveted CCNA certification, including several concentrating on binary math conversions and subnetting questions that the average CCNA candidate will need to answer on their CCNA exams.

He is the owner of The Bryant Advantage (http://www.thebryantadvantage.com) where he teaches affordable world-class CCNA courses via the Internet, and sells his popular Cisco certification books. Heâ??s proud to have helped CCNA candidates around the world achieve their career goals. Mr. Bryantâ??s books and courses are sold on his site, on eBay, and on several other major Cisco certification sites.

Flow Text Around a Graphic in Microsoft Word

Flow Text Around a GraphicQuestion: I have inserted a photo... Read More

CCNA 640-801 Certification Primer

The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Certification is meant for... Read More

COOKIES - What Are They!!

Cookies, not the kind that Mom makes, but the computer... Read More

Bluetooth Headphones For Your PDA

Nothing is worse than having to negotiate all kinds of... Read More

Digital Cameras: How Many Pixels Do I Need?

With the bewildering number of digital cameras on the market,... Read More

Printing Multiple Copies of Photos

I do a holiday letter every year and send them... Read More

USB Drives - What to Look For in a USB Device

Those small USB drives have so many names, pocket drives,... Read More

Some Thoughts on Choosing a Flash MP3 Player

Flash mp3 players come with an exciting array of features,... Read More

10 Time Saving Keyboard Shortcuts

Time is money. And when you constantly have to divide... Read More

Your Home is in Your Hands

I would like to tell you about a magic home.... Read More

How to Buy a Plasma Television Set

Most people think that all you have to do to... Read More

Desktop Security Software Risks - Part 2

This is the third in a series of articles highlighting... Read More

Dynamite Comes in Small Packages - Tiny Personal Audio MP3 Players Pack Powerful Music Enjoyment

MP3 players are Hot! Playing music has come a long... Read More

What Exactly are Screensavers? - part I

After reading this good article you will know some important... Read More

Windows PDA Medical Software Benefits

PDA Medical BenefitsIf you are concerned about your medical history,... Read More

Looking For an MP3 Player?

If you don't have an mp3 player, and even if... Read More

The Benefits of the New Firefox Browser

You probably heard of the new Firefox browser version 1.0... Read More

Temporary Fixes to Spyware, Ad-ware, and Virus Infections

So you've got some spyware, ad-ware, or viruses on your... Read More

5 Steps to Remove Spyware for Free

Have you ever tried to remove Spyware off your PC... Read More

Is Digital Camera Technology Making Film Obsolete?

Perhaps not yet, but the handwriting might be on the... Read More

Why Build Your Own Computer System

Have you ever thought about building your own computer system?... Read More

Emulation Manual - A Complete Guide on How to Change Your Windows XP to Mac OS X

IntroductionMac OS X is the most technologically advanced operating system... Read More

Use Your Computer For Your Entertainment Needs

By using your computer today you can find a lot... Read More

MobiTV and Visual Stimulation Imput for Personal Cognitive Performance

Stimulus thru Caffiene or Visual Input?It appears that the Mobi... Read More

Connect Your IPAQ to Linux

Choose Not To ConformPalm pilots and pdas are constantly growing... Read More