CCNA real test much harder than practice tests? 2

[roblaird]

Narrowly failed my CCNA first attempt the other day. It seemed to me that something like 75% of the questions had very long and complicated intros and diagrams before even getting to the question.

In contrast, most of the practice tests I've taken (Sybex, CertSim, MeasureUp/ExamCram) had short to-the-point questions. I was getting 90% or above on the practice test but only an 800 on the real thing.

Was this a fluke or was I not as prepared as I thought I was?

 

[Cluebird]

None of the practice exams come close to the actual exam. That's why I no longer recommend any of them for prep. The actual exam expects you to be able to take several pieces of information and correctly apply theory to get a correct answer. Just memorizing a bunch of questions won't pass the exam.

 

[Need4Cisco]

I am new to the Cisco test and to Networking for that matter. I am pretty good in the overall IT world though, meaning just a little over 5 years experience. I wanted to reply to this Thread because I just took the 640-821 (intro) test today and came up with the same scenerio. I am thinking about just taking the 1 CCNA test next go around and just build my knowledge up with the ICND book I Have. I too was passing the practice exams given by the CISCO PRESS books. That is what I used for my study aid. I was passing with at least 92-96 percent each go around. When taking the test today I became really scrambled with the testing format, and may have been my lack of true knowledge. I am hitting the books again and will definetly take a different approach to my studying...MCSE was cake walk because you could memorize and pass with ease. Thank God that Cisco has a legite test that is hard. Seperates the men from the boys! Good luck on your next attempt. Oh yeah...and wish me luck as well.

I totally agree with Cluebird on this one.

 

[qz01gs]

I took the exam yesterday and had the same problem, I had been using Boson Practice exams and scoring in the 90's. But the exam has so many questions which have strange wording and diagrams.

 

[CCIEbound]

I am right with all of you. I took the CCNA 640-801 last Tuesday and failed miserably. I noticed a lot of switch questions pertaining to VLANs and VTPs. Also the simulation asked me to setup a hostname, new VTP, and VLAN for a new switch. I did not properly study the switches as much as I should have. But tomorrow (Thursday), I am going to give it another go bright and early in the morning. Wish me luck.

Oh yeah, subnetting was also big on the exam.

 

[qz01gs]

All the best lest us know whether its all switching again. I could believe that exam the one topic I wasn't clued up on and I must have had 30 questions on switching.

 

[techkiwi]

I find that studying from several different sources helps. If you are constantly going over a topic in just one book, you can get to the stage where you read the words but it doesn't really go in. The Bosons and other exams can help you to realise what areas you may be weak in, at which point it's back to the books again! And don't forget to analyse which areas on the actual test caused you grief (check your resluts sheet).

Don't fret too much on having failed a Cisco exam, it's not exactly uncommon - a few of us here have Don't let it get you down, hit the books and study materials and make sure you understand the reasoning behind the answers. It's when you fail several times that you may need to seriously examine your study and preparation techniques.

 

[CCIEbound]

Alright folks, I failed yet again

On the bright side, I did score better than my first time around. I did see a lot of the same questions on the exam that were on the first exam.

The simulataion was the exact same one (new switch added to a network, setup the ip host address, default gateway, vtp domain and client).

I do need help with something though, when I got my score report, the four catagories that are listed with the percentages next to them, what does the "Technology" catagory apply to? What type of questions would pertain to this catagory?


Thanks for the help, sooner or later I will have a ccna next to my title

 

[qz01gs]

Isn't it wrong that the questions were mostly the same!

Which bits did you do poorly on? Was it all that VTP and STP stuff??

This should help

The following information provides general guidelines for the content likely to be included on the Introducing Cisco Network Design Exam. However, other related topics may also appear on any specific delivery of the exam.

Planning & Designing
• Design a simple LAN using Cisco Technology
• Design an IP addressing scheme to meet design requirements
• Select an appropriate routing protocol based on user requirements
• Design a simple internetwork using Cisco technology
• Develop an access list to meet user specifications
• Choose WAN services to meet customer requirements


Implementation & Operation
• Configure routing protocols given user requirements
• Configure IP addresses, subnet masks, and gateway addresses on routers and hosts
• Configure a router for additional administrative functionality
• Configure a switch with VLANS and inter-switch communication
• Implement a LAN
• Customize a switch configuration to meet specified network requirements
• Manage system image and device configuration files
• Perform an initial configuration on a router
• Perform an initial configuration on a switch
• Implement access lists
• Implement simple WAN protocols


Troubleshooting
• Utilize the OSI model as a guide for systematic network troubleshooting
• Perform LAN and VLAN troubleshooting
• Troubleshoot routing protocols
• Troubleshoot IP addressing and host configuration
• Troubleshoot a device as part of a working network
• Troubleshoot an access list
• Perform simple WAN troubleshooting


Technology
• Describe network communications using layered models
• Describe the Spanning Tree process
• Compare and contrast key characteristics of LAN environments
• Evaluate the characteristics of routing protocols
• Evaluate TCP/IP communication process and its associated protocols
• Describe the components of network devices
• Evaluate rules for packet control
• Evaluate key characteristics of WANs

 

[CCIEbound]

I did poorly on the the technology and the implementation & operation catagories.

Thanks for the detailed discription of all four catagories. Now I can really single out my weakness.

 

[roblaird]

Well, passed on my second attempt! I read the Cisco Press books this time around, which gave me a better overall understanding of the material than Sybex and others. This time I felt like I really understood how and why things happen in the network, rather than simply knowing the config commands from memory.

Also, the questions this time around were not always as wordy as my first attempt.

Good luck to everyone still studying!