The limit is when your money runs out

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www.mellowd.co.uk/ccie/

after a fail, you can take the test after waiting 7 days.
after a pass you can take the test again after waiting 6 months.

And only the last time you passed counts. And it doesn't matter if you barely passed after your 18th try or if you got 100% on your first, you're still a CCNA.

It's the old adage:

Q: What do you call the guy who graduated last in his class at medical school?
A: Doctor.

I never understood that, why would you want to take the test again right after you pass? Score doesn't matter

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Networking is much like making love to a beautiful woman
Slide your equipment in to the rack, Stick your plug in the socket, and if you have done it right at the end everyone is happy

some people like to try to pass the current exam revision. i.e. instructors.

And people making braindumps.

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"If you're good at anticipating the human mind. It leaves nothing to chance."
-Jigsaw

If an effort to jack up my post count (gotta start replying to the new member intro posts) and to resurrect this thread (even though it's a sticky)......

my .02

Don't skip the Tutorial on howto use the testing interface (think? it's 15 min that doesn't count against)...use it to do deep breathing, it calms nerves, slows heart rate, lets you focus.

Clean your system out, for few days before test no grease. Eat some brainiac food like blueberries.

Last few days of lab'ing before test, avoid using show run, avoid using tab or ?. Makes your brain take extra thinking cycles, form new connections.

Jack up on some bananas on the way to the test. Increases alertness.

On a different note, anyone been to pearson in dallas?. Man those people are draconian. Receptionist leads you to I-Will-Stomp-Cheaters person. That dude get your I.D. takes your picture, takes your goods (keys, cell, blah blah) and then scans you with the wand, another person walk you to the testing room. They're even protecting against collusion.

Is it better to book an exam date and then study for that date as a target or study and when you feel your ready book the exam?

I have began studying for the ICND1 and was thinking of booking the exam now as a target with the date being 18th April, is that too soon? (1-2 hours or so a day of study)

What do you think? any tips? I have to juggle with job and family life too

Thanks

Most of all of here have to juggle working and a family life so that's not really an excuse.

As to whether you schedule first then study or study then schedule... It's a matter of preference.

No excuse intended.

What was your preference?

@ galaxian. My m/o, estimate prep time from start to pass & schedule at halfway point.
There was a thread somewhere, this forum or another, can't remember, talking about pros/cons of scheduling in advance or shortly before.

I study then schedule when I'm about 90-95% confident that I'm going to pass. I went against that with my CCNA Security exam I took a week or so ago and failed. I was probably 60-65% ready. I quickly read through some chapters, didn't take any notes and watched a few videos. Failed by 5 points. First IT exam failure of my career.

Only advice I have for you is to make sure you are ready!

Thanks guys

I think what I struggle most with is the Cisco press book, I take in videos better; but I realise that the book is vitally important also, so try to mix it up with both.

How long would you expect to take to go through a book that size?

I'm aiming to read the ICND1 book at least twice and I was thinking about grabbing the relatively new CCNA official cert library bundle from Wendell Odom, so my study schedule would be:

1. Packet Tracer (I have a real cisco lab too)

2. Rev 2 ICND1 book W.Odom

3. TrainSignal

4. Optional: Rev 3 CCNA Cert Library? (worth it?)

The book (ICND1) seems to be taking an age to get through though as I'm making sure I'm not just skimming pages, do you find the same?

Thanks

Martin

Labbing and reading the OCG works for me and I prefer to keep it that way...

I studied up until about 4 hours until my exam. I kept thinking about subjects that I didn't go over well enough, or that i need to do more subnetting, or more practice tests, or run through some simulations. In the end I just went and had a big lunch, and watched a few episodes of my favorite Tv show to pass the time. I went into the exam calm with a clear mind, and nailed it.

Thanks to everyone for contributing to this thread. Glad i read through it.

Does anyone have any former Ccna exam sheets? It would be much easier to "compare" the lvl of difficulty of the test that way and it would be much of a help for newbies (like me) who want to get the certificate...

Newbs like you who want to cheat? Take a hike

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www.mellowd.co.uk/ccie/

I don't want to cheat dear hater, i just want to know how "good" i am? At this moment i cant compare myself to anything/anyone. But on the other hand if i had the sheet i could test my abilities and my weaknesses. I don't want to cheat, cheating doesn't teach you anything