My 1st attempt was by paper form. I blogged my experience entitled My experience taking the CISSP exam. I was one of the 81% of individuals who failed on their 1st attempt. I put it down to underestimating the exam questions and the sheer depth of the exam topics.

I feel there's nothing embarrassing about failing the examination. It is however painful knowing I need to devote another 3 months of my life and splash out on another $600 in order to re-sit.

If you're thinking about taking for the exam, be prepared to devote yourself. I've stopped socialising and became sober-free for the last 2 months just to have more efficient revision time during the week. 3 hours a day minimum for the 90 days and 6months revision for the first exam. all because I can start learning topics like the 16th century cryptography techniques.

I have pulled together the differentials between the exam formats and let people be aware of the 'need to know'

Unlike the written exam where the doors close @ 8am and starts 1 hour later because of the rigours checks and sharpened your H2 pencils, the electronic exam is constructed on the standard examination rules. You are seated, you agree to the examination rules by clicking 'Accept' then the first question pops up. The electronic exam is far more efficient and avoids the human error of penciling the answers on separate papers. I finished 1 hour earlier than my first exam attempt, probably because the accumulated time-saving technique when the electronic clicking compared to penciling in the answer.

One thing I was not aware of was that you're prohibited to eat during your exam whilst taking the electronic exam. Food and refreshments are allowed for the written exam though all of your precessions are withheld in a locker until the end of the exam. With this in mind, have a good light and healthy breakfast, don't rely only on coffee and the food in your locker like I did for 6 hours.

With some exams with such a length duration, it's not uncommon to have fixed, scheduled breaks The CISSP exam is not the case which is good if you require the restroom whenever your bursting - No need to cross your legs or watch your face go purple.

You will rarely get a question in the structure of, 'What does xxxxx mean?'. You will be placed into a scenario to select the best option. I say this because all the possible answers may be right, though the correct answer will be the best-fitted one. This is why the exam is hated so much because there's no clear cut question or answer.

The worse thing about the written exam was the 6-8 week anticipation to see if you passed. With the electronic exam, you get them instantly however I experienced a horrific moment when waiting for my results on the screen. I clicked 'Finish exam' and waiting for about 10 seconds, I then received the message starting...

CONGRATULATIONS! ... (Something else after it)

Now, when you first see this word in bold writing, you would immediately think you'd passed. That magical word after sitting and staring at the screen for 6 hours made it all worthwhile. INFACT the message was as follows:


CONGRATULATIONS! You've finished the exam!

... WHAT!?!?! You're congratulating me for answering 250 questions, ANYONE CAN DO THAT! Whats the results to the exam?!?

Personally speaking, Positive words like these when I'm tired and starting at the screen is both highly misleading and unfair. Furthermore, the screen goes blank...

As I am new to the electronic ISC2 exam and prior to the exam I read the message above, I didn't know if I was going to get my results now.

A large American black lady escorts me out of the testing building and escorted me back to my untouched sandwiches. I'm now thinking to myself, 'Maybe I read it wrong, maybe I did pass?!' As I'm hydrating my warped mind and body, Adjacent to me was another large black lady reading a printed document. Not knowing if she worked at the test center, she calls my first name.

She was being incredibly nosy, starting with the paper whilst walking towards me... Hands me the paper in a somewhat unmannered behaviour then walked off.

I immediately walked out of the test center in the privacy of others to reflect on what I though was my exam results... I failed by 1.5%. I got 685 out of 700.

I felt total dispare, I have devoted myself for 9 months with the draining feeling that I will have to try for another 3 months. Even if I passed next time round, I would of spent nearly $2,000 on exam fees let alone the material used.

So learn from my experience and be prepared to receive the result via paper or in the next 4-6 weeks.

The questions are not be clear cut. I would begin by learning the fundamentals, advance on to further complexities. I did however notice 2 questions that I remembered from the previous written exam so be prepared if you're retaking the exam to learn from your mistakes. I have talked roughly about the CISSP question structure.

It's true that you have to devote your life to this examination because it's a mile long and an inch deep. I would take the exam preparation in the same fashion as the written exam. I know I have yet to pass, though I have read many materials. I have pulled together CISSP learning material that I would recommend.

At the moment, the written exam is $549 whilst the electronic examination is $599. I don't understand this because the written exam contains a rented room with people only taking ISC2 exams, and moderators thats are employed by the same company. Surely, an electronic version of this, saving paper and H2 pencils etc, would be cheaper... obviously not.

I hope this gives you some idea on the challenge ahead. I will be retaking the exam just before the end of 2012 in the hope I pass.

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