Datasheet

Chapter 1: (ISC)

and the CISSP Certification

See Chapter 3 for more information on starting a CISSP study group.

Are you ready for the exam?

Are you ready for the big day? We can’t answer this question for you. You

must decide, based on your individual learning factors, study habits, and

professional experience, when you’re ready for the exam. We don’t know of

any magic formula for determining your chances of success or failure on the

CISSP examination. If you find one, please write to us so that we can include it

in the next edition of this book!

In general, we recommend a minimum of two months of focused study. Read

this book and continue taking the practice exams in this book and on the

accompanying CD until you can consistently score 80 percent or better in all

areas. CISSP For Dummies covers all the information that you need to know

if you want to pass the CISSP examination. Read this book (and reread it)

until you’re comfortable with the information presented and can successfully

recall and apply it in each of the ten domains.

Continue by reviewing other materials (particularly in your weak areas)

and actively participating in an online or local study group. Take as many

practice exams from as many different sources as possible. You can’t find

any brain dumps for the CISSP examination, and no practice test can exactly

duplicate the actual exam (some practice tests are simply too easy, and

others are too difficult), but repetition can help you retain the important

knowledge required to succeed on the CISSP exam.

About the CISSP Examination

The CISSP examination itself is a grueling six-hour 250-question marathon. To

put that into perspective, in six hours, you could walk about 20 miles, watch

a Kevin Costner movie 1

⁄2 times, or sing “My Way” 540 times on a karaoke

machine. Each of these feats, respectively, closely approximates the physical,

mental (not intellectual), and emotional toll of the CISSP examination.

As described by the (ISC)

, you need a scaled score of 700 or better to pass

the examination. Not all the questions are weighted equally, so we can’t abso-

lutely state the number of correct questions required for a passing score.

The examination isn’t computer based. It’s administered the old-fashioned

way: exam booklet, answer sheet, and a lot of pencils. You can write in the

exam booklet, but (ISC)

only scores answers recorded on the answer sheet.

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