part0027

You now know what plan you should follow and also have an idea of the different topics that are covered in the CCNA Routing and Switching examination. This chapter will leave you with some tips that you can use to clear the CCNA Routing and Switching examination or any other CCNA certification that you appear for. Remember that you cannot expect to clear the exam by only studying the concepts. You also need to be smart about how you approach the examination. Experts have suggested the tips mentioned in this chapter.

Remember, you need to know what you are signing up for if you want to succeed. Look at any actor as an example. They know they need to struggle and work hard to get to where they want to be. The same concept works for you too. When you sit for any examination without an idea of what will be thrown at you, you will not ace the examination. Numerous people are willing to share some knowledge about the examination through their experience. If you are wary about speaking to other people about your experience, you can visit the Cisco website to learn more about the examination. This book provides some links that you can use to learn more about the different topics that you should know well if you want to clear the examination. You will also obtain some links for study material, online tutors, and practice tests. If you are unsure of what you are doing with this examination, then this is the right book for you. It is the right place since you will learn all there is to know about the examination.

You must ensure that you always set up a corner in your house that you will only use to study. Keep any distractions away. Make sure that you always focus on your studies when you begin preparing for the examination. Avoid sitting on the sofa or bed when you study since this will only make you sluggish. Make sure that you have enough place in your study area to spread your books around and study. Never keep any electronic items on your study table, unless you need to use it while you study. You know how you can study and focus on the exam material, so make sure you do exactly that. If you are someone who needs complete silence when you study, you should work in a closed room with no disturbance. Some people may study better when they work with other people while some would like to listen to music while they study.

This book would have given you an overview of the different concepts you must cover when you prepare for the examination. The previous chapter also shed some light on the different topics you must cover every week. You must always obtain the right material to study from. You should always use the material provided by the Learning Press. There are separate books for each examination. You can also use the 31-days before the material for the last month. It is always important that you make notes so you can revise some concepts before the exam. You can also outline the flow of the chapter for future reference.

When it comes to any IT certification examination, there is a lot of material that you can source from the Internet. Numerous communities allow you to share your experiences with the world. Some people want to share some examination strategies in these communities. These forums will also help you learn more about people's successes and failures. Aside from the Cisco Learning Network, you can search Google for a forum for that specific certification. You can also view the CCNA page on Reddit since there are people from across the globe that share their experiences. You must ensure that you always stay away from some toxic people and posts. Numerous users only use these forums to vent their frustration, and this will discourage you.

When you study for the examination, you should know the concepts so well that if someone were to wake you up and ask you to define a concept, you should answer the question without a second thought. If you cannot learn the course material in this manner, the chances of you clearing the examination will decrease. Since the CCNA examination is comprehensive, there are some concepts that people overlook when they study for it. Remember that you cannot do this. You must cover every single note mentioned in the book, and it is hard to do this. You must memorize Internet speed designations, port numbers, and understand different networking tools and more. Make sure that you study every single day. You can develop a study plan that will help you set some time out every day so you can study. You should remember everything you learn in the syllabus since you will come across these terms and concepts at work. A CCNA Certification is valuable since it will say a lot about your quality.

As mentioned earlier, you must prepare your very own study plan. The previous chapter provided a four-week study plan that you can use to get started. It is always a good idea to create your own study plan since you know what plan will work for you, and how many hours you can spare every day to study for the examination. There is no need to write an elaborate plan. You must, however, consider the following when you develop your study plan:

If you want to pass the CCNA Examination, you must ensure that you have some practical experience. You cannot expect to pass with theoretical knowledge alone. Prepare for the exam in a way that you can use the theoretical concepts for troubleshooting or networking issues in the real world. When you are aware of the problem, you must also be able to list some alternative solutions to the problem. For instance, when IP is found to be unreliable, you have to determine some alternative troubleshooting for communication between the nodes.

You may be wondering why I am asking you to use flashcards and practice drills. Many test-takers have stated that these methods did help them pass the examination. All you need to do is make a list of all the questions you struggled with during the mock exam. Note these questions down on flashcards and write the answer on the back of the flashcard. You will notice that you have a stack of cards that you can use for your review. You should try to review these cards at least twice a day. It may bore you, and there is a possibility that it may feel like overkill, but this habit will ensure that these answers become like second nature to you. If there are some answers where you will need to perform the process, you should take some time and practice those processes until you can complete the process with no external help. This will help to drill the concepts into your head, and will also help you remember the concepts during interviews.

If you are someone who prefers to study alone, you can choose to purchase the self-study material, but remember that this is not the best way to prepare for any examination. You must remember that you need to have a good understanding of the subject you want to appear for if you want to clear that examination. This is not the case only for CCNA examinations, but for any examinations that you write. Remember that the course material differs for each certification that you appear for, which means that you need to know the course material in and out before you sit for the examination. You must also understand that different bodies work together to develop the course material since they look at how different concepts can practically be applied. It is always a good idea to spend some time with a professional who has some idea about the course material when you prepare for the examination. You can ask the person for some help and also ask then any questions you may have about the material. This is what you get when you sign up for an exam preparation course on the Learning website. When you sign up for these courses, you can increase your chances of acing the test.

Like every other examination you write, you should take some time to go through the Cisco Press Books to refresh your memory. Make sure that you go through every single word in the book, and you pay attention to what you read. There are times when you will find that you have forgotten to learn a concept. During the last few days before the exam, you should ensure that you spend enough time revising and solving any practice question papers. If you want to obtain some additional information about the questions that can be asked, you can visit some online forums. Make sure that at this stage, you know the course material in and out.

Experts also suggest that you read the Cisco Press Books repeatedly so you can commit every word in the book to memory. Make sure you go through the entire book a day or two before the examination. It is essential to revise since you will re-learn the essential concepts that will create the foundation for the CCNA examination.

One of the most effective ways to prepare for any examination is to take mock or practice exams before you appear for the actual exam. You should always take these mock examinations under examination conditions. These tests will help you assess where you stand with respect to the subject material. You will also learn how the question paper can be structured and what kinds of questions you may be asked.

As mentioned earlier, you must give these examinations under examination conditions, which means you need to time yourself, so you know how long you take to answer the paper. When you do this, you will know where you need to focus and which section you must work on faster. It is important that you use the official training material and question databases to practice your knowledge. You should also purchase the official question bank for the examination you appear for. Remember to use these practice tests as a way to identify your weaknesses and strengths.

When you take the test, you will know what areas you do well in and which areas you do not understand fully. So, focus on the second section. Make sure you have the right question database to use since you will learn what the correct answer is. You will also know why other options are incorrect. This is an easier way to improve your understanding of this subject. Practice examinations always help you emulate how the actual exam will be.

As mentioned earlier in the book, you must ensure that you have theoretical and practical knowledge of any concept that you study in the CCNA course material. You cannot expect to clear the examination only because you know every concept, know how to define those concepts, and know the functions of those concepts. The CCNA examination is not easy, but you can definitely improve your chances of clearing that examination if you practice some fundamentals. There is different technology covered in this examination, including ISP, router/switch, PC, hub, and RJ-45 cords. First, understand these well before you learn more about WAN, WPS, and DNS. It is only when you understand these concepts fully that you will learn how to build that network. When you build a network, you can learn more about how to troubleshoot it if any issues come up during the transmission of data.

You should also work on building a network topography. In some examinations, you may be asked to design, build, and configure a network. You may also be asked to tear a network down. In these situations, you must know what the foundations of networking are. You need to work on building a lab if you want to clear the CCNA examination.

You are allowed to kick back and relax a few days before the exam, and it is what the doctor recommends. You should revise your concepts, but should not stress about it. You must ensure that you remain calm and are composed. Most students are nervous and try to cram as much information as they can during the last few days, and this is a bad idea. You should make sure that you get sufficient sleep, do not skip meals, and study only when required. The last-minute studying will not help you at all, and it will hurt your ability to perform well on the scheduled exam date. Give yourself a breather for a few days and rest well before the exam.

You must remember that it will take you a long time before you can fully prepare for the CCNA Routing and Switching examination. These tests will include some problems that will seem like second nature to you. That being said, if you do not know some terms in the syllabus or are overconfident, you will lose some marks in the examination. You must ensure that you spread the exams out well, so you have sufficient time to study. This will give you enough time to revise some concepts and also gauge if you can clear the examination with the amount of preparation that you have. You can take a less intensive route if you want to save more money. Remember that these tests have been designed to be unanswerable and tough if you have not spent sufficient time trying to understand the concepts covered in the syllabus.

The examination day has finally arrived, and you are most definitely going to be anxious like every other student who is taking this examination. That being said, you should stop worrying about how the exam is going to be and only focus on doing your best. You should ensure that you do not exhaust yourself. This section covers some simple tips that you should keep in mind.

Always look at the examination website, and make sure that you have all the items that are listed on the website. The examiners are very strict, and they will ask you to leave the room if you do not have one or more of the required items with you. You must always read the exam or candidate guide and make a list of all the items that you must carry with you. Speak to the point of contact at the examination center to learn more about what you are required for you to carry with you to the examination room.

This is an extremely important thing to keep in mind. Most students fail their examinations because they are either physically or mentally exhausted. Students believe that they should revise every concept they can right before the exam so they can remember it. To do this, they stay up all night or wake up early on the day of the exam. What they do not understand is that it is never a good idea to read the concepts at the very last minute since it will leave you feeling anxious. If you still want to do a final review, you should try to make a list of all the concepts that you fully understand and read them before. It is never a good idea to focus on those concepts that you do not have a clear understanding of since that will cause some anxiety and panic. Alternatively, you can create a glossary or a summary to cover all the essential and necessary information. Only focus on reading the glossary before the exam. Make sure that you eat something very light before the exam.

There is a strict policy when it comes to time. If you are late for the examination, you may not be allowed to sit for the examination. Try to leave at least an hour before the scheduled time if you use public transportation. If you own a vehicle, make sure that you identify the shortest route, and know exactly where you need to park your vehicle at the test center.

You only have a little time to complete the examination. So, relax and take a deep breath before you begin answering the questions. Remember that you have put in the required time and effort to prepare for the examination. You will not be able to do well in the examination if you overthink or are nervous.

While answering the questions, you must ensure that you focus only on the question that you are working on and ignore everything else. It is always a good thing to do this since you can focus only on answering the questions correctly. That being said, you must also keep track of time. If you have ever written an exam under pressure, you know that the time flies very quickly. Therefore, you must ensure that you have enough time left to answer the questions accurately.

Regardless of how much time you have left in the examination, you must ensure that you do not rush. When you do this, you can misread the question or even miss out on a question. You should always take some time out and read every question thoroughly, and also ensure that the answers you are writing are related to those questions. You should always ensure that you understand everything that is being asked in the question. This will ensure that you answer the question correctly. If you are answering a multiple-choice question, you must read every option well to ensure that you do not look at the options that were put in to distract you. You should also pay attention to terms like not, never, all, least, always and most. These words will always change the meaning of the sentences. When you see a question beginning with "Choose the best answer," ensure that you read the options carefully since more than one option can be the right answer. It is recommended that you go through the exam dump before you appear for the examination since you can learn more about the different types of questions you will come across during the examination.

You must always ensure that you remain calm and composed during the examination. Try stretching your muscles and take deep breaths. This will help you relax your mind. When you are calm, you can always focus better, and this will make it easier for you to answer any tough question. It is important to remember that the examination you are writing is difficult, so try to have some fun while writing the examination. Trust yourself, and know that you will do great in the exam if you have stuck to your study plan. Otherwise, you will have had enough practice for the next attempt.

You have given the examination and will now need to wait for five business days to go by before you receive your Certificate of Completion via email. You must understand that it is alright if you did not clear the examination. When you do not clear the examination, you are aware of the mistakes that you may have made either when you were preparing for the examination or during the examination. This means that you know what you are not supposed to do, and will be able to perform better the next time. This is an accomplishment by itself. You must always motivate yourself to perform better since this will help you improve your chances of success. If you want to help your peers, you can share your experiences and prevent them from making the same mistakes that you did.

As mentioned earlier, the CCNA examination is comprehensive. This means that you will come across different questions from a variety of topics. These topics are all based on the concepts of TCP/IP, spanning trees, comprehensive routing protocols, and more. It is a little hard to pass the examination when you look at the course material. There are a ton of things you will need to study to ensure that you pass the examination. It is for this reason that most people recommend that you complete the ICND1 examination since this will give you a base or foundation. You must also go through every single topic mentioned in the book, so you can complete the examination in the stipulated time. You cannot waste time thinking about an answer. The duration is very short, and it can be stressful even for someone who has studied well for the examination. Your performance, however, is dependent on how well-prepared you are.