| Author |
Pass/test-taker ratio
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| Do anyone know what the ratio is of people who take the test and the percent that pass? I heard it was 1/10 pass. Any insight? | |
| mwalonoski 2002-05-16, 12:52 pm |
| I've taken this exam twice and failed. I've beend studying it for over 2 months straight. The first time I was doing great on "Measure-ups" practice exam with 95-98%. I felt that I was also doing well the first time I took the exam. The problem was that I hadn't use the CLI enough and use too much time on the Simulation questions. After I reached the 2nd simulation question, I had only 5 minutes left and 10 questions to go. Another 15 minutes and I's sure I would have passed. I ended up leaving 9 questions unanswered on the table and failed with a 762.
I have since purchased the "Cisco Router and Switch eSim", practiced and studied for over a week and failed this time with an 818. Aced the simulation questions, but the questions I got the second time were far more difficult than the first exam. The questions are very confusing in how they are presented. I think Cisco was certifying too many people and made the exam much more difficult in order to enhance the value of their certification. In my opinion, they should at least give exam takers the opportunity to mark a question that they are stuck on and go back after anwereing the easier ones. This would make time management much easier on the exam. If you are going to miss a question, at least it would be the most difficult ones.
Right now I'm working on it again. I'm beginning to eat, sleep, and talk Cisco in my sleep. Maybe the 3rd time will be a charm. | |
| marathoner 2002-05-16, 2:36 pm |
| I believe the pass rate is higher than 1/10 but perhaps a poll would be in order here.
And I am also of the opinion that, rather than revise the curriculum, Cisco has just put more booby traps into the exam, so that there won't be so many CCNA's running around who can't get jobs and makes the cert less desireable.
It is horrible that they don't let you mark questions and go back later. There is no reason on earth for that, except to make more people fail. | |
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| eeer no.
I took 507, I have look over prolly 95% of the posts on this forum and from what I can gather, there is no more *traps* than there were. All the questions posted were valid and I don't see where the problem is.
I will note, I did not have cabling /hex conversion questions, but guess what, its there in the book. All other stuff is there, I saw nothing that was trick or not on the book.
The problem is (generalization coming) that most ppl read study guides, their mind get trained wiht the way the questions is worded and how the answers were given and when translated from the old format to a little different wording/structure in the new format, they all froze.
Free your mind... one of the problem with dumps is that ppl reading it will inevitably have misinformation ingrained and when pose with a question, they can't get out of that trained thinking.
As far as marking question, don't blame it on them. Plenty of ppl are able to pass the test with not able to mark. How mnay time haveyou taken a MS test and did not know the answer, mark and continue on, only to have the answer to the question answered in the question for another? Please.... I doubt the failure rate is this high... my god, ccie lab had a published passing rate on 1st try in the neighborhood of 20 percent... if it is indeed 20 percent for the new ccna, I say good for them, the dumpers are failing like mad!
If you unfortunately fail, I think there is valid indication of your skill and your weaknesses. Brush up on things, again, I see nothing on the posts that indicate there is more trap than there was... stop blaming trick question, simulations, not able to mark etc for failure and hit the book, rent online lab, buy labs and all that. | |
| marathoner 2002-05-16, 3:49 pm |
| I am only speculating re: more tricky questions to raise the bar. Anybody who thinks things like that don't happen is naive.
Cisco has taken a good deal of heat for some of their badly worded questions. Ambiguous questions are not good discriminators -- the guys at ETA who set the AP exams revise each question they make and make sure the intent of the question is clear. I've been told that Cisco is not so careful...
Having said that....
Cisco set the test, so we play their game.
No body can mark so everybody is even.
I agree that the dump memorizers should fail. A really good test would be all sim that WORKS. I'd be totally in favor of that.
BTW remember not everybody is American and not every forum member can afford all the books toys and materials you can; some of us have to make it on wits and superior brain power alone. | |
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| I just finished four semesters of the Cisco Net Academy and 6 members of my class took the test within the last 24 hours. Five of the students passed and one failed. Did they have any tricky questions? Yes as a matter of fact they did. One student was asked to set the passwords for the router configuration. The student was instructed to set the line vty, line console and the encrypted password. The tricky part was they gave the student the passwords to use on each of the ports but did not include what they wanted for the encrypted password. Another student said there is a command to enable encryption. If this is true then the question is not altogether straight-forward but still acceptable in my opinion. If there is not this mystery command then yes Cisco does add some trickery to testing. | |
| HOOLIGAN 2002-05-16, 9:03 pm |
| quote:
The student was instructed to set the line vty, line console and the encrypted password. The tricky part was they gave the student the passwords to use on each of the ports but did not include what they wanted for the encrypted password.
I had this, I thought it was a little unfair and used the console password for encrypted also?? what else could you do. Frankly from hanging out here for a year I was expecting an easier exam.
I passed first time.
John. | |
| marathoner 2002-05-16, 11:27 pm |
| quote:
Originally posted by HOOLIGAN
I had this, I thought it was a little unfair and used the console password for encrypted also?? what else could you do. Frankly from hanging out here for a year I was expecting an easier exam.
I passed first time.
John.
Hey Hooligan, can you please clarify this. My English is not so colloquial. You say he is asked to set all these various passwords and in all cases they tell him what to use for the password, but for the encrypted they dont tell him what to use, then I think he can use whatever he wants, no? Is there some trick that the encrypted cant be the same thing as the regular enable password or what.
There are definitely questions on this exam designed not to probe what you know but to trip you.. I know plenty of people who sat it and they all agree on this. | |
| marathoner 2002-05-16, 11:30 pm |
| no such thing.
you just configure it.
either your ios has it or it doesn't. I think 10.3 is the first version that supports encrypted. | |
| HOOLIGAN 2002-05-16, 11:44 pm |
| Yes marathoner, your right.
there was a few questions like that.
where the questions seemed to be straight farward enough, but you needed to know those little conditions cisco has, like enable secret and regular shouldnt be the same.
also like the implicit deny any on the end of access lists etc etc.
Trip you up, maybe, but i wouldnt say unfair because at least you know there wont be questions on appletalk, ospf etc.
For the CCNA you need to know a hell of a lot about the few subjects the exam covers.
John | |
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| cool reply mikop...am with u..i have the same to say. i took the 607 and got 931 the first attempt.but it wasnt easy..had to toil a lot for it.i havent studied so even for my graduation.dont worry man...keep trying...keep practising..be good with the basics rather than the dumps......
try harder and u'll succeed man...
best luck | |
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| What then is the correct way to deal with this particular scenario. Would it be correct to make up a password or to use the console password Cisco supplied? The student used the console password. | |
| smourt 2002-05-17, 9:37 am |
| This was my first attempt and I failed. The testing centre said that the failure rate at the moment was 95% for that centre. | |
| marathoner 2002-05-17, 11:11 am |
| nothing tricky about implicit deny at end.
Everyone should know that. Except under stress we might forget. congrats on the pass. I'm on for June. | |
| mwalonoski 2002-05-17, 12:36 pm |
| While I was studying for My third attemp at this exam last Monday 16 students from a local school came in for the CCNA exam. They had been studying for the last 2 years. Zero of 16 students passed the exam.
Today another 9 students came in from another school, same story. Zero passed out of 9 taking the exam. I know of three other people who took the exam and failed. I know of no one personally who has passed this exam.
The pass/fail ratio doesn't look good for the CCNA wanabes.
(Like me.) | |
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| There is nothing tricky about an explicit deny statement, the conversation was about a password question where the encrypted password was no supplied.
Our class seems to be doing fairly well so far, but only the outstanding students have taken the exam. I will be taking my test on the 22nd if I feel ready, if not then I will reschedule. We are all meeting for pizza and beer tonight and I will report the pass\fail ratio when I get a chance. I graduate tomorrow. | |
| odonata 2002-05-17, 6:56 pm |
| My hubby passed 1st time - 98%. He studied like crazy, read the book 3 times, practiced on router sims. Just study very hard and practice even more and you can pass. He finished the exam in like 35 minutes too.
good luck to all. | |
| Jakester 2002-05-17, 11:53 pm |
| I tried to post a reply and something went wrong with it. I hope it dooesn't show up after this one and there's a double. So just in case this one won't be as long.
About sim. question that asks you to set the line vty and line console, being given passwords, and then not being given a password to use for the encrypted password:
When I had this question, my passwords were in the top window except for the encrytped.
There's a window on the left with info for the sim. When I scrolled through, it said to use Cisco for all other passwords. I always thought that to set the encrypted password
(not Service Encrypted Password) you did it like this:
router#config t
router(config)#enable secret (password name)
Am I wrong people?
If you did a " show run " you wouldn't see the password because of the encryption.
Laura | |
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| 1st. hehe prolly should not say that much about the exam and your specific question like where x y z is and stuff...
2nd. laff.... so as many prolly suspected, the info is there and its just user error and not the fault of the exam... too bad so sad. | |
| Jakester 2002-05-18, 9:13 am |
| You're right, Mikop, I made a mistake. I'll watch what I say more carefully next time. My intentions were good.
I am sorry if I said too much. I was also trying to confirm info for myself.
L. | |
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| So far 6 wins and 4 losses. The six students who have taken the test and passed were mostly exectional students, hard working and always "get it". They however are not passing with exceptionally high scores they are within the 50 point range.
Of the four students who failed the test 2 were students that I thought would pass. Always prepared well for class and did well on everything. One is a 4.0 gpa student but her computer froze three times at the test center and she felt like she had aced the test. She was shocked when she failed by 40 points. The other two students I feel they got what they probably deserved.
Bottom Line-The test is passable with lots of effort. | |
| Dalton_44 2002-05-20, 2:45 pm |
| Does it really matter what the percentage of pass/fail of an exam is? | |
| Daylami88 2002-05-20, 4:36 pm |
| It should not be too hard if someone spend long hours to doing both "book work" and hands-on training (on a routher) before they ready to take the exam. | |
| Mirwalk 2002-05-22, 8:28 am |
| I have taken the 4 semesters of Cisco Network Academy. Me and three of my classmates took the test. We all failed. I came the closest with a 74.8 instead of the 84.9 you need to get certified. Only two things bother me about the current test. One, I would have passed on the older tests since they were a lower score, but I understand that. Two, the simulations should be at the end of the test. I got a simulation in the first 10 questions. I couldn't get it at first so I had to skip it. The major problem was I finsihed with 10 minutes to spare. If I could have went after it for the extra time I might have gotten it. I guess its all in the chances sometimes. | |
| Bolt69 2002-05-22, 10:37 am |
| Good people of the message board...
I am a student of a Cisco Networking Academy and have some rather bad news to share in regards to the pass\fail rate of the Cert. Exam.
There are 3 Academy classes that are taught here and students out of 2 of those classes have taken the exam for a total of 22. And how many passed the exam? (drum roll please)......
THREE!
My take on it is this. Cisco does not want to hand out certifications right and left. And those in the IT field would not want them to. If Cisco should hand these certs out, the value of a CCNA goes down. Bad for you and me. Bad for the IT field as a whole. As well they want people in those positions who know what they are doing.
I have a problem with Cisco as a whole though. Mind you, I attend an Academy. My thought is that Cisco needs to gear their training in these "Academies" more towards taking the CCNA Cert exam. Instead, they gear you throughout the year to taking Chapter tests and "Finals." My opinion is that they should have the Chapter tests and finals reflect more of what the CCNA Cert exam content is. Put the chapter test questions and final in the same format. I can understand not using the same questions. But at least get us PAYING ACADEMY STUDENTS in the BALLPARK! Don't get me wrong. The Academy has done a great job with foundational instruction of the material. But my opinion is that it's not doing it's job in PROPERLY preparing students for the exam. Evidence can be seen by the disappointed faces of students exiting the testing facilities.
As far as testing software goes, can someone PLEASE recommend something to me (that I havent tried yet) that will more closely resemble format and content of the actual exam? IS there such an animal? I have the CISCO EXAM CERT> GUIDE V. 640-607. Is this close?
Peace be with you all...and God Bless...
Bolt | |
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|  That sucks. I know what your saying, we spend all the funds to learn what we think will prepare us for the test and find out as we near the big day we have just scratched the surface and need much preparation if we are to stand a chance at passing. Pay for the curriculum, spend four semesters studying and then have to purchase different study materials (like ICND) spend many other hours studying all the things you didn't learn from the books you already own, buy simulators to learn to use the routers that you didn't get to practice on. Its slightly frustrating. Our class is about 50/50 pass/fail.
Why weren't we given the ICND book to use for the text if it seems to be the reference Cisco uses???? | |
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| Interesting responses, but surely the idea of the academies is to provide you with knowledge of networking etc not to prepare you for the CCNA exam. If you go in there with that as your only reason then your more than likely to fail.
This applies to self study as well, studying anything to pass a test is not going to give you the knowledge you need to get on in the industry.
Dont concentrate on learing just enough to pass a test learn about the technology and protocols etc to the extent that a test be it CCNA CCNP etc is just a formality. If that means you have to do extra study outside class then so be it.
The key is to understand the subject in depth and then be able to apply it in the field. A cert is nothing but an indication to an employer that you have learned enough to pass a test.
To sum up, a cert should only be a byproduct of your learning, not the reason for it. | |
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| Your point is well taken but I still am somewhat angered by the fact that Cisco's networking academy is designed to get you to the point of certification, but its far from it. If you take the tests and do all the labs take the final at the end your are still not even in the ball park. | |
| HOOLIGAN 2002-05-22, 9:46 pm |
| quote:
There is nothing tricky about an explicit deny statement,
not when its a 2 liner, buuuuut the question i had had two access list errors and the way cisco worded it made it seem like they were really trying to throw you.
tricky and a little naughty | |
| Bolt69 2002-05-23, 8:37 am |
| quote:
Originally posted by teza
but surely the idea of the academies is to provide you with knowledge of networking etc not to prepare you for the CCNA exam. If you go in there with that as your only reason then your more than likely to fail.
To sum up, a cert should only be a byproduct of your learning, not the reason for it.
I think that to have an education in networking and not to obtain certification in it is a waste of time and money. Your value as an employee in the IT field is nothing compared to what it would be with certification. In a perfect world, where things are just, Cisco WOULD be preparing its students to take the exam. In an academy environment, you learn what you need to know to become employable in the field. But you are NOT employable WITHOUT the certification. Come on now. Cisco SHOULD be preparing there students better to take this exam. I am what you would call a non-traditional student (work full time, married, kids, school full time). I have made honors list at school and have not taken the exam yet. WHY? Because there are straight A TRADITIONAL students that do nothing BUT study and haven't passed it. I feel that Cisco should not make the exam easier. But instead, gear the learning through the year at the "Cisco Certified Academies" to preparing for the exam. What IS the responsibility of the academy then? It doesn't make sense to teach students something that they AREN'T going to be prepared for.
It is unjust to teach people to make cake (networking academy), without teaching them how to make the icing (networking certification)!
Peace be with you all...God Bless,
Bolt | |
| Mirwalk 2002-05-23, 4:28 pm |
| I feel exactly the same. I was in the Academey. None of our students have yet to pass. The Academey focuses on things you need to know but the finals are geared completely different than the CCNA. If you are going to make a school for the CNA then you should try to make it towards the CCNA! | |
| GilGrabber 2002-05-24, 7:25 pm |
| I have attended the academy in 2000, I was one of 3 top students in the class scoring 96 to 100 percent most of the time, and that is for a complete beginer to networking who has family with two kids and full time job. I have not finish the course since I have taken the cert test in the begginning of semester 3 and passed it with 973 on the first take. Yes that was CCNA v.1 . From our class there were total of 4 people who passed this on first take, others just droped out since they were not willing to devote the required time for study. The score of others? We all scored what we were getting on the quizes and finals. I also have re-read the entire online curriculum before testing. All the knowledge needed to pass is in the curriculum, and it is my believe that the test is based on it as well. But please don't take the test if you do not understand the subject because new online quizes (v. 2.1 and up) and finals do not do a justice to the real CCNA cert exam. The new quizes are a joke. It is up to you to learn networking and Cisco implementation of networking, not only as memorazation of facts but as a true understanding of the technology, Cisco's terminalogy (know only the cisco answer, speek ciscoease). CCNA exam will test your knowledge in depth. Cisco questions are designed to test you from within the core of the matter, meening questions are presented not from the surface but right from the gut of the process / implementation, and answers have 2 to 3 step sepparation with in the process or implementation.
One year since, I have had the ability to re-read the entire course since I have enlisted to became partime CCAI at my local Cisco Academy, which had me bussy taking cisco instructor training in 6 weeks straight evenings and weekends, that is on top of my full time job (needless to say I am addicted to coffee now) still I able to pull 98 - 100 percent.
So how does one get to pass? Pure understanding of the subject and attention to detail, deligence, hard work. Nothing cames easy, each chapter was read 3 times or until all was understood and then remembered and there is lot of that. I have also obtained such Cisco classics as Routing TCP/IP by Jeff Doyle, Internetwork Technologies Handbook, and Cisco's Press official CCNA exam certification guide by Wendell Odom (a must book complete with router command's output which is essential to pass the CCNA). If there ever was something unclear to me I would research it in the other books or online at cisco online documentation. The requirements to pass CCNA exam are all in the Academy online curriculum if you have access to it make that your last review text, you will not regret it.
So good luck to all of you, and if you are already in academy you know if I am your instructor, since most of you are not passing my class. I teach the technology, not the test.
GG | |
| mfgrandalski 2002-05-30, 10:39 am |
| I passed first time.
Prep: The day before test make a cheatsheet that has everything from OSI layers (what happens/is located there) to router commands (I had a 8x11 sheet of paper front & back in very small print).
Test Day: The testing center will give you a marker and clear plastic sheet. Before you even touch the computer to take the test write down on the plastic sheet all you can remember from your cheatsheet. Once you start the test you can refer to your notes on the plastic - this saves thought process time during test and helps consolidate thoughts. You will have to give the plastic sheet to the testing center when you are through, but what will you care when you have passed.
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