Studying for the CCNA is like studying for a test in high school. But if you’re doing self-study for the Cisco CCNA exam then it’s a bit tough, especially if you are rusty on your studying skills. Recently, I’ve changed how I am studying for the CCNA exam.
I used to just read through the book, chapter by chapter and casually answer the pre-chapter quizzes. As my practice exam shows, reading is not enough.
You really have to think about this and set a schedule for studying the CCNA to pass the exam.
The approach I am now taking to study for the CCNA exam:
- reading and taking notes
- review
- watching a computer based training video
- lab
- examination.
Reading & Taking Notes
A lot of what is on the CCNA exam is going to be memorization. To really nail the exam and pass quickly it’s good to know your show commands, cable lengths, etc. What I found best is while you’re reading you should write notes on what you think you should memorize and notes you think reflect the CCNA objectives. From your notes you can also create reference/cheat sheets that you can review when you’re on the go or in the lobby right before your test. There are many note-taking methods available but I find the cornell method very helpful.
Review
At the end of each chapter, if you’re reading Wendell Odom’s books, there are key topics you should go over and memory tables to memorize. Go through both of those after every chapter you finish reading. This is key to studying the CCNA exam and passing with a high score. You also gain real world knowledge.
Computer Based Training
I learn best by hearing and seeing. So it’s no surprise that I had to go out and purchase a CCNA training video. The best video for my studies and one that followed the book chapters well was the Cisco CCENT ICND1/ICND2 Trainsignal Videos. They provide a course outline on their site which fits perfectly alongside the Wendell Odom ICND book chapters. So after you read a chapter and review, move on to the lecture. Continue your notes from the book chapters and review your notes after the video training.
Lab
For the CCNA exam it is not absolutely crucial that you have a hands-on lab. It would be perfect to have one and it would certainly give you an advantage but most people can pass the exam by using virtual labs such as Routersim, Boson or GNS3. Whatever fits your budget is what I like to say. What I like about the Boson and Routersim virtual labs is that they contain lab documentation that cover all that you need to know for the CCNA exam.
Examination
As a networking specialist, we not only configure but we have to confirm. The same applies to the CCNA exam. After reading, watching, lab and reviewing we need to confirm that the knowledge we are taking in is being retained. In Wendell Odom’s CCENT books there are pre-chapter quizzes. The best way, in my opinion, is to read through all the chapters once. Then go back and take each chapter quiz. If you don’t score an 80% or higher then you should re-read that chapter. Once you score high on every chapter quiz you can move on to the Boson practice exam supplied on the cd in the book.
Take a simulated exam, 90 minutes and about 50 questions, testing your knowledge. For the areas you don’t score well on, study that area on study mode in the exam. Aim to achieve 100% that way you know you will pass the CCNA exam for sure.
Conclusion
Take the time to actually study the Cisco CCNA material and work to score a 100% on your practice exams. It’s best to study in an environment where there are no distractions such as the TV or the Internet. If you have computer networking experience then the exam will come easier to you but do not worry if you are starting from scratch. The goal is to get the knowledge so you can actually work on Cisco equipment in the real world.
Related posts:
- Passing the CCNA Exam
- I Successfully Passed the Cisco ICND1 Exam!
- CCNA ICND1 Test is Scheduled!
- Update to 70-640 Certification
- CCNA Notes on the Basics of WANs
