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This is primarily to BruceGA, but also to anyone contemplating taking the CISSP exam.

I don't know if its' still true, but eight years ago the official statistics were that 80%+ of the people who took the exam failed - and it cost about $400 (my $ too). I passed it then (darn lucky I think), and I assume it is still the same physical format - ie on paper. This is a real advantage, because you can write on the test booklet, and go back to earlier bypassed questions.

It is a very intensive 6 hour exam - I think it was about 250 questions. I studied everyday about two hours, or more every day for five months+, and had worked peripherally in computer security, off and on, for about 15 years. (probably 5-6 years cumulative).

My approach to the exam was to go through as fast as I could the first time and answer everything I absolutely knew for sure. After about 2 1/2 hours ( yikes !) I had only answered about 80 questions. (so far that's a failing grade, even if they were all correct) and I started to sweat.

Next, I went back, read thru all the previously skipped questions, and worked on ones that looked to only take couple minutes at most to answer. All the while, I'm crossiing out obviously wrong answers, and circling possible ones (in the question booklet remember !!!! ) Still working as fast as I could, I raced thru (ha ha) and found after another 2+ hours that I had answered all but 65 of the questions - OMG. I'm really sweating now, because the best grade I could possibly have was STILL a failing grade.

At this point, only two people, out of about 40 had left the exam. One was a 19 year old girl, who couldn't possibly have had enough experience. She also spent a long time talking to one of the proctors before she walked out, and a guy who had taken a boot camp some months before, and previously failed the exam - boy was he pissed. I'm hoping he passed the second time.

I went back to tackle the tough ones, trying to make sure I answered at least something for all of them (no penalties for guessing). Using all my cross outs etc, I 'm trudging thru and every 15 minutes or so someone would get up and leave - even more pressure.

I finish the exam, check my name and particulars are correct on the answer sheet. And hand in my stuff !

There was 17 minutes left, and the remaining 25 people are writing like crazy. So then I nervously wait for about 2 weeks. I get my letter from ISC2 - I passed WOO HOOOOO.

So if the statistics were right, only about 8 of us passed - Boy did I feel lucky.

And Wilddev. I would agree with the often quoted "mile wide, inch deep" assessment.

As far as studying, I also wrote up about 450 flash cards of my own. ANd if I did it again, I would use the three-pass method, but try to go even faster (ha ha IMPOSSIBLE !)

Best of luck to anyone taking this exam - or it's new sister exams.