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Computer Certification: Keeping Your Cool On Exam Day |
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When you wake up on exam day, one of two things is going
to happen. Well, yes, you're going to pass or fail. But what
I'm thinking of comes before that, and has a lot to do with
how you perform on exam day.
You're either going to have a tremendous feeling of anticipation
or the dreaded feeling of being nervous about it. Anticipation
is a great thing to feel on exam day. You're driving to the
exam center, excited about the exam. You're much like a football
player, slapping another player on the helmet or the shoulder
pads before the game starts. (Warning: Don't try this on the
exam proctor.) You know there's a challenge ahead, but you're
looking forward to it. In your mind, you're already victorious;
you're at the testing center only to make it official.
Conversely, there's nothing worse than being nervous or feeling
unprepared before the exam. I've driven up to an exam center
and seen exam candidates doing some last-minute cramming in
their car. Sadly for them, if there's something you were unprepared
for at 8 AM on exam day, you're still going to be unprepared
when you go into the test center, no matter what you read
in the car at the last minute. You don't see football players
studying their playbook on the sideline before the game starts.
It's all about preparation. I regularly tell my students
and customers that you don't pass a Cisco exam (or any other
vendor exam) the day you take it. You pass when you turn the
TV off for weeks before the exam to study; you pass when you
spend time and money to attend a class or buy a book or training
video; you pass when you give up a weekend to get some hands-on
experience. That's when you pass. The exam score you get is
simply feedback on your exam preparation.
There's a great saying "Prior Preparation Prevents Poor
Performance". That describes to a "T" what
your strategy to pass the exam must include. Put the time
in well before exam day and you'll reap the rewards on the
big day. If you're just planting the seeds of knowledge in
your car the morning of the exam, don't expect much of a harvest.
About the Author:
Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage,
home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study
Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages. For a FREE copy
of his latest e-books, “How To Pass The CCNA” and
“How To Pass The CCNP”, visit the website and download
your free copies. You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam
questions every day! Pass the CCNA exam with The Bryant Advantage!
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