The short version: I'm a FedRAMP IT auditor, and the role formally required the CISSP. I took a boot camp class, then spent about a month doing 10 to 25 LearnZapp questions on a typical day. During the final two weeks of that month I stepped it up to repeated 25-question practice sets.
I passed the CISSP, and I'll say up front that LearnZapp was not my only tool. I had a boot camp class, I kept CISSP exam cram videos playing on YouTube in the background, and I have a good amount of experience to lean on. The daily practice questions were the consistent part of my routine, and that's what I'll walk through here.
Why I went for the CISSP
My IT career has been varied. I started as a systems engineer, then moved into information assurance and compliance, and now I work as a FedRAMP IT auditor. That last step is the reason for the exam: the role formally required the CISSP.
So this wasn't a "nice to have" for me. I had a reason to pick a date and get it done.
What a typical study day looked like
I took a boot camp class first. After the boot camp, my routine was simple and consistent, and I kept it up for about a month.
On a typical day that meant 10 to 25 questions in the LearnZapp CISSP app. Somewhere in the background, a playlist of CISSP exam cram videos was running on YouTube.
The final two weeks of that month were different. That's when I intensified it into a practice-test binge: a set of 25 questions, take a break, then another 25, and repeat.
How I used the Daily Question and random unseen questions
My daily session had two parts. I started with the Daily Question feature. Then I followed it up with a random set of 25 questions drawn from the ones I had not yet seen.
I followed this routine consistently, increasing the intensity during the final two weeks with repeated 25-question practice sets.
What I noticed on my exam
Not really a surprise, but something I noticed: my exam hammered some topics a bit harder than others. For me, that was database questions, cryptography, and IT business management. Your exam may lean somewhere else entirely, so treat this as one candidate's experience rather than a prediction.
What I'd say applies to everyone is the bigger lesson of the CISSP. It's an advanced knowledge exam, and it requires more than just IT or cybersecurity knowledge. It encompasses a blend of IT, business management, cybersecurity, and best practices that are not necessarily spelled out for the exam candidate.
My tip for anybody starting fresh
If you think you are ready, and know it? Study it anyways.
This was the first exam I ever took where I was physically shaking at the conclusion. Prepare as best you can, pick your date a month out, and use that month to study. Take your time to prepare, and good luck.
This story is based on the experience Carlton Ray Belden II shared with us after passing his CISSP, and has been edited for clarity and readability. Published with his permission. If LearnZapp was part of how you passed, we'd love to hear from you.
