Top 10 Secrets for CCNA Study Tips

Getting a prestigious certification such as Cisco can sound attractive and difficult at the same time. Even if you are already experienced in the IT field, you know that preparing for an exam is quite stressful; therefore, you need some guidelines that will ease up the process. So, what are the best study tips that will get you CCNA certified? 

Creating a successful study plan, collecting the relevant materials, and practicing regularly are crucial points when it comes to passing the CCNA. Notes and practice tests are also proven to be beneficial for the candidates. Furthermore, sharing experiences in study groups can increase motivation.  

In this article, I will share with you the top ten secret methods you can use in your CCNA preparation process. These techniques have helped many others; therefore, there is not a reason why they should not help you. I will explain how to take each step carefully, so you will not encounter any obstacles along the way and you will be one step closer to your certification. 

Create Your Own Study Plan

Once you decide to take the CCNA exam, you will have to get all the relevant resources concerned with the certification. You can obtain them by visiting Cisco’s official website or opt for third-party materials with credibility. 

Once you do that you need to organize your time, i.e create a plan with set goals for each day that will help you cover every step needed for the CCNA exam. For creating a study plan based on your needs and strategies, you will need to consider several facts. 

Find Out The Exam Date 

In order to put your study plan in motion, you will need to know how much time you have for studying. So, the first step is to do research and find out which exam dates work the best for you. 

Determine Study Hours 

Once you find out the exam date, you will have an idea of how much time your preparation will last. At this point, you should determine how many hours a day you will be able to devote to studying each day. If you keep up with the study hours daily, your plan will work amazingly, and it will get you to your end goal. 

Determine The Study Budget 

Since there are a lot of topics covered in the CCNA, you will need a lot of books. Professional literature can cost a lot of money, so you need to decide which books you will really need. 

Furthermore, you might also want to enroll in a course. The CCNA courses vary in price, but you still need to decide whether you will need one to pass the exam. 

Practical Experience By Virtual Labs 

Practice on a regular basis plays an important role in gaining experience before the CCNA exam. The most effective way to do so is through virtual labs. When it comes to virtual labs, the best options are Cisco Packet Tracer and GNS3. 

These labs provide real-life scenarios that will give you the needed hands-on experience, not only for the exam but also for your further work in the IT industry. 

Practical Experience By Volunteering 

Volunteering can be a great way to gain practical experience. Since we are talking about CCNA certification, you can always find some companies and enterprises that need volunteers to manage and maintain hardware. This will not be a paid job for you, but you will obtain a lot of practice for your exam. 

Memorize Practice Tests Before Understanding Them

Practice tests are ideal for preparation for a few reasons. Firstly, they give you the atmosphere of an exam, and you can imagine how exactly would it feel when the day comes and what to expect. Secondly, you will get an idea of the types of questions, so you will know what to focus on during your study hours. 

It is very convenient to memorize the practice tests before understanding them because that way, you will cover all the topics of the exam. Memorizing the questions from the practice tests can guide you to the points where you need more work or experience. 

Understand CCNA Video Courses 

The video courses concerned with the CCNA exam can give you a lot of information, especially about the practical part. The videos can be your guidelines for getting the best results on the exam. They can also show you your strengths and weaknesses. 

Understand CCNA Book Courses 

Even if you are a candidate with some skills and knowledge in the field, and you already have some resources, it is important that you familiarize yourself with the book courses provided by Cisco. These book courses are designed according to the exam, so they can give you an in-depth understanding of the concepts. Therefore, before you decide on your materials, take a peek into them. 

Take Notes And Review Them 

Taking notes of the most important points will ease your studying and help you learn the material faster. They also make you focus on important points. Notes are also helpful when it comes to reviewing the objectives, especially before the exam. 

Create One-Paragraph Summaries Of Each Objective 

Creating a paragraph for each objective from the CCNA exam will make your preparation process easier, and you will memorize stuff faster. Include only the crucial points in the paragraphs, so when you study, they will remind you of the main objectives. 

Take A New Practice Test And Pass 

Once you feel ready for the exam, test your readiness by taking a practice test that you have not done before. Make sure that you do this test carefully and thoroughly. Imagine that it is the actual exam and do your best. 

Join An Online And Offline CCNA Study Group  

Study groups can be of great help when it comes to sharing opinions and experiences. In the groups, you can find people with more experience than you, or people who have taken the exam before. You can share tips and get a better perspective of certain exam objectives. 

Following these tips will get you to the desired certification, and they will ease up your learning. Try some of them, and you will notice an amazing difference in your process.