From: Carole (cwr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Date: Mon Mar 13 2000 - 01:37:07 GMT-3
I think the answer is 'it depends', but I would lean to courses over
repeated lab attempts.
Prep classes are good to help you determine your readiness - are you
really as solid as you think you are, compared against folks who also
preparing for the CCIE? The prep material should be mostly review if
you are really ready for the lab. More often, prep classes are an
opportunity to work on high end gear & ask questions from sharp folks &
work some tricky problems. The classes help you figure out what other
topics you need to review. I also went to the ECP1 w/ Chesapeake, and
it was very helpful for me.
The CCIE recertification sessions at Networkers can also help you
determine your readiness. The material should make sense to you, and
there should be few topics you have not thought about or evaluated on
equipment. If a session blows you away, the lab will as well.
The actual lab has its own pressures -- including time, money, & self
confidence. Several folks who really know the material have had
troubles at the lab -- in part they psyche themselves out. However, if
you are not really ready, taking the lab for practice might only show
you what is on Day 1 & get you a 'free lunch'. There may still be
unknown sections of Day 2 depending on how far you get. (The 'free
lunch' on Day 1 is not the best value if you don't get to day 2...) I
did not find the lab test to be a very effective learning environment
-- except perhaps in how I handle test stress.
Carole
======
On Sat, 11 Mar 2000, Mary Edwards wrote:
> I've had discussions with other CCIE candidates lately regarding the
attendance
> of prep-classes vs. taking the actual lab. If you take a look at the
prices for
> some of the prep-classes and combine that with travel expenses, it
turns out
> that you could take the actual lab at least once and maybe twice for
the same
> price. Of course we all would like to pass the lab on our first try,
but...
>
> So what does everyone think? What are the advantages of taking the
lab a couple
> of times over a prep-course (and then potentially still taking the
lab a couple
> of times!)? What about the prep classes?
>
> The financial support that you provide yourself or that comes from
your
> employer will of course be an issue. What if it wasn't? What if you
could chart
> the ideal course - what would that look like?
>
> Mary
>
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