Observations from taking the CCENT exam - Part I

As promised I took the CCENT exam yesterday.  My main objectives were to get a handle on the newest version of the exam, since the last time I sat for the exam it was the old retired version.  I also wanted to check out the testing center, Campus Linc, and to test out some of the tips that I tried to impress  on everyone during the CCENT workshop.

Before I begin, I just want to remind everyone that I cannot be too specific about the contents of the exam.  Recall that you have to sign a non-disclosure agreement that prohibits you from compromising the secure nature of the exam.

That being said, here are some of my stray thoughts and observations:

• First, the testing center is very easy to get to, although there was a lot of road construction going on at the time, so I guess timing is everything.  I approached it by taking Niagara Falls Blvd to N. French road (maybe 2 miles north of the I290 exit).  I turned right on N. French and Campus Linc was less than a mile down the road on the corner of N. French and John Glen Drive.  There's an entrance to their back parking lot on N. French, just before you reach John Glen Dr.  Park in the back lot and walk up the sidewalk to the front entrance. You will see a sign that tells you just that. Note: if you park in the front of the building on John Glen, they will tow your car.
• I arrived 30 minutes early which gave me time to talk to the president of the company, Joe Smajdor.  I wanted to clear up a few things concerning the delivery of the exam (more on this later). Mr. Smajdor was extremely nice, answering all of my questions.  The receptionist was also very nice.  She will get you signed in, take your picture, and provide you with a key to lock any personal belongings in a locker.  Finally, she takes you in to the exam room and sets up the exam for you.
• The exam room was very spacious, with six tables and just one work station per table.  There was plenty of room to spread out and the temperature in the room was very comfortable. There were 3-4 others taking tests when I walked in, and several more that arrived during my exam.
• The tutorial on the different question types starts first and runs for 10-15 minutes before the exam begins.  Since I already viewed the tutorial online, I had plenty of time to write down as much as I wanted on the supplied whiteboards.  That's right, "white boards"!  They give you a wire bound booklet with about 5 or 6 inside.  You have more than enough space to create your instant cheat-sheet with IP addressing and subnetting tables (more on this in Part II) and anything else that you would like to write down.
• The only two complaints that I have about the testing environment and accommodations is that I wasn't allowed to chew gum in the exam room (recall that this is a little trick I use to stay alert).  Their reasoning is that it may be distracting to the others in the room (I can see that).  By the way, they supply you with ear plugs, in case there's too much noise for your liking.  There was a little noise coming from outside the room, but it wasn't all that distracting. Also, I had to keep fighting with the mouse because there was not enough wire.

That's it for now!  I will rip into the actual test experience in Part II.

-Jim Stranz (rev 6/14/2014)