The rate at which people take Cisco exams has been on the decline over the past several years. In response to this, Cisco has implemented a re-evaluation program that many believe is costing them clients by allowing too many exam takers to take the exams in a short period of time. If you have not yet taken the exam and feel you may be one of the many who are getting a poor rating, then you may want to consider one or more of these following tips.

There is a way to get around a lower rate at taking the certification exams by taking them online instead. There are several companies offering study guides and practice tests for the exams. These same guides and tests can be downloaded from the Internet for free. The following website offers one of these PDFs along with detailed explanations of why taking the exam online is a good idea.

o Exclusions. There are five subjects that are entirely absent from the exam-marketing, networking, routing, firewall, and backup & recovery. When you complete the exam, you will only be allowed to review two of them. This is the first step toward obtaining a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certificate. You should take the necessary time to review the topics in these sections if you hope to pass.

o Unpublished topics. There are several topics listed as “unpublished” on the CCNA Exam site. However, most times they are simply rehashed material covered in previous exams. It is not recommended to attempt reviewing them. Reviewing the material before writing the exam will increase your chances of passing. There are five approved texts that cover all five topics listed as “unpublished” on the CCNA Exam site:

o Exam Terminology. A lot of people who sign up for the CCNA will find out that they don’t understand what the terms mean. To avoid wasting time reading and re-reading your CCNA Exam text, learn what these terms mean before attempting the exam. Reading through the text again may seem like a waste of time but it will actually help you avoid being taken out of unprofitable downtime.

o Describing routing protocols. One term that can get overlooked when learning about networking is routing protocols. Networks are constructed using these routing protocols and knowing them will improve your chances of success. For example, you may not have heard the term routing protocols before. Spend a few minutes studying the different types of protocols-ICND, SIP, QoS-that are used in CCNA experiments and choose one that is easiest to remember and explain to your instructor.

o Exam Content. If you are going to have trouble passing the CCNA Exam because you didn’t spend enough time studying the material, it’s time to put some more time into the task. Take the time to review the content that was covered in lecture and talk to your instructor if there is anything that slipped your mind. The internet has made the process of reviewing and learning new material easier than ever. You can also watch videos from previous sections of the CCNA syllabus to brush up on topics that were missed the first time around.

If you have passed the CCNA Exam, you’re probably already aware of the benefits of Cisco certifications. However, many people fail the exams because they didn’t put in the time and effort required. Luckily, you don’t have to pay for the cost of a recertification exam as long as you pass the CCNA Exam Online. The cost of the course is less than the cost of a single classroom course. With so many students taking the exam for the first time, this type of certification training is making a comeback!