Learn From Machines To Learn

I found this draft on the distant dusty shelves, and I publish it as it is. I created one after passing the CSSLP exam, thus it's a bit specific to CISSP/CSSLP exam preparation. However, the overall idea is applicable to any exam preparation.

My approach to exam preparation is like a machine learning approach.

What does it mean?

In the case of my CSSLP preparation, I had access to ~800 practice tests. (It is not too much in comparison to CISSP where I had ~4500 practice tests from a variety of resources).

Split a dataset of tests into 3 major parts

1. One set of tests is to train your brain.‌‌
   - For CSSLP I used Total Tester which came with CSSLP All-in-One book.‌‌
   - For CISSP I used the Official (ISC)2 CISSP Study application.
2. When you feel confident, try to get 80% of correct answers on some set of questions you never solved before. Thus, you validate your knowledge.‌‌
   - I used the quiz from the (ISC)2 CSSLP CBK book.‌‌
   - If you started with the CSSLP CBK book, then your validation dataset would be the questions from the CSSLP All-in-One book. And vice versa. You got the idea: you keep some questions in reserve and never touch them.
3. The test dataset is the exam itself.

Once you start to answer correctly on 80% of the validation set of the questions, you are ready. (70% of successful answer rate is needed to pass (ISC)2 exams).

How many questions you can find for CSSLP

1. ~150 test questions in the Official CSSLP CBK book.
2. ~300 in the CSSLP All-in-One book.
3. 350 in the Total Seminars Training Hub (the license comes with CSSLP All-in-One book).
4. "Essential CSSLP Guide" doesn't contain quiz questions.

All in all, ~800 questions. Not too many.