Should I Use a Brain Dump on my CCNA/CCNP/MCSA Exam?
About this video
Chuck argues against using brain dumps — collections of actual exam questions and answers — for CCNA, CCNP, MCSA, and other IT certifications. He concedes why people are tempted: exams are a big investment, failing is embarrassing and demoralizing, and he himself failed his CCNP SWITCH exam the first time because he did not lab enough. Some candidates study the full material and labs, then use a dump just before the test as insurance, but he insists that is still cheating and that every use or share of a dump devalues the certification for everyone who earned it honestly. He notes Cisco and Microsoft may revoke a certification or impose a lifetime ban for cheating, terms candidates accept when they sit an exam. To past dump users he advises not beating themselves up, but starting with a clean slate: study the concepts, lab repeatedly, and accept that failing once is possible. He describes his own CCNP preparation using a Cisco Press book, CBT Nuggets videos, and a lab book, saying passing without cheating gives the credential real meaning and honor.
Key takeaways
- Using a brain dump is cheating even if you studied the full material and labs first and only use it as last-minute insurance.
- Brain dumps devalue the certification for everyone who holds it, weakening what the initials signal to employers.
- Cisco and Microsoft may revoke certifications or impose a lifetime ban for cheating, per the terms accepted at exam time.
- Chuck’s recommended alternative is thorough study plus extensive labbing, accepting that a first-attempt failure can happen.
- He cites his own CCNP SWITCH failure from insufficient lab work, and his later lab-heavy preparation, as the honest path he prefers.
Episode details: published December 23, 2015 · 6:54 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Business results and any income figures mentioned are NetworkChuck’s own claims, shared for education — they are not typical or guaranteed.
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