CISSP: Self Study or Class
As I mentioned, I am studying for the CISSP. It’s been an enjoyable journey thus far of security topics.
One thing I’m noticing in my study is that there are two ways to work through this certification. The first is self-study. One studies through a text. My book is approximately 1200 pages. The second way is a training class. These classes cost about $4,000-$5,000 and take a week of time. However, after the intense “boot camp” you will be ready to take the test and get your certificate.
I started off thinking that I would self-study all my way to the CISSP. After all, I’m about 250 pages through my first read of the 1200 pages. However, even if I study well, I am beginning to see the value of taking the training class as well. The idea is that I would study all the material myself and use the training class as review. If my employeer will pay, then this is a great idea. If my employeer doesn’t pay, then I fear training classes be too expensive.
Certainly $4,000-$5,000 is expensive, but when you are like me thinking of 3-6 months of study, perhaps the course is worth it. Again, the goal is to at the end of the day not just get the certification, but to have a better picture of the security landscape.