Passed Security+ today with a 759! Honestly thought I had failed.
I’ve been reading everyone else’s “I passed” posts, and today I finally get to write my own.
I wanted to share how I studied and how the exam felt, especially for anyone feeling discouraged by their practice scores.
How I studied
I didn’t watch Professor Messer’s videos because I struggle to absorb information through videos. Instead, I used Ian Neil’s and David Seidl’s books with ChatGPT to break the material into smaller sections.
After studying each section, I asked ChatGPT to quiz me. If I did badly, I reviewed the material and tried again. I followed that approach across all the modules, which took me about a week.
Then I attempted Professor Messer’s three practice exams and scored around 69%, 67%, and 68%. Those results helped me identify my weaker topics, so I went back and focused on them.
After that, I worked through roughly a hundred questions per module from the Sybex practice material. I was still getting around 70–74 out of 100. It felt like I’d hit a plateau, so I decided to go ahead with the exam.
The exam experience
I took the exam at home. The verification process was new to me, and it took longer than I expected, which made me nervous before I even started.
Then came the PBQs. They felt completely different from what I’d practised. I did my best with what I knew, and I think I got at least parts of them right.
The multiple-choice questions were challenging too. I’d say around 70% felt application-based. They weren’t simply asking me to recall a definition or recognize a question I’d already seen. I had to understand the situation and work out which answer made the most sense.
Halfway through, I honestly thought I was going to fail. So many questions felt unfamiliar, but I kept going.
After finishing, I went back through my answers. On a second read, I noticed that I’d misunderstood a few questions, so I corrected those answers before submitting.
Even then, I was convinced I hadn’t passed.
When I saw PASS — 759, I actually had tears in my eyes.
There’s a saying about putting in your 99% and leaving the remaining 1% to God. That’s how today felt for me. I know 759 isn’t the highest score, but a pass is a pass, and I’m proud of it
Wishing everyone preparing for their exam the best. If you’re feeling discouraged, I hope my experience gives you a little encouragement.
