Passed the CISSP Exam

[jamshid666]

For everyone here that is taking the MS-CSIA program at WGU, I would highly recommend taking the CISSP exam shortly after you graduate. Pretty much every class in that program covers one domain of the CISSP exam. By the time you graduate, you will know 90% of the exam material.

Congrats!
Do you think it would have been easier or more cost beneficial if you would have taken the CISSP first then the MS?  Im debating on which to take first.

I went straight into the MS program as soon as I finished my BS since I was already on a roll, academically speaking. For me, I think it was the better choice to do the MS first as it gave me the proper mindset to study for the CISSP, allowing me to pass it on my first attempt. Had I taken the CISSP first, it would have delayed me starting the MS by at least 4-5 months and it is possible that I would have failed on the first try. My employer reimburses me for the cost of certification exams, but only if I pass. Failed attempts come out of my pocket. Considering that every class in WGU's MS-CSIA program directly relates to a different domain of knowledge covered within the CISSP exam, I feel that taking the MS first contributed greatly to my ability to pass that exam. Note that my prior work experience is primarily systems engineering and I've only started branching into security in the last several years. Although there is a lot of overlapping knowledge and responsibilities with systems engineering and security, there is a bit of a different mindset when it comes to the CISSP. I had to learn to approach questions from a leadership point of view rather than the technical viewpoint that I've had over the past twenty-odd years.