Over 40% of Cert Earners Said It Took More Than 5 Months to Study for the 300-410 ENARSI
by Ross Heintzkill | Published on September 12, 2022
The 300-410 ENARSI is one of the certifying exams you can take on the way toward earning your CCNP Enterprise, but it's not the only exam you'd have to take. Earning the CCNP Enterprise requires passing a core exam that covers managing Cisco enterprise network tech, plus any one additional concentration exam out of a list of six. Passing the 300-410 ENARSI takes proving advanced skills in implementing Cisco enterprise routing and services.
According to this blog post, the 300-410 ENARSI exam expands on knowledge covered in 350-401 ENCOR in advanced topics like EIGRP, OSPF v2 and v3, MP-BGP, and MPLS VPNs. At CBT Nuggets, we know how long it takes people to make their way through our online training that's specifically tailored to the 300-410 ENARSI, but we didn't know how long it takes everyone in the IT field to prepare for the exam. So we surveyed as many people with their CCNP Enterprise certs about how long it took them to prepare for the 300-410 ENARSI.
How long did most people need to study for the 300-410 ENARSI?
We received over 460 responses to our Twitter poll, our LinkedIn survey and an emailed survey about how long it took IT professionals to study for the 300-410 ENARSI. Although the majority of all respondents took less than 5 months to prepare, the single largest block of respondents (44%) said it took them longer than 5 months to prepare for the 300-410 ENARSI exam. Combining that with the 22% who said it took between 3-5 months means that about 65% of the time, it takes more than 3 months to prepare for the CCNP Enterprise concentration exam.
Only 13% of people with their CCNP Enterprise said it took them under 6 weeks to prepare for the 300-410 ENARSI, but considering how many people took more than 5 months, it's almost certain that the people who took less than 6 weeks to study for 300-410 were using online courses and study materials.
According to first-hand accounts and the results of our survey, one of the most challenging parts of the 300-410 ENARSI is the time restraints during the exam. So for some people who took more than 6 weeks to study for the 300-410, a large part was making sure all the data was at their fingertips and ready to go.
How should you prepare ahead of taking 300-410 ENARSI?
The 300-410 ENARSI is a huge test that covers lots of advanced skills in routing and services for enterprise networks. For example, the CBT Nuggets training for 300-410 has 40 different sections to address each skill you need to master before you're ready for the CCNP Enterprise concentration exam.
A dependable study habit is one of the most valuable tools you could have as you prepare for 300-410 ENARSI. If you don't stay committed, even the very best course can't help you. According to CBT Nuggets Senior Coach Molly Billow, "To make a habit, there are 3 key ingredients: Cue, Behavior, Reward." Molly explains that, "a Cue triggers a behavior… the behavior is followed by the reward" If you can harness this loop, you can develop the perfect study habit and prepare for the CCNP Enterprise exam.
Tips to make sure you’re test-ready before CCNP Enterprise exam day:
Many certifications focus on real-world skills rather than rote memorization of facts, but it's especially true for professional-level certifications from Cisco. Getting ready for any of the CCNP family of certifications depends on practicing what you're learning in settings that are as real as possible.
Samantha Matta is a CBT Nuggets coach – one of the people dedicated to making sure you stay motivated throughout your entire learning experience and get solutions to any problems that get in the way of finishing your course. According to Matta, the 300-410 ENARSI course from CBT Nuggets is an "course for advanced professionals trying to enhance their knowledge of implementation and troubleshooting." For people already working in the field, she says the 300-410 ENARSI is a great cert to add to your resume to showcase your expert-level experience.
Use virtual labs
You can set up your own virtual labs to help prepare for the 300-410 ENARSI, but your best bet is to have virtual labs that are pre-loaded with the exact problems and solutions you're learning how to implement. That's what virtual labs from CBT Nuggets give you: the exact setting you need to practice the advanced routing skills you need to earn the CCNP Enterprise.
Test yourself using practice exams
But having skills isn't enough to pass a certification exam like the 300-410 ENARSI – you have to prove those skills in a test. Using the practice exams that you get with a CBT Nuggets membership promises that you'll know what to expect on the CCNP Enterprise concentration exam and – more importantly – whether or not you'll pass it.
Learn from the experts
If you're considering the CCNP Enterprise, you've reached a point in your career where you've had awful trainers and excellent ones. You already know how valuable it is to be taught by a clear, knowledgeable, funny expert. Watch the first video in the CBT Nuggets 300-410 ENARSI series and learn if Keith Barker is that perfect expert for you. We think he's pretty great.
Make no mistake: the CCNP Enterprise is hard. People who study on their own often take months to prepare for it – 44% of all people with their 300-410 ENARSI took longer than 5 months to get ready! But you can shorten the time it takes you to prepare for the concentration exam with excellent instruction, online training, virtual practice environments, and opportunities to practice the exam before you take it.