Pearson Vue CompTIA Security+ Testing Experience: What to Expect and Tips

 


1. Run a system test.

2. If successful, the screen will show a QR code and the URL which will take you to the next steps which are photo taking.

3. With your smartphone, take the following photos: your headshot, photos of your valid ID (front and back), and four shots of your desk from the front, back, and sides.

4. Back to the computer screen, you will go through workspace verification where they test your system to see that you don’t have an extra monitor, extraneous devices, or other issues.

5. Close all other applications (CTRL+ALT+DELETE > task Manager)

6. When this is done, as soon as you click ‘Next’ you will be put on a queue.

7. When it gets to your turn, a chat window will open and the proctor will introduce themself and ask to call you. My proctor contacted me through the computer and spoke through my speaker. She also had me put my phone away so that I could not access it during the exam. 

8. The proctor wanted to verify my setup and asked me to move my webcam around so that she could see my desk and computer system.

9. The CompTIA Agreement comes up. If you didn’t read it before the test, you need to read it now and agree to it before continuing.

10. The instructions for the exam are up next.

11. Once you begin the test, the countdown starts.

12. When the exam ends, there is a survey you will need to fill out before they show you your score.

 

Tips:

1. Run a system test BEFORE the exam to work out any issues with your laptop / computer.

2. Clear your desk! This means no scratch paper, no pens, etc. (If you don't do this ahead of time, the proctor will tell you to do so before allowing you to start the exam.)

3. Cover any background stuff (such as shelves, small tables, etc.) with sheets or towels (so that none of those things become distracting for the proctor)

4. My webcam can hang on top of my monitor or be used on top of a small tripod. The tripod worked best for me because the proctor needed me to move the webcam around so that she could see my entire desk, monitors, and even the back of my PC and the surge protector (to make sure my second monitor was unplugged).

5. Do NOT chug any beverages before check in because after getting the requirements out of the way, the wait time on the queue can be long, and then comes the agreement, and then the exam instructions. It could be a while before you even begin the test and you don’t want to be uncomfortable during the test.

6. The UI of the exam: the question number you are on, the total number of questions, and the countdown timer are on the upper right corner.

7. The overlay window to contact the proctor can be moved around.

8. That overlay window also has a whiteboard you can use.

9. For my PBQs I had questions that just had diagrams. It looked like there was no info, but mousing over the firewalls and server pictures caused the mouse pointer to turn into a finger indicating the pics could be clicked on to bring up more info.


Other tips:

  1. Don’t fidget!
  2. Always stay in the webcam view as soon as you are on camera.
  3. Don’t talk!


Location: New York, NY, USA

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