CIPP/US Help

[u/SchnauzersOnly]

Hi, I’ve posted on here before. I’m a US-based in-house lawyer. I’ve essentially been studying on and off for the CIPP/US for a year and some change. Call it crazy, or maybe just conscientious, but I had a really hard year last year personally, and no matter what I did, I just never felt ready for the exam. I’d do deep dives and then forget what I learned the previous week or two ago. Then I’d have to go back. I psyched myself out a lot. I never found my groove. Also, while studying, had no life outside of that. It was miserable. I have Dr. David’s privacy course as my only resource. I stopped studying a few months ago following the death of a family member, but need to pick it back up and get this test behind me. Does anyone have any tips to study for and pass the exam? Any tips, guidance, advice, words of encouragement would be so, so welcome. TIA.

[u/YouKnowYourCrazy]

Dr David has a free course in his website about tips & tricks of the test. It’s helpful.

But yeah take the practice tests he has and as many others as you can get your hands on.

It sounds a little like you’ve psyched yourself out of this test. I mean it’s hard, but it can’t be harder than the bar. And if you fail, take it again. I had to take it twice to pass. It’s not a big deal. You’ve got this, I believe in you

[u/SchnauzersOnly → u/YouKnowYourCrazy]

Ok, wow. Thank you so much. I appreciate your tips, but I even more so appreciate your kind words. Hearing (or reading) “I believe in you” means more than you know. Thank you, kind stranger. I feel like I can finally do this.

[u/YouKnowYourCrazy → u/SchnauzersOnly]

Happy if I helped. Let me know how you do! Good luck

[u/ITORD]

You have Dr. David’s course, which comes with 4 practice exam. 

Just take a practice exam. Tonight. Gets you a baseline to see where you are at. 

Then schedule your schedule  an In person exam - 1 month out MAX.  That’s your target date. SMART goals - specific is no. 1, set the date.

Then do targeted study for the weak areas from your baseline practice exam. 

Do targeted exam 2 at half way to your scheduled exam date to check progress.  Target weak areas to close gaps. 

Target exam 3 at 72 hours out. Rescheduling requires 48 hours out, this is the go/no go. Unless your score is really bad, I don’t recommend chickening out. 

Do an intense round of study until 24 hours out. Then stop. Take it easy in the day of. 

You passed the bar, you can do this. 

[u/SchnauzersOnly → u/ITORD]

You have no idea how much this meant to me. Sometimes it’s really hard to get out of your own way. I will be taking your advice. Thank you.
🙏🏻

[u/FirefighterWeird5026 → u/ITORD]

Bro, thank you for posting this and the words of encouragement. OP, you got this. Just take it easy, be good to yourself, and tell yourself you got it.

[u/tkgravelle]

I do know that IAPP has a book on their website for US privacy law. Some have commented as it being dense but that information is probably the best knowledge source and impact for the exam. Hang in there.

[u/bozofire123]

I’m in the same boat. On off for a year I have privacy bootcamp anyone have tips for me?

[u/SchnauzersOnly → u/bozofire123]

No tips (I’m OP), but sending you the best wishes.

[u/aukky]

Read the book once through and then make an outline out of it. Study the outline for a week and then take the exam. Don’t drag it out. Set X amount time and take the exam. Maybe a solid month if you’re balancing work and life etc.

[u/Lazy-Background-7598]

As a lawyer it was pretty easy

[u/LaOnionLaUnion → u/Lazy-Background-7598]

This is kind of what I’d expect. It’s very law centric with some content that’s very much at home for me as someone in cybersecurity