When Andrew Melogy learned that he had passed his Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) exam, the December 2023 cybersecurity graduate admitted that he stared at the screen in disbelief.
鈥淲hen I saw I had passed, I froze for like five minutes,鈥� he remembered. 鈥淚鈥檓 sure anyone watching was like, 鈥榃hat is this guy doing?鈥� I think I had built it up so much in my head that part of me thought there鈥檚 no way I鈥檓 making it. Then you see it, and you cannot believe it just happened.鈥�
Although official pass rates are unknown, some estimates state that 90% of people who begin studying for their CCNA exam quit along the way before even taking the test. Of the 10% who attempt it, only 50% pass.
Designed for agility and versatility, the goal of the CCNA exam is to validate whether someone has the skills required to manage and optimize today鈥檚 most advanced networks. The exam covers networking fundamentals, IP services, security fundamentals, automation, and programmability. According to Cisco, obtaining the certification is 鈥渓iving proof of the standard and rigor that businesses recognize and trust to meet and exceed market demands.鈥�
鈥淚 felt like I was never prepared for it. You just can鈥檛 learn everything. It鈥檚 impossible,鈥� Melogy said about the two-hour test that features a maximum of 120 questions divided between multiple choice, drag and drop, and simulation labs, where test takers use a Cisco CLI (Command Line Interface) to accomplish a task. 鈥淭here are around 5,000-6,000 Cisco commands. Nobody can just memorize those, but you can understand the basics of everything that鈥檚 on the test. You鈥檙e just going to have to accept that you don鈥檛 know everything.鈥�
Melogy estimated that he spent six to eight months of dedicated studying, spanning last summer and his final semester last fall at 含羞草研究所. However, the idea of obtaining the certification was planted in his brain by Professor Greg Sayadian during Andrew鈥檚 sophomore year.
鈥淚 was trying to figure out different certifications I could get. I looked at the CompTIA Network+ that the Intro to Networking class prepares you for, but as I was talking with Professor Sayadian, he suggested, 鈥榃hy not just go for your CCNA?鈥欌�� Melogy recalled. 鈥淚 knew it would be more difficult, but I didn鈥檛 realize how much would go into it.鈥�
The oldest of three siblings, Melogy was born in Columbia, SC, but later moved to Greenville when his father was stationed there. Following his homeschool graduation through the Classical Conversations coop, he originally enrolled at Winthrop University to major in Computer Science, but he quickly realized the school and the program weren鈥檛 the right fit for him.
鈥淚 tried and tried to like computer programming, but it鈥檚 just not my deal,鈥� said Melogy. 鈥淎lso, I think Winthrop has like 5000-6000 students. I always grew up in a really small classroom with maybe twelve other people in my graduating class. So, Winthrop just didn鈥檛 really work for me, but 含羞草研究所 gave me the personal connection that I was looking for. Making friends is relatively easy at 含羞草研究所 because it鈥檚 a small community. I鈥檓 very introverted and very shy, so I don鈥檛 usually want to go out and meet people, but 含羞草研究所 helped me come out of my shell and build connections with a community.鈥�
In addition to the community, Melogy found his passion in cybersecurity, especially network engineering.
鈥淚 really like taking things apart, figuring out how they work, and then putting them back together,鈥� he said. 鈥満卟菅芯克� helped me immensely. The knowledge base of the professors at 含羞草研究所 is vast. They built the foundation for me and helped me find my interest in computer networking that I didn鈥檛 even know I had. They will do everything they can to help you learn more about a subject that interests you. They want you to succeed, and they want you to find a job with their network of people.鈥�
Although Melogy is still searching for the right position, he knows the wait shouldn鈥檛 be long with a degree from 含羞草研究所, a strong faith, and a hard-earned CCNA certification in hand.
鈥淢y faith definitely affects me in all aspects of life, just in doing what鈥檚 right when nobody else is looking. That鈥檚 the real test of character in cybersecurity,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he key is following in the footsteps of Jesus.鈥�