MY CPP EXPERIENCE

I have been getting a lot of queries about the CPP examination from many of our friends of late. I hope the following article will serve them in good stead and help them in becoming Board Certifed in Security Management.

Introduction
The idea about achieving the CPP certification took root when the Bank had detailed me for a two week course on Security Management and Asset Protection at the International Academy for Security Management, Pangbourne, Berkshire, UK, in May 2002. Mr David Cresswell, CPP, who was the chief instructor and coordinator for this course at that time told me about the value of this certification. I was posted at the New Delhi office of Reserve Bank of India at that time and life was so busy that my resolve slowly took a backseat.

In 2005 I got transferred to RBI, Bangalore, and during the later part of that year, happened to come across an ex-army officer who had passed the CPP examination. This rekindled my desire and I also happened to read about it in ‘Security Today’, a magazine, which I was subscribing to. I became a member of ASIS in 2006 and was hoping to take the test at New Delhi in November 2006. I could not do so as New Delhi was not declared a test site by ASIS since the number of examinees was not sufficient. I am told that there should be a minimum of eight candidates for a particular venue to be declared as a test site by ASIS. I got in touch with the ASIS New Delhi chapter who assured me that they were hopeful of conducting the examination at New Delhi in May 2007. The option of going to Singapore at my own expense just to take the test was not very appealing. To this end I kept pestering Mr G.B.Singh, the editor (besides a host of other designations) of ‘Security Today’ to make all efforts so that New Delhi would be declared a test centre for the May 2007 exam. A confirmation was received in March 2007 that the test for CCP certification would be held at New Delhi on 05 May 2007.

Reading Material

1. The CPP study guide which one gets as a package deal in case the examination fees are paid online is good for a general overview and practice questions. It is priced at $100/- which is quite steep considering the ROI. Reading the guide alone will NOT ensure success in the exam – a disclaimer to this effect is given in the book. The same can be said for the CPP online review which is priced at $ 400/-. At best these resources develop one’s confidence to take the test.

2. Material from the Internet. There is a plethora of material available through the internet provided one has the patience to search, sift and sort it out. Various ASIS Chapters have a study resources or CPP corner which contains articles, practice questions and power point presentations which can be downloaded and studied. The presentations make sense only if one has gone through the subject/topic. There are other sites related to security which have articles and material on security management which provides good reading.

3. Recommended Study Material (priced at $ 1207/-) The kit consists of 12 books on security topics including the Emergency Planning Handbook which can be downloaded from the ASIS website. Most of the candidates for the CPP examination who were from the private sector had the study kit provided to them by their employers. If the same has to be purchased by individuals it will burn a big hole in the pocket. I thought of purchasing second hand books and surfed the internet for sites offering such books. The following are some of them :

(a) http://www.betterworldbooks.com/
(b) http://www.alibris.com/
(c) http://www.ebay.com/
(d) http://www.biblio.com/
(e) http://www.bookfinder.com/
(f) http://www.abebooks.com/
(g) http://www.amazon.com/

4. I found that books were available on all the sites but most of them were charging an enormous amount for shipping to India except the first one. Betterworldbooks ships free within the US and charges only $2.97 worldwide. I managed to buy seven of the recommended books for only $35/-. If someone has a relative or a friend living in the US the books can be arranged at minimum cost. The only downside is that the books will be older editions which in any case does not make too much of a difference as the basics remain the same. This is thus the second best option in case new books are not available. Some of the other sites mentioned above also have reasonable shipping rates.

5. Reading various articles on security management published in magazines like ‘Security Today’, ‘IndiaSafe’ or ‘Security Management’ is also helpful in brushing up one’s knowledge of the subject. Another good idea is to subscribe to various newsletters related to security which are delivered free through e-mail.

Exam Preparation

1. I had tried to collect as much information about the exam as was possible besides what was available on the ASIS website (which is quite comprehensive). I got in touch with ASIS New Delhi Chapter members who were CPPs (6 in all) and requested them for tips for exam preparation. A couple of them were not in India but they responded. Some gave very valuable tips and some did not even acknowledge my mail. The tips I am going to mention in the subsequent narrative include inputs received from these gentlemen. I hope that future CPP aspirants will benefit from the experience of their predecessors.

2. Having collected all the relevant material I set a study routine for myself. I studied for an average two hours every day for three months between 8.30 PM to 10.30 PM. For this purpose I stopped sitting in front of the idiot box and thereby was not a cause of inconvenience for the family who were busy watching soap serials during this time. Studying at any other time or in the office was just not possible and I was loath to take leave for this purpose.

3. One serious reading of the books available was enough. I have been told that the Asset Protection Manual (set of four) is enough to tide one over provided they have been read through. I spent considerable time on practice questions.

Tips to Remember

1. The annual ASIS membership fee is $150 which expires on 31 December every year. For applications accepted after 01 July the fee is $ 95. It makes sense to become a member in January so that one gets full membership benefits. This fee includes subscription to ‘Security Management’ monthly magazine, ASIS ‘Dynamics’ a bi-monthly publication and an annual directory of members. The fee for CPP examination is $ 200 for international candidates who are ASIS members. In case the CPP study guide is included with the exam fee the cost is $ 330. Once an application is accepted the candidate gets three chances to take the test in a two year validity period which is counted from the first attempt.

2. The examination consists of 225 questions of multiple-choice type out of which only are 200 are marked. The remainder 25 questions are for exam development purposes. The beauty is that the examinee does not have any means to identify these questions.

3. Four hours are allowed for the test, which is very long time and everyone can comfortably complete it. One should not get bogged down on a particular question if the answer seems elusive. The question should be skipped and the next one tried. The first question I could answer with confidence was the sixth one. All the skipped questions can be answered after the known ones are over. Some answers come to mind only after reading the question 2 –3 times over.

4. Questions should be read very carefully as the language in some can be very tricky. This holds good especially for the narrative type of questions. If a question seems confusing at first reading it should be skipped and attempted later on.

5. One should remember the exam structure and content (the percentage spread of questions). For example nearly 50% questions asked are from Security Principles & Practices and Physical Security. So one should devote more time to these domains rather then getting stuck with something from which very few questions are asked like ‘Information Security’.

6. Questions on ‘Legal Aspects’ are not set for international candidates so there are only seven domains and not eight as given in exam content and structure. I spent a lot of time cramming up US legal aspects which was of no use. The percentage spread of questions, therefore, is as follows:

(a) Security Principles & Practices 24.34 %
(b) Business Principles & Practices 11.64 %
(c) Personnel Security 10.58 %
(d) Physical Security 25.93 %
(e) Information Security 5.82 %
(f) Emergency Practices 8.99 %
(g) Investigations 12.70 %

7. There is no point in memorizing figures and statistics as there were very few questions related to them. Most questions are set to test one’s analytical skills based on the reading material. There is really no shortcut but to go through the recommended books.

8. Though stationery is provided at the exam venue one should carry pencils, sharpener, a good rubber and pen to the test site.


Conclusion

Meticulous preparation, a systematic study plan and a bit of luck are the ingredients for success in the CPP exam. No one can hope to pass this examination on the basis of experience alone. The recommended study material has to be read. More often than not, I have noticed that someone who has passed the exam is reluctant to share his material, resources and experience. However, I am willing to guide and share my knowledge with future CPP aspirants if they get in touch with me at nandanbisht@gmail.com. I have a lot of material in electronic form which I am willing to share with someone who does not have the study material provided to him by his employer. I only wish that more and more security professionals from our country become Board Certified in Security Management.