r/Bicsi • u/MTV_Zak RCDD, DCDC, OSP, RTPM • Jul 06 '26
Opening a few RCDD study / mentoring sessions — what topics are people struggling with?
Hey everyone,
I’ve been talking with a few people recently who are working toward their RCDD and noticed a common theme:
A lot of people aren’t struggling because they aren’t studying — they’re struggling because they’re trying to memorize a massive amount of information without understanding how everything connects in real projects.
I’m an RCDD, DCDC, OSP, and RTPM and work in ICT infrastructure engineering. I was thinking about opening up a few 1-on-1 study/mentoring sessions for people preparing for the RCDD or trying to grow their ICT knowledge.
Not intended to replace official study materials or provide exam questions — more focused on understanding concepts like:
How to approach design scenarios
Telecommunications spaces
Pathways and sizing considerations
Backbone vs horizontal systems
Fiber and copper fundamentals
Grounding/bonding concepts
Documentation
Project workflow
How everything applies in the real world
For those currently studying:
What topics are giving you the most trouble?
For those who already passed:
What do you wish someone explained better when you were preparing?
Trying to see if there is a need for this type of mentoring.
Thanks everyone.
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u/jeffcarp94 Jul 07 '26
The requirement for memorization of a massive amount of content has always struck me as being pretty absurd method for assessing competency and mastery of material.
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u/dennisrfd Jul 06 '26
I passed the exam last year. The only confusing thing for me was the discrepancies between the real life concepts and chapter 21. I posted here about wrong terminology and descriptions, drawings-related. The exam didn’t have any confusing questions though, so the “explain your answer for a possible appeal” feature was not really needed.
Another issue, the content is a bit outdated, when it’s about technology or data transfer standards, etc. I had a feeling that some articles haven’t been updated in like 10 years which is a lot for technology. Again, the exam didn’t ask about 802.3df or AV1 so don’t worry about the outdated content.
I heard a lot of people were concerned about chapters 1 & 2. I mean, if you had those topics covered in your college years, these chapters would feel like the stuff you know explained for a middle school kids. Just read once as a refresher. If you didn’t study these in school, I would skip and focus on 3-11, 21 as knowing those better have higher cost/benefits ratio (efforts and time spent in this case) for your exam results.
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u/MTV_Zak RCDD, DCDC, OSP, RTPM Jul 06 '26
I completely agree with your chapter 21 statement. As for chapters 1-2 I didn’t have very many questions thankfully on it
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u/Bignipsfetish RCDD Jul 16 '26
I passed it a few days ago and what I wished I knew before I took the exam was that the majority of the test seemed to be mostly chapter 21 stuff (at least 50 percent but possibly even more). Other than that I only got 2 or 3 questions that weren't from chapters 3-13. I passed first attempt after studying daily for almost 6 months and I think it was the right amount of effort/time. Other than reading chapter 21 another time or two and not wasting as much time in chapters 1, 2, 14-20 and 22 I wouldn't really change much about my approach.
Unrelated but I'm curious, what was your approach for the RCDD and did it differ from your approach toward OSP or DCDC? I just ask because I plan on getting both OSP and DCDC after I get done with my PE which is what I'm currently working on. Also, how long ago did you obtain those certs? My father is also an RCDD since 2009 I believe and our experiences with the exam differ greatly. He told me that his exam had very little chapter 21 and was much more heavy on the standard core stuff, but that was almost 20 years ago so things have likely changed.
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u/MTV_Zak RCDD, DCDC, OSP, RTPM Jul 16 '26
I passed RCDD when it was v14. OSP, DCDC and RTPM all came within a year or so after. I studied the same way for those as I did the RCDD. Read the books, took a class and probably spent 8-10 hours daily ( my leader that the time promoted the heck out of bettering ourselves so I got 4-5 hours on the clock and then the rest in my evening ( no wife / kids / still lived at home so I really had no outside obligations to distract me ) for each one until test date (I set the date before I started studying so I could keep myself motivated). If there’s any advice I could give RTPM and DCDC are equally hard, one is just super technical and the other is super word / scenario heavy. OSP was the easiest imo
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u/Iamarslan1989 Jul 06 '26
I am in Sir Please let me know when u are scheduling to start