The CISSP exam is not like most certification exams meaning memorization is not going to help as much as it might elsewhere. The ISC2 manual describes it as a cognitive exam and that's very true: you will need to apply your CISSP knowledge, not just regurgitate facts. Yes, there are some straight definition questions but by and large, you need to understand the material in order to correctly choose the right answers.
Here are a few observations and suggestions from folks who have successfully passed (on the first try, mind you):
