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Home > Archive > Windows 2000 track general > August 2002 > An alarming trend
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| Sexy Lexy 2002-08-22, 6:01 pm |
| I’ve noticed recently that a lot of the threads in most of the forums are passing comment on the Transcender study guides, in particular the comparison to the actual exams.
I do not use Transcenders but from what I have read in the forums, the detailed explanations for each question are exceptional toward understanding the subject for the respective exam.
However, people are saying that questions in the actual exam did not appear in the Transcender or that the Transcender was not even close to this exam. If the explanations are that detailed then why should the Transcender questions be in the actual exam?
As the Transcenders are study guides should they not be used to give an indication of your knowledge for the material contained in the Transcender? Then apply what you have learnt from the explanation to what you already know about the particular subject. Then you will have the ability to answer the questions in the actual exam.
Knowing the questions before you take the exam is defeating the purpose of studying the subject, revising the material and then applying the knowledge toward the exam questions.
This removes the challenge of taking the exam in the first place. Why sit and exam if you do not know the material or have not learnt the subject matter from the beginning, as opposed to relying on a study guide to get you through?
If you have learnt the subject then the questions in the exam are designed to test your knowledge from a different perspective. If you have the knowledge then you can apply your aptitude to the questions presented. You will then have the confidence to select the correct answer for the question, which after all, is what examinations are all about.
Knowing the content of the exam (key areas tested) and style of the exam (drag and drop question etc.) is an invaluable guide to what to expect, the Transcenders are supposed to provide this as well. This is what a study guide is supposed to do and nothing more. The onus is on you to make sure you know the subject.
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| Slinky 2002-08-22, 9:28 pm |
| http://64.30.210.85/soapbox.gif
http://64.30.210.85/rant.gif
I have used Transcenders for 4 out of 5 tests that I have taken so far, and to be honest with you I don't think I could have passed them first try, every try *knock knock*. I didn't use them to memorize the questions to defeat the learning process, or anything like that. What I did use them for was to get a 'feel' for what the tests are like, the format, etc. If I would have went in 'blind' into 70-219 there is no way I could have passed. Most study guides, I don't believe, could give you this kind of simulation. The format for that type of test is unlike any other test. (I'm just using that as an example). If you don't know what you are walking into, then you already have 2 strikes against you.
The most valuable thing I get out the them is their explanation and where to find more information regarding the subject. THAT IMO made the world of difference between success and failure. Thats not defeating the purpose of learning, it actually supplements the process nicely. If you can honestly say that is defeating the purpose of learning, then you are missing out in a plethora of information. Some people call Transcenders "glorified braindumps", but they are two TOTALLY separate things. I'm not going to get started on that because thats a whole different subject, which I wholeheartedly disagree with.  | |
| Sexy Lexy 2002-08-23, 2:14 am |
| I couldn't agree with you more, as I originally stated.
1)
quote:
from what I have read in the forums, the detailed explanations for each question are exceptional toward understanding the subject for the respective exam.
2)
quote:
Knowing the content of the exam (key areas tested) and style of the exam (drag and drop question etc.) is an invaluable guide to what to expect
3)
quote:
Then apply what you have learnt from the explanation to what you already know about the particular subject. Then you will have the ability to answer the questions in the actual exam.
As for braindumps, I would not even start on the subject as they are two completely separate issues.
The point I raised was that Transcenders alone are not enough to pass an exam, you will still need to learn the related subject. They present you with the feel of the exam which is great for a study guide but the buck stops there.
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| Slinky 2002-08-23, 8:36 am |
| Ok, now that I understand the point you are trying to make, I agree with you. I was unclear at first as to what you were trying to get across. I apologize for the misinterpretation. | |
| Sexy Lexy 2002-08-23, 9:23 am |
| That's quite all right; I just didn't want any misunderstanding about what I was trying to say.
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| twister166 2002-08-23, 9:59 am |
| As like anything in the IT world, there is no wounder drugs or know it alls.
You cannot prepare for an exam by just one source, read it, try it, read it some, try it some, read it some more, try it some more, and start to take practice exam to gage your learning...
There is no easy way out... 
Especially, I just found out that the CCIE is for only two years, and recert! Damn...  | |
| Sexy Lexy 2002-08-23, 10:08 am |
| Like everything else, you need to make sure you have ability to back the certification.
I still can not understand why anyone uses brain dumps to pass an exam. As soon as you enter a live environment you will realised how little you know.
The Associate levels and Professional levels are valid for three years in Cisco certification but the higher level qualifications, as you pointed out, have to be updated every two years unless I have been misinformed.
Try sitting the CCIE from a Transcender and see how far that gets you!
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| twister166 2002-08-23, 10:25 am |
| quote:
Originally posted by Sexy Lexy
The Associate levels and Professional levels are valid for three years in Cisco certification but the higher level qualifications, as you pointed out, have to be updated every two years unless I have been misinformed.
Try sitting the CCIE from a Transcender and see how far that gets you!
I was just at the Cisco site and check for my fulfillment for my new certificates. Check the recert requirment, CCIE is only for two, it will take me two year to finish, and I need to recert, that is really just pain...
One is not going to pass CCIE with Trancender, in fact that one is not going to pass quite a few exams just by transcenders.
And NO, I am not going to get into the braindumps traps any more, it is a CANADIAN thing now...  in the GD area... | |
| lifelearner 2002-08-24, 2:24 pm |
| I agree with you Lex.
I utilize the Transcenders I buy JUST BEFORE I am about to take the exam. AFTER I have throughly studied the material through several other sources. They are great for showing parts of study that I missed or need to go back to. They are also good, as some of you said, for getting a feel for the test environment itself.
Even if you study and really learn the material (as everyone should!), you still come to realize how little you know when you take a job doing it. (I am only a few months into my first IT job) I am with you in that regard on the brain dump issue. Those should be for folks with years of experience that need to build onto a skill----not for folks like me and others that are just beginning in the field.
Thanks for the insight!
Peace
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