MCSD - Busy Week

Author

Busy Week

Wayward Son

2003-12-04, 7:22 pm

I'm taking a 3 day MS course on XML Web Service & Component programming. Started yesterday.

Went ahead and took the SQL Server 2000 database exam (70-229) yesterday at lunch.

Passed it like a case of bad gas

Sat the XML exam (70-310) today at lunch. Passed it, too. Scored 836 on the SQL, 848 on this one. 700 is passing for both. We finish the XML class tomorrow.

I am now a Microsoft Certified Application Developer

One more to go next month to make MCSD .NET...

Wayward Son

2003-12-04, 7:43 pm

A follow up post with some background info.

This trip has been one hell of a lot of work. Very interesting and enjoyable, but a lot. I have 22 years experience, that last 9 primarily with VC++. A lot of database, mostly Btrieve and SQL Server.

I started reading up on .NET about last new years day. My father was terminally ill, and dealing with that stopped all studying in january & february.

I finally resumed in march (BTW, I was unemployed during all this time, until the end of october, so I had plenty of time to study & write some code) at which time I got serious about becoming certified.

My .NET book collection is now 13 books, plus 2 on SQL Server 2000, plus the 3
official books for the classes so far (now halfway through the 4th). Of these I've completely read the 3 course books, 1 SQL book twice, and 7 .NET books (one of them twice). The MS Press books that I've completed alone total over 5800 pages for a single read.

Of the 4 exams I've passed, I have taken a course at a MS Certified Training facility for 3. I was supposed to take the 4th, but going back to work conflicted. As I had taught myself enough I elected to sit the exam (Web Apps with VB.NET) and passed it with a score of 854, so I decided to not take the course.

In addition to the books, classes and messing with VS .NET, I found some practise exams on the net and used them to drill for the real things.

I have one last course & exam left, the 70-300. My instructor, who is an MCSD and MCDBA, has already taken and passed the same 4 exams for .NET that I have. He took the 300 and failed by 10 points.

He just got the course material in from MS for the 70-300. He told me today that the material he is supposed to teach to is not going to help much in preparing for the exam. Which he says was also the case with 70-100. I guess some things never do change...

Soooo, I have to prepare for it as best I can & see what happens when I sit it. I'm 4 for 4, passed each exam on the first sitting. I want to make it 5x5

Good luck to all embarked on this path. I hope you all find is as stimulating as I have ;D

Rocky78Del

2003-12-10, 1:28 pm

Congrats!!

Well I will give my first Certification exam (70-315) in a week. I don't want to fail so I am preparing a lot for it using different resources.

Every week I set the target of giving the exam next week. When the date approaches I get nervous and postpone it. Donno whats gonna happen.

Anyways. I am determined this time. Lets see what happens.

TC

Sponsored Links