|
Home > Archive > microsoft.public.cert.exam.mcsd > August 2003 > What's needed for MCSD?
You are viewing an archived Text-only version of the thread.
To view this thread in it's original format and/or if you want to reply to
this thread please [click here]
| Author |
What's needed for MCSD?
|
|
|
| Hi there
I am considering to start self study for the MCSD and my question is what
is needed to pass the tests, I now that some post have been answered on
this issue, but I am still confused.
Am I right in buying the MCAD/MCSD Self-Paced Training Kit: Microsoft .NET
Core Requirements, Exams 70-305, 70-315, 70-306, 70-316, 70-310, 70-320,
and 70-300 ?
And do I have to buy the uCertify PrepKit at softtex.com for the relevant
exams ? the seem very expensive ?
My main question is what do I need to buy for passing the exams ?
Thanks Tim P
| |
|
| You do not HAVE to buy anything. The only thing you HAVE to pay is the exam
fee.
The next step is determining what kind of study materials YOU need to reach
the required level of proficiency required for the exams. This is different
for everyone. Rather than buying some expensive "kit" of 5 books or a set
of 5 exams, why don't you pick one exam, prepare for and pass that exam?
Purchase only what you need for that one exam (books, CDs, prep exams,
whatever.) Once you've completed an exam you will have a much better sense
of how difficult these things are for you and what you need to do. You may
find you can get by without all the expensive products - - or you may
discover you need more focused study materials to have any success at all.
"Expensive" is a relative term - - it depends on how successfully you can
prep without the purchased materials and how badly you want or need to pass
the exam. For some, all they need is the freely-available MSDN and some
practice time. For others it's in-person classroom training. For me, the
requirement seems to be one or two books (purchased at a big discount on
bookpool.com), MSDN, a lot of study time and a Transcender exam. You need
to find out what works for you. No one else can answer that question for
you.
Best of Luck!
"ODB" <ODB@FejlVibeholmFejl.dk> wrote in message
news:Xns93E3EE00FD0E0ODBFejlVi
beholmFejld@207.46.248.16...
> Hi there
>
> I am considering to start self study for the MCSD and my question is what
> is needed to pass the tests, I now that some post have been answered on
> this issue, but I am still confused.
>
> Am I right in buying the MCAD/MCSD Self-Paced Training Kit: Microsoft .NET
> Core Requirements, Exams 70-305, 70-315, 70-306, 70-316, 70-310, 70-320,
> and 70-300 ?
>
> And do I have to buy the uCertify PrepKit at softtex.com for the relevant
> exams ? the seem very expensive ?
>
> My main question is what do I need to buy for passing the exams ?
>
> Thanks Tim P
| |
| Tore Bostrup 2003-08-27, 1:25 am |
| Take my post with a grain of salt - I've never actually taken a
Certification test, but here goes...
Yes, we all learn in different ways. However, it appears that at least some
of the practice tests I've seen requires not only knowledge, but "targeted"
knowledge. I.e. a seasoned developer will be missing key information
required to answer many questions because those questions are about portions
that are considered "not production quality" or "not best practice". So if
you never used bound controls and the data environment designer in VB6, and
other typically observed "best practices" kept you from doing certain
things, you could miss as much as 30% of the (test) exam score in some
cases - maybe even fail. Based on this (incomplete) background, I suspect
that it is best to study the books that are most closely related to the
certifications - i.e. the MS Press books written specifically for those
exams (or possibly other books targeting those same exams if someone will
endorse them as being effective).
And instead of paying as much as $69.99 per book, you can get the set of
core MCAD/MCSD books (4 books?) for about $100 - $130 (Used & New,
Bookpool.com, Amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com). Look for ISDN 0735619255.
That seems to make a lot of sense.
Then take advantage of the resources (including free test exams)
at/referenced by the Microsoft web site. Run the tests in whatever books
you may have acquired. Contact your local technical college - they may
provide practice tests for free, especially if they provide MS training -
our local one does.
Then, when all practice tests look good, take your first exam. If you do
well, you know what to do for the subsequent ones. If you don't, spending
some money on a Transceiver exam may be worth it. At least that was their
reputation in the past ("if you pass the Transcender, you will pass the
exam").
HTH,
Tore.
"emg" <emgnospam@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:enITgnCbDHA.2436@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> You do not HAVE to buy anything. The only thing you HAVE to pay is the
exam
> fee.
>
> The next step is determining what kind of study materials YOU need to
reach
> the required level of proficiency required for the exams. This is
different
> for everyone. Rather than buying some expensive "kit" of 5 books or a set
> of 5 exams, why don't you pick one exam, prepare for and pass that exam?
> Purchase only what you need for that one exam (books, CDs, prep exams,
> whatever.) Once you've completed an exam you will have a much better
sense
> of how difficult these things are for you and what you need to do. You may
> find you can get by without all the expensive products - - or you may
> discover you need more focused study materials to have any success at all.
>
> "Expensive" is a relative term - - it depends on how successfully you can
> prep without the purchased materials and how badly you want or need to
pass
> the exam. For some, all they need is the freely-available MSDN and some
> practice time. For others it's in-person classroom training. For me, the
> requirement seems to be one or two books (purchased at a big discount on
> bookpool.com), MSDN, a lot of study time and a Transcender exam. You
need
> to find out what works for you. No one else can answer that question for
> you.
>
> Best of Luck!
>
>
> "ODB" <ODB@FejlVibeholmFejl.dk> wrote in message
> news:Xns93E3EE00FD0E0ODBFejlVi
beholmFejld@207.46.248.16...
> > Hi there
> >
> > I am considering to start self study for the MCSD and my question is
what
> > is needed to pass the tests, I now that some post have been answered on
> > this issue, but I am still confused.
> >
> > Am I right in buying the MCAD/MCSD Self-Paced Training Kit: Microsoft
..NET
> > Core Requirements, Exams 70-305, 70-315, 70-306, 70-316, 70-310, 70-320,
> > and 70-300 ?
> >
> > And do I have to buy the uCertify PrepKit at softtex.com for the
relevant
> > exams ? the seem very expensive ?
> >
> > My main question is what do I need to buy for passing the exams ?
> >
> > Thanks Tim P
>
>
| |
|
| >"Tore Bostrup" <newspost_at_bostrup.us> wrote in
>
> "emg" <emgnospam@comcast.net> wrote in message
Thanks for the very informative replays, but I am still not sure what are
the best books to prepare for the exams, as I have read, it seem that the
Start kit from MS isn't that good ?
I have been developing windows .net apps for 1½ years at work, I have c++
experience, what I need to get some information about is ASP.Net I am not
saying that I know every think about win apps, but I would be nice to have
some reference books but I am not sure which is the best books ???
And which practice tests is the best, which one will get me through the
exams ?
Thanks again
Tim P
| |
| Kline Sphere 2003-08-27, 9:24 am |
| >Thanks for the very informative replays, but I am still not sure what are
>the best books to prepare for the exams, as I have read, it seem that the
>Start kit from MS isn't that good ?
From what I've seen, most books (not just those from ms press) with
mcsd/mcse in title are poor. No doubt there are exceptions, I've seen
some reviews in this group which rate the exam cram books.
>I have been developing windows .net apps for 1½ years at work, I have c++
>experience, what I need to get some information about is ASP.Net I am not
>saying that I know every think about win apps, but I would be nice to have
>some reference books but I am not sure which is the best books ???
There are many technical books which cover what you need to know in
order to pass the exams, and actual learn something in the process!
I have found the ms press (not the training guides though) and wrox
press books to be excellent
However the best resource is the internet, especially the msdn (free
to all). It seems to me that people only think the internet is for
downloading porn and distributing viruses!
>And which practice tests is the best, which one will get me through the
>exams ?
I can never work out why people need 'practice tests'. The format of
the ms exams cannot be more simpler. It would appear the reason that
people buy 'practice tests' is in the hope the actual questions will
also appear in the real exam.
| |
|
| Well, as I said in my previous post, I use a couple books and the
appropriate Transcender for each exam. For general books on .Net, I like
the O'Reilly books "Programming C#" and "Programming ASP.Net". I used the
MS training books but although they covered the specific topics, I found
they lacked the depth and complexity needed to really prepare you for the
questions on the exam. They are worth using, but not worth $69 each. Look
for discounts or used copies.
"ODB" <ODB@fejlVibeholm.dk> wrote in message
news:Xns93E4570D8CF72ODBfejlVi
beholmdk@130.227.3.84...
> >"Tore Bostrup" <newspost_at_bostrup.us> wrote in
> >
> > "emg" <emgnospam@comcast.net> wrote in message
>
> Thanks for the very informative replays, but I am still not sure what are
> the best books to prepare for the exams, as I have read, it seem that the
> Start kit from MS isn't that good ?
>
> I have been developing windows .net apps for 1½ years at work, I have c++
> experience, what I need to get some information about is ASP.Net I am not
> saying that I know every think about win apps, but I would be nice to have
> some reference books but I am not sure which is the best books ???
>
> And which practice tests is the best, which one will get me through the
> exams ?
>
> Thanks again
> Tim P
>
| |
| Shrini 2003-08-29, 12:23 am |
| Hi Tim
dont waste money on those paid practice exam. just read the MCAD/MCSD self
paced training kit and take some time to work hands on few simple projects.
As i said no practice exams. i would advice you to search in google and
search for MCSD mock test and some other keywords. go to those sites and try
to answer as many questions as possible after you have finished your book.
remember that answering alone is not important. you should also try to read
from the book about that particular question. This will give you some kind
of an idea about what kind of questions you can expect in the exam and boost
your confidence.
You are on your way to MCSD. Good Luck
shrini
"Great Things happen out of Great Dreams"
"ODB" <ODB@FejlVibeholmFejl.dk> wrote in message
news:Xns93E3EE00FD0E0ODBFejlVi
beholmFejld@207.46.248.16...
> Hi there
>
> I am considering to start self study for the MCSD and my question is what
> is needed to pass the tests, I now that some post have been answered on
> this issue, but I am still confused.
>
> Am I right in buying the MCAD/MCSD Self-Paced Training Kit: Microsoft .NET
> Core Requirements, Exams 70-305, 70-315, 70-306, 70-316, 70-310, 70-320,
> and 70-300 ?
>
> And do I have to buy the uCertify PrepKit at softtex.com for the relevant
> exams ? the seem very expensive ?
>
> My main question is what do I need to buy for passing the exams ?
>
> Thanks Tim P
|
|
|
|
|