Preparing for and passing MCTS exam 70-536
Today, I passed my Microsoft 70-536 exam. More or less successful, I scored 894 (700 being the passing score) in a bit less than 90 minutes.
After reading how much has already been said about this exam, I can summarize:
- It does cover a very vast set of topics (the whole .NET-Framework), but only has a few questions for each.
- The exam itself is rather short, containing no more than 40 questions. If you are getting many easy questions, this is an advantage. Otherwise...
- Only really well-aimed preparation will make you fit for this. Just like a driver's license test, really.
Eventually I have to admit that - although I have learned a lot during the preparation phase for this exam - I still wouldn't voluntarily mess around with many of the aspects it covered (like Security Zones or CAS-Policies). I just know they exist and that's about it.
Preparation tips
Exam preparation seems to be one of the many things, people are willing to spend money on. Many websites offer PDF-Files or Exam-Sets for the Visual Certexam Suite, some boards discuss the topics and last but not least Microsoft themselves offer preparation material.
What I used to prepare
70-536 - Self Paced Training Kit
A definite MUST HAVE: the companion CD is worth all the money. The Exam Prep application teaches you how to read the solutions and make out the important bits and furthermore delivers memorable explanations to most questions. Although it has a pool of 200 questions only (I think I've read that the exams are generated from a pool of about 300), this is the big catch. Note that I found two errata in the solutions, which i will post here later today.
compare the yellow solution to the one below*
compare the last two solutions. unfortunately my screenshot is cut off there*
In both cases, I have compared the solutions using Arraxis merge. By now, the error reports i have submitted have been verified
The book itself serves no other purpose than the exam preparation and is well written. You should use it to cover up your weak spots, but don't expect to acquire the necessary knowledge by merely reading the book. Human memory tends to be rather fleeting, and it is very probable that your brain swaps out stuff you read 2 weeks ago to make room for new stuff.
actualtests.com Certification Preparation (PDF File)
A very recent one, from January if i recall correctly. Even though I guess the Visual Certexam-Set would have been a bit more valuable, I wouldn't buy it again. If you get it for free, though, it's a good addendum, since it prepares you in a very concise way.
Microsoft Official Course MOC-2957
This classroom course covers all the topics that are part of the exam, but goes no further than skin-deep for most of them. For productive use, this course is absolutely worthless. For the exam it's not too bad, since it gives you a rough overview of what exists in the Framework and how it is most commonly used.
Since this costs quite a penny, I wouldn't recommend it. Nevertheless, if you want to gain this surfacial overview yourself, you will have to do quite a lot of reading, since nothing comes in the pre-digested form of the course. And also, the value of the course depends on your trainer. If he/she merely reads the book to you, it is rather unvaluable (my trainer was not a developer, so he knew his lecture, but not the pros and cons of all the tiny bits in "real life". Reminds of the Pratchett Quote "It would seem that you have no useful skill or talent whatsoever. Have you thought of going into teaching?").
Real-Life Programming experience
This probably beats any of the other, since you don't have to learn what you already know. It also helps you understand what you need the stuff you talk about for and get a feeling for it. It's basically the "getting your hands dirty" of our profession (which - considering the stuff that lives in many a keyboard - has a very literal meaning).
Summary
Since this test asks you many things in a very concise way, it is advisable to be well prepared. This is not a test you praticipate in and pass whenever you feel like it. Buy the Microsoft-Kit and lock yourself up for a weekend or two, until you pass the mock tests with > 90% on a regular basis. Spice up your knowledge from other sources (actualtests.com, other books), if you dont. Finally register for 70-536 (at prometric.com) and get it over with.
* = Copyright for the test contents resides with Microsoft, don't reproduce without explicit permission.
After reading how much has already been said about this exam, I can summarize:
- It does cover a very vast set of topics (the whole .NET-Framework), but only has a few questions for each.
- The exam itself is rather short, containing no more than 40 questions. If you are getting many easy questions, this is an advantage. Otherwise...
- Only really well-aimed preparation will make you fit for this. Just like a driver's license test, really.
Eventually I have to admit that - although I have learned a lot during the preparation phase for this exam - I still wouldn't voluntarily mess around with many of the aspects it covered (like Security Zones or CAS-Policies). I just know they exist and that's about it.
Preparation tips
Exam preparation seems to be one of the many things, people are willing to spend money on. Many websites offer PDF-Files or Exam-Sets for the Visual Certexam Suite, some boards discuss the topics and last but not least Microsoft themselves offer preparation material.
What I used to prepare
70-536 - Self Paced Training Kit
A definite MUST HAVE: the companion CD is worth all the money. The Exam Prep application teaches you how to read the solutions and make out the important bits and furthermore delivers memorable explanations to most questions. Although it has a pool of 200 questions only (I think I've read that the exams are generated from a pool of about 300), this is the big catch. Note that I found two errata in the solutions, which i will post here later today.
compare the yellow solution to the one below*
compare the last two solutions. unfortunately my screenshot is cut off there*
In both cases, I have compared the solutions using Arraxis merge. By now, the error reports i have submitted have been verified
The book itself serves no other purpose than the exam preparation and is well written. You should use it to cover up your weak spots, but don't expect to acquire the necessary knowledge by merely reading the book. Human memory tends to be rather fleeting, and it is very probable that your brain swaps out stuff you read 2 weeks ago to make room for new stuff.
actualtests.com Certification Preparation (PDF File)
A very recent one, from January if i recall correctly. Even though I guess the Visual Certexam-Set would have been a bit more valuable, I wouldn't buy it again. If you get it for free, though, it's a good addendum, since it prepares you in a very concise way.
Microsoft Official Course MOC-2957
This classroom course covers all the topics that are part of the exam, but goes no further than skin-deep for most of them. For productive use, this course is absolutely worthless. For the exam it's not too bad, since it gives you a rough overview of what exists in the Framework and how it is most commonly used.
Since this costs quite a penny, I wouldn't recommend it. Nevertheless, if you want to gain this surfacial overview yourself, you will have to do quite a lot of reading, since nothing comes in the pre-digested form of the course. And also, the value of the course depends on your trainer. If he/she merely reads the book to you, it is rather unvaluable (my trainer was not a developer, so he knew his lecture, but not the pros and cons of all the tiny bits in "real life". Reminds of the Pratchett Quote "It would seem that you have no useful skill or talent whatsoever. Have you thought of going into teaching?").
Real-Life Programming experience
This probably beats any of the other, since you don't have to learn what you already know. It also helps you understand what you need the stuff you talk about for and get a feeling for it. It's basically the "getting your hands dirty" of our profession (which - considering the stuff that lives in many a keyboard - has a very literal meaning).
Summary
Since this test asks you many things in a very concise way, it is advisable to be well prepared. This is not a test you praticipate in and pass whenever you feel like it. Buy the Microsoft-Kit and lock yourself up for a weekend or two, until you pass the mock tests with > 90% on a regular basis. Spice up your knowledge from other sources (actualtests.com, other books), if you dont. Finally register for 70-536 (at prometric.com) and get it over with.
* = Copyright for the test contents resides with Microsoft, don't reproduce without explicit permission.
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