April 20, 2007 at 8:22 am
As I approach my date for some certification exams, I come back to the question of whether Transcenders are really worthwhile.
I'm fairly confident with my knowledge in the material, however since I don't work in a team environment that requires clustering / mirroring / HTTP endpoints,etc I questions my knowledge level in regards to S2k5.
Thus, I'm wondering whether it would be worthwhile to purchase the Transcender tests (I believe currently at ~109 for digital download) and whether these will help me on passing the tests themselves for the areas which I'm weak on.
Or does anyone have a better valued solution that is basically more bang for the buck?
-Terry
April 20, 2007 at 10:04 am
They were the best investment for my money when I got certified both MCDBA and MCSE a long while back, I will not take Microsoft exams without them because those official Microsoft training does not include how to pass Microsoft exams. Transcenders include the how especially with the new simulations, the rule of thumb when you start scoring 800 and above on Tracnscenders you are ready to pass the Microsoft exams. Another thing it tells you why an answer is wrong and why an answer is correct. I bought a cheaper practice exam before I found out about Transcenders and never used the cheaper one because I would have repeated at least two of the seven I needed to certify. I am slowly preparing for Asp.net and BI, I know I will not schedule any exam without a high Transcender score. I will always pay for them when I take Microsoft exam. Now I will not use them for Java exams because the best Java exam when I was preparing a very long while back was in India under $100.
Kind regards,
Gift Peddie
April 20, 2007 at 3:37 pm
I tend to agree about Transcenders being accurate. I'm sure they're very close to violating an NDA, perhaps they've done so, but I know that when I got my MCSE they were very close to the exams, sometimes even with the same question slightly reworded.
I agree that MS doesn't do a good job prepping people for the exams. Their guidelines are too general.
April 21, 2007 at 8:54 am
Gift Peddie, what is this BI cert you mentioned?
April 21, 2007 at 9:13 am
There is a Microsoft BI certification that require only two exams but currently Transcenders sells only one exam because even Microsoft does not have materials for the second exam. I am also assuming it is a very hard exam because the release was delayed two times to February this year. Try the link below for details.
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcitp/bid/default.mspx
Kind regards,
Gift Peddie
April 21, 2007 at 9:15 am
Thanks!
April 21, 2007 at 10:05 am
Steve,
You think Transcender is violating NDA if it is there is no evidence in the Developer certs on Microsoft and Sun because very few people pass those exams like the old BI MCP exam Microsoft cancelled it because people were not taking it. In six years all the C# MCSD.NET and the MCPD are less than 5,000 because most people take a look at it and decide to take only the MCP for what they do for a living because the exams are very hard. I remember reading a posting by a Russian C++ professor how he barely passed the Sun Java exam, is it really needed to be that hard no but Sun says you need only one exam for the base certification. I think Microsoft is slowly headed in that direction kicking and dragging with the new BI certs because when it require too much it is left to the people with education expense account leaving out hard working people from low income background. But Microsoft spends more money on free developer training than Sun and Oracle combined.
Kind regards,
Gift Peddie
April 21, 2007 at 1:57 pm
Steve,
I stand corrected per the March 2007 figures C# MCSD.NET certifed is more than 5000 but less than 10,000 by my estimate based on previous developer certs figures where C++ was more than 5,000 to 35,000 for VB and VFP combined. But I could to be wrong because Microsoft does not like sharing break down numbers in most certs.
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/certified.mspx
Kind regards,
Gift Peddie
April 22, 2007 at 9:07 pm
I'm not sure they're violating NDA, but when I've seen questions on the transcender that were almost exactly what the exam had, I have to wonder. Often they were the same with a number changed. course I've been working the admin exams, not the programming ones, so maybe there's a difference.
I'm glad the exams are hard. I'm ok with there being beginner or easier exams, but to achieve some ranking, there needs to be hard exams that few people can pass as well.
April 23, 2007 at 8:08 am
I have to wonder if someone from Transceder isn't working with the MS crew that they can be that good with the exams and not get sued. Surely MS would have noticed and done something with them by now (considering how long Transcender has been in business) if they actually had violated the NDA.
April 23, 2007 at 8:29 am
To sue Transcender successfully Microsoft knows their records and Sun records for VC++, C#, Java and the last Data Warehouse exam will the subpoenaed and those records I can tell you stink. Transcenders produce exams for all known exams some people cannot pass relative to the number of people who write those languages. Transenders is now owned by deep pockets in UK Selftest Software, Microsoft lawyers knows going after Transcenders will reveal too much to the public about something that generates good profits and much needed product development fund. I for one wants to know how a C++ professor barely passing Sun’s Java exam and I can bet Microsoft will have records of Hyperion and Tera Data experts and developers who have failed the Data Warehouse exam. People who live in glass houses don’t throw stones.
Kind regards,
Gift Peddie
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