{e-Squillace.com} Strategies for Passing Certification Exams

1	Strategies For P= assing Certification Exams By George Squillace MCT, MCSE, MCDBA MCITP-Database Administration MCITP-Enterprise Messaging A+, Network+
2	My Qualifications… &n= bsp; Why Listen to Me? Over 85 exam sittings in the past 16+ years Passed most on the first try (Thanks, God) I’ve taken vendor exams from Novell, CompTIA and Microsoft (So, my testing experience is not from only one test vendor’s reference point)
3	You’ll Nev= er Feel Ready Enough So, schedule your exam now You can always postpone a day or two or more
4	Test Preparation Software, Part 1 Test preparation software can be very helpful… …the harder the exam …the newer you are to testing Cost, $100 < x < $150 per exam Preparation Exams Are Almost Always Are Harder Than the Actual Exam<= /li> Sample Exams Are Often Available
5	Test Preparation Software, Part 2 There are at least two test prep software deployment methods Web-based Connect to a subscription-based website, providing (for example) a six month preparation time window Self-Test Software MeasureUp Transcender (one of their product offerings) Advantage: Allows you to connect anywhere, as long as you have a = live connection Local executable Install a program to your local computer Transcender Advantage: Allows you to prepare anywhere, as long as you have the computer where you installed the software
6	Test Format<= /font> 40-60 questions, more for CompTIA One test question per screen page Some questions have “Exhibits”, one or more pictures th= at provide insight into answering the question Some tests (most) allow you to return to previous questions, and to review marked questions before ending the exam Tip: look for opposites, and look for patterns in answers
7	Manage Your Test= ing Time Determine the number of questions to be completed by the half-way po= int Check your watch a few times during the test, especially at half-way=
8	Aim to Pass the = Exam on the First Try And plan on visiting each question only once, make your first answer your best answer
9	Some Tests Allow Feedback Mark questions during the exam Provide feedback (comments) on marked questions at the end of the ex= am For example, some test questions have no correct answers
10	Question Format= : Story Problems Extraneous detail is part of the story problem, just like in real li= fe. Keep this phrase in mind, “Select the best answer”
11	Best time of the day to take the exam It depends on your biological or body clock Not usually at the end of the day Not right after lunch
12	Testing “Old Wives Tales= 221; Lots of rumors circle around tests and the test-taking experience The testing vendors don’t explain the exam scoring methodology= Partial credit? Adaptive tests?
13	Totally Obvious= Test-Taking Suggestions, Part 1 Know Your Product Well Re-read your courseware Hands-on practice with the product is mandatory to obtain product mastery Be Calm, Try to stay calm Come well rested, don’t pull an “all-nighter” the night before the exam As you answer a question, in general, go with your first impression<= /li>
14	Totally Obvious= Test-Taking Suggestions, Part 2 Read the question very carefully, and answer the specific question. Don’t Rush! When permitted to return to previous questions, leverage previous questions to answer future questions. When you have >1 test to take for a certification track take the easiest exam first to build your confidence
15	Of Course, Some of the Test Answers Are Made to Look Legitimate i.e., a test question may suggest running “CHECKDOMAIN.EXE /C” before running DCPROMO. But there’s no such command!
16	When Studying&#= 8230; In regard to each product feature ask, “Is this a feature every administrator should know?” Concentrate on those features
17	Test question interfaces Exclusive answer, radio buttons Select all that apply, possibly many non-exclusive answers Select 3 that apply (“3”, for example) a specific number= of non-exclusive answers Drag and drop Fill in the blank (virtually never)
18	Use the Process= of Elimination My (Corny) Conventions A no way, can’t be the answer B not sur= e if it’s the answer (no mark placed) C not lik= ely the answer D very li= kely the answer
19	Put Your Best E= ffort Forth to Answer Each Question on the First Pass Through the Test Because Some Tests Permit Review
20	It’s Not a Perfect Testing World… Expect the Following: No Correct Answer on a Question More Than One Correct Answer Not Enough Detail Provided Remember, Select the Best Answer
21	Go Get ‘e= m! I love to hear about your successes. Let me know via email about your test experience!

------=_NextPart_01CA5321.791F48C0 Content-Location: file:///C:/DE8D9213/Strategies-For-Passing-Certification-Exams_files/filelist.xml Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/xml; charset="utf-8" ------=_NextPart_01CA5321.791F48C0--