Exams virgin questions regarding 70-270

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Hi, just joined.

I looked through several pages of threads here before posting. I just have a couple of (hopefully) relatively simple questions I hope someone here can help me with.

I've been working in IT for over 10 years. This year, for my appraisal, my managers require me to pass the 70-270 test. I've been working with XP for ages, so I feel have a pretty solid base to be able to pass the exam without major difficulty.

But as I've never done any of these exams before, I'm a bit nervous. On recommendation found in several threads here, I bought the Exam Cram 2 book, which seems very good. But I got stuck pretty much on the first page. In the Introduction, it says it recommends you do the Self-Assessment test, which follows immediately after the Introduction. Unfortunately, I can't find this test anywhere in the book, or on the included CD. I find this confusing, especially as I think it's a very good idea to do a self-assessment, to get an idea of how hard (or easy) I'll find the test. Does anyone else who has this book know what Self-Assessment test they're referring to here, and am I being thick in not being able to find it??

I was able to find and do the free mock exam on this website: http://www.techexams.net. I've done the test twice in two days so far, the first time I scored 54%, the second time 76%. I noticed the questions were exactly the same both times (although I randomized the order the second time), so this test although ok, is probably of limited use, after you've done it a few times. That's why I'd like to do any other self-assessment test I can find, to more accurately gauge my knowledge, and also, I actually like this method of learning (doing mock tests, and reviewing right/wrong answers).

The second question is regarding the exam itself. Is it possible to skip questions you don't immediately feel confident answering, do the ones you're pretty sure about, then come back to the ones you skipped, to spend more time on them? Or can you only advance through the questions, without being able to go back? Also, I heard something about "adaptive" tests, where the test, if it recognises you're weak in one area, adapts itself to present you with more questions from that area, as you go along? Does this test work in this way, or in a more traditional way, where it'll simply randomly choose 50 (?) questions, and then stick with them?

Many thanks!

 

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Hi, welcome aboard.

We have all been there! I would say the more exams you sit, the more relaxed you feel.

From memory exam cram books have assessments before and after each module. The idea being, you have an idea of what you know before and after the session. Is this still the case? If so, may be worth looking at their site incase it's an error known with your publication.

I always look at the first score - the second time round has an element of "that's b because you remember that was the correct answer when you are an administrator for contoso with the printing problem"

You can skip questions, although advisable to try and get them done first time round. Perhaps review questions you are unsure of - this way you give your best shot on questions you know the answers to immediately and round up problems for the end! Not sure about the adaptive bit - my understanding is the questions are loaded from the pearson vue/prometric database when the exam is started.

Best of luck with it all. Try and stay calm - you will perform better!

 

Hi, thanks very much for your quick and detailed reply!

No, at least not in my book. Nothing immediately following the Introduction (like it says in the Introduction). There are "Exam Prep" questions and answers after every module though, but I don't think this is what the Introduction refers to. I have a feeling the Introduction was kept from another edition which had this Self-Assessment test, but my edition no longer has it.

Thanks again!

 

hi,

no probs.

now you mention it, that's what it sounds like. I seem to recall the A+ exam cram having 50 or so general questions before the book was broken down in to modules with before and answer questions.

May be worth dropping them a message.

Good luck!

 

Mate I'm currently doing the 270 aswelll,
I bought the exam cram books off Amazon with the 270 ms press book

the 270 books has xp pro with it which you can use to train for the exam.
Also both books have measure up exams with them which are a good help.

Personally I have found the ms press book the best as it explains even the detail information.
I have used xp for a long time but there are many things in that book you will not know.

hope your exams go well mate and good luck

Dave

 

thanks beaumont, good luck to you too!

 

If I can remember correctly you have an option to "mark" or "flag" a question that you are not to sure of, and go back to it at the end (review).

If you don't feel 100% about your answer, mark/flag it and go back to it after you've done the rest of the exam (even if you flag 20 or more questions, don't worry, when you get back to them, they will seem easy).

It may be nerves, apprehension or a feeling of being up against the clock, but a question that will stump you during the first 15 minutes of the test, will be laughably obvious at the end.

I usually find that I mark or flag about 15-20 of the questions, then when I go back to them, they seem really easy. (also I flagged a question on one of the exams, and the correct answer was given in another question later on in the test)

You can review your answers as often as you like (until you run out of time) - but I've always had plenty of time left at the end of the test.

Also take as many tests as you can get hold of, just to get you used to the style of questioning (I've always found the actual exams are a worded a bit friendlier than the practice exams)

Hope this helps...

Cosway

 

cosway, thanks very much, it does help. (p.s. i don't like the smileys here )

 

and sometimes a question you are unsure about earlier on has clues later on in the exam. Love it when that happens!

yep, fair play, the MS exams seem to allow plenty of time when compared to the comptia ones I have sat.

yep. sometimes someone can be very knowledgable about something although lack the "exam technique". this is why it's a good idea to purchase questions from somewhere like Boson, Transcender or Measure-up.

 

Yeah i have read that book

Dont remember doesn't it say somewhere they're on the Microsoft website?

Just be careful that book misses a whole objective namely Internet Explorer

 

Verbatim from the book:

"Nevertheless, to completely prepare yourself for any Microsoft test, we recommend that you begin by taking the Self-Assessment included in this book immediately following this Introduction. This tool will help you evaluate your knowledge base against the requirements for an MCSE under both ideal and real circumstances."

No Self-Assessment test immediately following the Introduction in my book (or anywhere else in it, or on the included CD), or I'm blind.

Another question regarding the exam, if you guys don't mind. How are the questions of the type where it says "select all that apply" scored? So, for example, if the correct answers for a question would be a, c, d, and I select a, d, e, or a and c, would that question get marked as failed, or partially correct?

Thank you!

 

I'll have a look may be later, However, it does mention Self-Assessment can be found at microsoft.com page XXIII bullet point 2.

Like i said i cant remember i didn't actually do the Self-Assessment (perhaps that's why ) i just read the book as a second study guide to the MS press book to make sure i covered everything. I found that it is useful, but lacks several key areas including internet explorer material which is an exam objective of the 270! This isn't a problem if you do the MCDST before which i did.

 

wooo-hooo, i just passed this exam, this morning.

i haven't posted a while, because i failed the exam the first time, and if i'm honest, i felt horrible about it.

it took me several months to muster the strength to start studying again, and i booked my exam for today (the last day of microsoft's 2nd shot promotion where you can retake the exam for free the second time, if you fail the first time).

to my ENORMOUS relief, i passed today, and i'm pretty pleased with my score of 860 too (the first time, when i failed, i scored 560).

just thought i'd share!

thanks to everyone who replied with advice in this thread.

 

Congrats!

 

Congrats on the pass and well done for sticking with it.

 

thanks bosonmichael and nugget!

 

Well done, congrats on the pass.

I know what you mean about the failing exam, and building up the courage to sit it again. Good for you for getting back on the horse.

 

Well done