Another MCPD noob w/ some starter questions

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I was a PC Cobol programmer for 12 years, then was turned into a Network Engineer for 8 years. I plan to complete the MCPD Web certification, and move forward with my programming career as I miss it very much. I've taken a one week course called Programming in VB.NET 2003 a few years ago, but was never given time at work to use it. I worked through the same thing in book form to prepare for 70-536 (Programming in VB.NET - Bradley and Millspaugh)

I plan to start with 70-536. The book I have is the 70-536 book by Northrup and Wildermuth. For the first module I decided to do the Microsoft ELearning so that I could compare it to working directly out of the book. Three reasons primarily for this are

(a) The book's course guideline did not match the elearning curriculum.

(b) i've seen some quite negative reviews on this book on web sites.

(c) the book did not have a 'partial exam'. I wanted to be able to test myself as I progressed.

Questions:

a. has anyone done elearning? I've seen no references to it in any posts I've read yet. If so, thumbs up or down? I'm so used to highlighting stuff, I am not preferring it so far.

b. Anyone used just the 70-536 book to pass this exam? If so, I'm not asking for a review just a thumbs up or down. I'd like as many opinions as I can get.

c. Are the trancenders (or other comparable brands) a one time/test thing or can you test over and over again for one 'fee'? I assumed the former, and it has since occurred to me that I might use them to test my progress as I go.

thanks in advance
james d busdkirk

 

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For Question C: you can buy a transcender test product for say the 70-290 exams and use it as much as you want. You can also install it on two machines (According to their EULA).

 

The MS Training Kit is a fine resource for the exam, just bear in mind it will not cover every possible question you may be asked in the exam, the framework is just too large for one book, so even if you could memorize the book 100% it would not guarantee a pass.

You should supplement the book with as much programming and Internet/MSDN research as you can.

I would reccomend the MeasureUp test engine and use it for cramming at the end. The MS training kit includes a cut down version of this that you can use for testing as you go.

You cannot really re-use tests as you will simply learn the questions and not test your knowledge of the material.


There will be an updated version of the book available soon, which should fix some of the shortcommings of the present book.

MCTS Training Kit 70-536 Framework

Best of luck !

 

Hi and welcome to CF and best wishes on your certs study.

 

thanks for the answers, and the welcome!

 

Hi and welcome to CF!

And I hear there is a place in California looking for Cobol programmers because they can't change the state-worker's wages! You could earn a mint!

Harry.