Microsoft practise tests (MCPD)

zazou

On the MS website they recommend 3 sources for practise tests. Has anyone here experience of that to share?

• Kaplan
• MeasureUp
• Transcender

i.e. what to choose not solely based on cost...

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en-us/mcpd-certification.aspx

bluesnake

Every tech person I know goes through the books (MS or non MS) to learn the product and MS free on-line training, if available.

When it comes to exams, every tech person I know does braindumps like http://www.examcollection.com/ as the exams are in majority seen as there to earn revenue for the company, ask tricky ambiguously worded questions designed to catch people out rather than product knowledge test. These braindump test may in a few cases give the wrong answers, but the questions are the gold

nickbeee

bluesnake wrote: »

When it comes to exams, every tech person I know does braindumps like http://www.examcollection.com/ as the exams are in majority seen as there to earn revenue for the company, ask tricky ambiguously worded questions designed to catch people out rather than product knowledge test. These braindump test may in a few cases give the wrong answers, but the questions are the gold

Are M$ exams subject to a non-disclosure agreement? I know the Cisco ones are.

bluesnake

nickbeee wrote: »

Are M$ exams subject to a non-disclosure agreement? I know the Cisco ones are.

I have no idea, but probably. I'm certain even people use them for cisco too, including the written ccip exams, however the ccip practical is apparently the killer. Admitting you get your exam quals this way on Cisco would disqualify your certification.

When I did MS desktop exam years ago I was asked the the ms way to get into explorer. I chose windows key+e, but my prefered normal way of work was to right click on the start button (this was not there ans would have been wrong) and window+e is better. The actual answer was to click on my computer on the desktop, which to be honest with loads of windows open, as often is the case, no one with experience would do the MS method. With at least 5 ways to get into explorer, should not choosing the 'M$ way' even be an issue or be a question?

nickbeee

bluesnake wrote: »

I have no idea, but probably. I'm certain even people use them for cisco too, including the written ccie exams, however the ccie practical is apparently the killer. Admitting you get your exam quals this way on Cisco would disqualify your certification.

Indeed they would. That extends to discussing any material in your test outside the test too.

I did use a training provider a while back that offered a "guaranteed pass". Not my preference but my employer's. They were quite keen on BD material such as Test King. I did the CCENT exam though them but progress since then has been self-study with books and CBT Nuggets.

Maybe people are paid by the brain-dump companies to sit the exam and pass on their questions, or there are some unscrupulous exam centres that disclose the questions?

bluesnake wrote:

When I did MS desktop exam years ago I was asked the the ms way to get into explorer. I chose windows key+e, but my prefered normal way of work was to right click on the start button (this was not there ans would have been wrong) and window+e is better. The actual answer was to click on my computer on the desktop, which to be honest with loads of windows open, as often is the case, no one with experience would do the MS method. With at least 5 ways to get into explorer, should not choosing the 'M$ way' even be an issue or be a question?

I don't have any experience of M$ exams, but if it is anything like Cisco, "there is only one correct answer and that is the Cisco answer! " BTW, I'd have gone for start->run-> explorer!

ahillsy

Yes, you do have to sign a non-disclosure agreement when you sit an MS exam. Using brain dumps is obviously liable to get you banned from gaining MS certifications and any certifications stripped from you. If you're taking an exam, do it without cheating - whether you're sitting the exam for your own benefit, or to help your employer with their MS partner status. MS are currently doing the Second Shot offer whereby if you fail on your first attempt, you can retake the exam for free - that should give you a nice cushion to fall back on if needed.

Re: The MS endorsed practise tests, I've previously used MeasureUp. Often, the official MS exam prep books contain a DVD with practise tests on (which is where I tried MeasureUp from) - so it might be worth checking the MS prep book for the exam you want to take and see if it does come with practise tests. Also, there aren't practise tests available for all MS exams so that might narrow the list down for you. I suspect all three would be on a par with each other tbh - they'd show up what areas you are weak on.

There was no MeasureUp (or other official) practise test available for the last exam I took, but 1 book, a lot of online material/articles and of course 1st hand experience got me through so they aren't the be all and end all.

zazou

ahillsy wrote: »

...
Re: The MS endorsed practise tests, I've previously used MeasureUp. Often, the official MS exam prep books contain a DVD with practise tests on (which is where I tried MeasureUp from) - so it might be worth checking the MS prep book for the exam you want to take and see if it does come with practise tests. Also, there aren't practise tests available for all MS exams so that might narrow the list down for you. I suspect all three would be on a par with each other tbh - they'd show up what areas you are weak on.

There was no MeasureUp (or other official) practise test available for the last exam I took, but 1 book, a lot of online material/articles and of course 1st hand experience got me through so they aren't the be all and end all.

I've got one Exam Ref 70-4xx book and waiting for another one to be published. Were those the books you used?


I'm going after the MCPD for myself so I'm not really interested in brain dumps or 'tricks' to help you pass. I'm thinking of the practise tests just to warm me up to the style employed by Microsoft on the test day.
What did you (or anyone else reading) find most useful when preparing for the tests?

ahillsy

I took 70-486, with a view to taking 70-480 next. For both those exams, at the time (a few months ago) the MS exam prep books hadn't been published. I've seen the training guide book for 70-480 as others I know used it in prep for that exam and apparently that was worth getting. And for me, for 70-486, I got this book.

In addition to the book, I looked at:
MS exam page - info on books, community resources (e.g. blogs/study guides from others preparing for the exam
Microsoft Virtual Academy - free online training
Just "doing" - have a side project to try out what you learn on etc

scheming_gypsy

bluesnake wrote: »

. The actual answer was to click on my computer on the desktop, which to be honest with loads of windows open, as often is the case, no one with experience would do the MS method. With at least 5 ways to get into explorer, should not choosing the 'M$ way' even be an issue or be a question?

that's the correct answer. They're wanting to know how to get into Explorer, not which short cut keys will open Explorer. It's like a driving test, they want to know the book way of doing it rather than how you're comfortable doing it.

and I always go through My Computer. I've used Windows since Windows 3 used to using the mouse for everything, don't think I ever use short cuts keys for anything.

samueljoe

I'm going after the MCPD for myself so I'm not really interested in brain dumps or 'tricks' to help you pass. I'm thinking of the practise tests just to warm me up to the style employed by Microsoft on the test day.

zazou

samueljoe wrote: »

I'm going after the MCPD for myself so I'm not really interested in brain dumps or 'tricks' to help you pass. I'm thinking of the practise tests just to warm me up to the style employed by Microsoft on the test day.

So how do you approach it? What do you find useful towards preparing for the tests?