Optimize Your Web » Certifications http://www.optimizeyourweb.net enhancing your net experience Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:44:37 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 Microsoft’s 2nd Chance http://www.optimizeyourweb.net/2008/12/12/microsofts-2nd-chance/ http://www.optimizeyourweb.net/2008/12/12/microsofts-2nd-chance/#comments Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:22:38 +0000 admin http://www.optimizeyourweb.net/?p=222 Wanting to take one of the many certificates that Microsoft offers?  Want to do it and get a second chance to take it for free if you don’t pass it?  Now is the time to quickly get that done.

Microsoft’s Second Chance will allow you to do so.  But just make sure you register before you purchase the exam.  They will give you a voucher number that will allow you to “cash in” your free second chance.  Here is what Microsoft has to say:

In the real world, you might need more than one chance at certification. With Second Shot, if you do not pass a Microsoft Certification exam on your first try, we’ll let you retake the exam for free.

As an additional incentive to work toward a Microsoft Certification, from October 15, 2008, to December 31, 2008, if you pass a Microsoft Certification exam on your first try, you get a 25 percent discount on a different exam.

Follow these three easy steps:

1. Register for the Second Shot offer, and take the Microsoft Certification exam by December 31, 2008.
2. If you do not pass the exam, you get a free offer of a retake exam until June 30, 2009.
3. If you do pass your first exam, you get a 25 percent discount on a different exam. You have until February 28, 2009 to take the discounted exam. (Note that you do not receive a free retake offer on this discounted exam if you do not pass it on the first try.)

*WARNING*
Make sure you register BEFORE you purchase the exam, or else this offer will not be valid.
*WARNING*

Hopefully you will not need it, but it’s good insurance, and a good way to get a free “practice test”.

]]> http://www.optimizeyourweb.net/2008/12/12/microsofts-2nd-chance/feed/ 0 Journey to MCTS then MCPD http://www.optimizeyourweb.net/2008/10/31/journey-to-mcts-then-mcpd/ http://www.optimizeyourweb.net/2008/10/31/journey-to-mcts-then-mcpd/#comments Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:34:03 +0000 admin http://www.optimizeyourweb.net/?p=220 While trying to obtain my MCTS and then soon after that my MCPD, I have found a good combination of training methods that I previously wrote about here.  First, I have a background in Java (not an expert, but I know the syntax and actually received a minor in my undergraduate studies in Computer Science).  I also know some html, css, javascript, and php.  So while I am not proficient at any of these, the fact that I can get by and know about them puts me ahead of someone starting from scratch

If anyone is in my position, I think this information may help you.  First, before you sign up for any classes, make sure you are familiar with whichever language you choose to focus on (I am choosing C# due to the close relationship of syntax with Java).  I have received two books to teach myself what I need to know before I go to any class or do any practice tests.  These two books are: MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-536) Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Application Development Foundation and Programming Microsoft ASP.NET 3.5.  The second edition for the Self-Paced Training Kit you can pre-order, but I am not able to wait for it to be released.  Start off with the Training Kit book, and then move on to the ASP.NET book because of the way they are structured and the indepthness of the first one.

To go along with these books, I would suggest purchasing a membership for at least a year to the site LearnVisualStudio.Net.  It has been highly recommended by some .NET Developers that I know and it looks to have a very large amount of tutorials already made, as well as ongoing videos.

After I get a good grasp of the material from these 3 sources, I am going to take a practice test to see how I fare for the 2 exams for the MCTS.  If I feel the need, I will take a class for each exam (I believe they are 2 or 3 days long) and give feedback to those that are interested.  If you have any further websites or learning sources, feel free to post them in the comments.

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