MCSD: preparation to the exams

[Roman S.B.]

Hi everybody!

Please assist a ukrainian guy with his tough problems.

I'm about to take the tests to be MCSD (70-016 VC++6 Desktop, 70-015 VC++6 Distributed, and 70-100 Solution Architecture) next year. Problem is in good preparation guides - they're absolutely absent in Russian (or may you object to this fact?). So, since I'm too poor for studying at Portnov's school, I intend to purchase appropriate books in English (though my writing is awful, my reading is much better). Taking into account that Microsoft guides are very expensive, I might be in need of some alternative books, which are approx. equivalent to those of Microsoft. Having browsed the net, I found out that the prices for guides (e.g. by Donald Brandt, Robert Tirak, James M. Lacey, etc.) aren't higher than $50-100 (probably w/o shipping). Though I've found ~$55 for the Microsoft's, but I very doubt as to their reliability, because official Microsoft site offers its guides for ~$400! (I hope this price is real, don't I?).

1) Where can I get to know with all topics included in the exams?
2) In what order should I take the exams mentioned above?
3) What specific books (title, author, …) should I use to attain my goals?

I'll be very grateful for your assistance.
Roman.

[asitel]

Roman,

I took all MCSD tests from January through March in Kiev. I passed tests in the following order: VC++ 6.0 Desktop, MS SQL Server 7.0 (Developer), MS Architectures (70-100), VC++ 6.0 Distributed. I chose this order from easiest to hardest for me. Passed all tests from the first try. I bought books in the States through my friends:

Desktop Applications with MS VC++ 6.0 MCSD Training Kit (For Exam 70-016) /Microsoft Press/ - $70. I estimate it helpfulness for me as 7 out of 10.

MS SQL Server 6.5 MCSD /Don't remember publisher/ ~ $50 - $60 - 6 out of 10
(There was know any MCSD book for SQL 7.0 by that time)

Defining Architecures and Solutions (something like that) /the same publisher as previous .../ ~ $50 - $60 - 4 out of 10.

Exam 70-100 - Exam Cram Series /diferent publisher/ relatevily thing book ~ $20 - 2 out of 10

(There were no adequately good book for exam 70-100)

(There were NO book to prepare for 70-015 exam by that time at all)

I bought 2 most recomended books on the subject of COM/DCOM on Amazon.Com

Learning DCOM /O'Reilly/ ~$30 - 9.5 out of 10 /great book/

Distributed COM Application Development using Visual C++ 6.0 by Jim Maloney ~ $30-40 - 10 out of 10 /great book/


Another great source of information on exams were several Braindump web sites. People there discuss test questions.

And the last but note the least. I used Transcender programs to prepare for the tests. Those programs contributed greatly to my preparation. There are places on the Net you can find full versions of those programs, although you can download evaluation versions from Transcender's web site.

Exam 70-100 may be one of the toughest for the person not exposed to the realities of business of the western life and ways Information Technology is leveraged there. Other three exams are more technical. For this exam exposure to UML, CASE tools, Rational Rose and other modeling methods, languages and techniques may be of a great help.

Your English is also quite important for the test. When I was taking exams, there were dictionaries allowed in test rooms. But I heard rumors that now Microsoft does not allow using those. But even if dictionaries are still allowed if your English lower than some particular level it may become a great obstacle.

Feel free to ask if you have any more questions.

Good luck.


[This message has been edited by asitel (edited 04-08-2000).]

[AlexVK]

Добавлю свои 2 копейки:
По информации "Русской Редакции", они планируют выпуск книги по 70-016 (?, по десктоп) в 3-м квартале. Есть еще один источник, но про него лучше спроси меня на мыло [img:5ef1f5d96d]http://www.privet.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img:5ef1f5d96d].

[chaika]

Привет Ромaн!

Here's a good place to find requirements for MCSD:
http://www.microsoft.com/trainingandservices/default.asp?PageID=mcp&PageCall=requirements&SubSite=cert/mcsd&AnnMenu=mcsd

Может быть нaйдете что-то здесь-- http://www.microsoft.com/rus/

[Roman S.B.]

First of all I'd like to say that the topic I started is of great importance - I'm sure there're many guys and girls reading this topic and being eager to become MCSD.

Thanks a lot to all who replied me.
But...

Any url address provided by you contains either the requirements for MCSD (not exam topics) or the exam samples. Actually I need preparation guides, hard or electronic format.

When Asitel was preparing to exams, there were no appropriate books on 70-015 and 70-100. Now they might be in bookstores.

For example, amazon.com offer the following:
-Desktop Applications for Microsoft VC++ 6.0: MCSD Training Kit (for exam 70-016) Hardcover (November 1999) Our Price:$48.99 (3 of 5 stars - average customer review)
-McSd Visual C++ 6 Desktop Exam Cram (Exam Cram) by James M. Lacey, Jim M. Mischel.
Paperback (January 29, 2000) Our Price: $23.99 (4.5)
-McSd Visual C++ 6 Distributed : Exam Cram : Exam 70-015 by James M. Lacey. Paperback
(December 21, 1999) Our Price:$23.99 (4)

Can anybody say anything about these or other books?

Thanks.
Roman




[This message has been edited by Roman S.B. (edited 05-08-2000).]