Am I ready for the exams?
 

I did a weeks training course at a MS certified college in the UK for my
MCDST and it didn't really seem all that indepth to me.

Will I be ok to go and sit my exams or should I do some further reading
before sitting the exams?

Will this course give me all the relevant information I need to pass the
exams?

One last thing, does the MCDST certify me as an MCP or will I have to sit a
further exam say 70-290 for instance?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Re: Am I ready for the exams?
 

"Nick" <Nick@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C29440F9-CFCE-417C-88FC-68327D593DE7@microsoft.com...
>I did a weeks training course at a MS certified college in the UK for my
> MCDST and it didn't really seem all that indepth to me.
>
> Will I be ok to go and sit my exams or should I do some further reading
> before sitting the exams?
>
> Will this course give me all the relevant information I need to pass the
> exams?
>
> One last thing, does the MCDST certify me as an MCP or will I have to sit
> a
> further exam say 70-290 for instance?
>
> Thanks for any help you can give me.

Don't know about the course you took. Did it have an MS reference number?
Passing 70-271 or 70-272 qualifies you for MCP.

Re: Am I ready for the exams?
 

"Nick" <Nick@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C29440F9-CFCE-417C-88FC-68327D593DE7@microsoft.com...
>I did a weeks training course at a MS certified college in the UK for my
> MCDST and it didn't really seem all that indepth to me.
>
> Will I be ok to go and sit my exams or should I do some further reading
> before sitting the exams?
>
> Will this course give me all the relevant information I need to pass the
> exams?
>
> One last thing, does the MCDST certify me as an MCP or will I have to sit
> a
> further exam say 70-290 for instance?
>
> Thanks for any help you can give me.

Nick,

You don't mention exactly what course you took, who it was sponsored by,
what was covered, etc. It's kind of hard for us to tell you 'Yes, you are
fully prepared'.

You should review the exam objectives for each of the two tests...
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/exams/70-271.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/exams/70-272.mspx

If you can confidently say that you can handle each of the objectives from a
configuration and troubleshooting standpoint, then you might be ready. You
might also want to compare those objectives with the course objectives for
whatever course you attended. Many times, even Microsoft training courses
do not cover 100% of the exam objectives. I have not yet found anything
that covers 100%.

Certifications are about verification of experience. If you have a lot of
experience supporting end users on XP, both applications and OS, that will
certainly be beneficial. If you have no real experience, and you simply
took a course, I would be very careful about scheduling an exam.
Personally, I combined lots of experience the MS Press books for MCDST.

You will earn MCP status when you pass your first exam. MCDST requires two
exams, 271 and 272.

Good luck to you.

John R

Re: Am I ready for the exams?
 

The course I took was simple 'MCDST on XP Pro MOC Courses 2261/2261' and it
was taken at a local technical college that is 'MS Accredited'.

Alas, all my experience comes from home because I've found it next to
impossible for any employer to take me on ironically due to lack of
experience (we all know this vicious circle).

I have the MS press books, so I'll give those yet another reading cover to
cover. As for your two links, I'll give those a good read tomorrow.

Thanks for your reply.

"John R" wrote:

>
> "Nick" <Nick@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:C29440F9-CFCE-417C-88FC-68327D593DE7@microsoft.com...
> >I did a weeks training course at a MS certified college in the UK for my
> > MCDST and it didn't really seem all that indepth to me.
> >
> > Will I be ok to go and sit my exams or should I do some further reading
> > before sitting the exams?
> >
> > Will this course give me all the relevant information I need to pass the
> > exams?
> >
> > One last thing, does the MCDST certify me as an MCP or will I have to sit
> > a
> > further exam say 70-290 for instance?
> >
> > Thanks for any help you can give me.
>
> Nick,
>
> You don't mention exactly what course you took, who it was sponsored by,
> what was covered, etc. It's kind of hard for us to tell you 'Yes, you are
> fully prepared'.
>
> You should review the exam objectives for each of the two tests...
> http://www.microsoft.com/learning/exams/70-271.mspx
> http://www.microsoft.com/learning/exams/70-272.mspx
>
> If you can confidently say that you can handle each of the objectives from a
> configuration and troubleshooting standpoint, then you might be ready. You
> might also want to compare those objectives with the course objectives for
> whatever course you attended. Many times, even Microsoft training courses
> do not cover 100% of the exam objectives. I have not yet found anything
> that covers 100%.
>
> Certifications are about verification of experience. If you have a lot of
> experience supporting end users on XP, both applications and OS, that will
> certainly be beneficial. If you have no real experience, and you simply
> took a course, I would be very careful about scheduling an exam.
> Personally, I combined lots of experience the MS Press books for MCDST.
>
> You will earn MCP status when you pass your first exam. MCDST requires two
> exams, 271 and 272.
>
> Good luck to you.
>
> John R
>
>
>

Re: Am I ready for the exams?
 

Sorry, the only course title I was given was 'MCDST on XP Pro MOC Courses
2261/2261', if that helps.

"Maincat" wrote:

>
> "Nick" <Nick@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:C29440F9-CFCE-417C-88FC-68327D593DE7@microsoft.com...
> >I did a weeks training course at a MS certified college in the UK for my
> > MCDST and it didn't really seem all that indepth to me.
> >
> > Will I be ok to go and sit my exams or should I do some further reading
> > before sitting the exams?
> >
> > Will this course give me all the relevant information I need to pass the
> > exams?
> >
> > One last thing, does the MCDST certify me as an MCP or will I have to sit
> > a
> > further exam say 70-290 for instance?
> >
> > Thanks for any help you can give me.
>
> Don't know about the course you took. Did it have an MS reference number?
> Passing 70-271 or 70-272 qualifies you for MCP.
>
>
>

Re: Am I ready for the exams?
 

"Nick" <Nick@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:3FBB7E00-57B1-440C-9D9C-D49245BBB689@microsoft.com:

> The course I took was simple 'MCDST on XP Pro MOC Courses 2261/2261' and it
> was taken at a local technical college that is 'MS Accredited'.
>
> Alas, all my experience comes from home because I've found it next to
> impossible for any employer to take me on ironically due to lack of
> experience (we all know this vicious circle).
>
> I have the MS press books, so I'll give those yet another reading cover to
> cover. As for your two links, I'll give those a good read tomorrow.
>

Normally if you have to ask, you are not ready. This is a question that
only you can truly answer. Not only does the exam(s) take experience in
working with the listed objectives and technology, you have to have
confidence in yourself -- not asking for much, just a little. Follow
John R's advice and good luck.

--
Michael D. Alligood, MCSA, MCDST
The I.T. Classroom - http://www.theitclassroom.com/
CertGuard, Inc. - http://www.certguard.com