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No, this is not a commercial -- just a benefit of getting an education at an
accredited college. Just found out that Microsoft is offering free second
exam retakes for any MCP academic tests (these are the 072 series exams such
as 072-271 -- same content as the 070 series but for students only). I have
never seen MS offer free retakes exams outside of MS Office Specialist! The
free "Second Shot" retakes are only good through January 31 at Authorized
Academic Testing Centers (colleges who offer Prometric or VUE testing).
Read more information on AATC's and also review a list of schools world wide
who offer the service at the link below.

http://www.prometric.com/Microsoft/MSAATP/default.htm

Students and instructors at AATC's also can take approved exams (also listed
at the link above) for just $60. No need to buy vouchers either -- they
will be able to register over the phone for the reduced price. I haven't
heard how MS is going to validate that you are a student but I would expect
a DNA sample

--o<--
Groan... yet another offer which is *only* valid in the US. What about the
rest of the world?

Wait a minute Dave. Let's gain some perspective here. I am not necessarily
a huge fan of Microsoft, but this discount given to U.S. residents is a
pittance compared to what we have lost in overseas off-shoring of entry
level DST jobs. So a resident saves $60 on an exam over a techie overseas.
Big deal! Who is more likely to get an entry level job? Given the
off-shoring phenomenon lately, I'd say the overseas dude will. Small price
to pay for job security. I would gladly pay an extra $60 if I knew it meant
a choice of jobs and my ability to obtain a job would increase due to that
cert I am working on achieving.

On top of that, the average entry level DST is now based overseas in India,
the Phillipines, or some other country where the tech may be "fluent" in
English, but cannot be understood by most people who speak English natively.
A large portion of those people that need the assistance of an entry level
DST are close to, if not completely computer-illiterate, and many times
elderly. The language barrier makes it near impossible to understand each
other. In addition, technically fluent people who clearly need senior level
tech support when dealing with IT vendors and such must now wade through the
masses of you overseas individuals who took our jobs and hugely annoying
computerized messages and terrible wait times while the overseas tech takes
20 minutes to answer a question that would be handled in 5 minutes by
someone without a language barrier.

If I may be so bold as to make a few suggestions:
1. Pay the extra money and be happy jobs are competing for you instead of
vice versa.
2. Stop asking us for access to free study resources and learn it the right
way like we did.
3. Stop complaining about your "overseas predicament" and appreciate what
you are getting in return.

"Dave" <> wrote in message
news:...
> --o<--
> Groan... yet another offer which is *only* valid in the US. What about
the
> rest of the world?
>
>

"Jason" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Wait a minute Dave. Let's gain some perspective here. I am not
> necessarily
> a huge fan of Microsoft, but this discount given to U.S. residents is a
> pittance compared to what we have lost in overseas off-shoring of entry
> level DST jobs. So a resident saves $60 on an exam over a techie
> overseas.
> Big deal! Who is more likely to get an entry level job? Given the
> off-shoring phenomenon lately, I'd say the overseas dude will. Small
> price
> to pay for job security. I would gladly pay an extra $60 if I knew it
> meant
> a choice of jobs and my ability to obtain a job would increase due to that
> cert I am working on achieving.

The US is not the only country whose workforce is under threat from
outsourcing or "off-shoring" of jobs.

> On top of that, the average entry level DST is now based overseas in
> India,
> the Phillipines, or some other country where the tech may be "fluent" in
> English, but cannot be understood by most people who speak English
> natively.
> A large portion of those people that need the assistance of an entry level
> DST are close to, if not completely computer-illiterate, and many times
> elderly. The language barrier makes it near impossible to understand each
> other. In addition, technically fluent people who clearly need senior
> level
> tech support when dealing with IT vendors and such must now wade through
> the
> masses of you overseas individuals who took our jobs and hugely annoying
> computerized messages and terrible wait times while the overseas tech
> takes
> 20 minutes to answer a question that would be handled in 5 minutes by
> someone without a language barrier.

Yes, I fully understand the fluency issue as it was us here in the UK who
invented the language. Ok, so there may well be linguisic influences from
other Europen countries but it is primarilly an English language from
England and as I am English I happen to be a bit better qualified than most
to talk about it.

> If I may be so bold as to make a few suggestions:
> 1. Pay the extra money and be happy jobs are competing for you instead of
> vice versa.
Not exactly the case here.

> 2. Stop asking us for access to free study resources and learn it the
> right
> way like we did.
Since when have I **ever** asked for a free study resource?

> 3. Stop complaining about your "overseas predicament" and appreciate what
> you are getting in return.
Er, like what?

Hello folks. I appreciate the posting for the info on 'Second Shot Testing'.
However I am unclear about something. Do you have to be enrolled at certain
schools to receive this? Or are there only certain schools participating in
the deal. If you've got any info let me know.
http://www.prometric.com/Microsoft/MSAATP/default.htm

Thanks bunches,

-Starrynight


"Dave" <> wrote in message
news:...
> "Jason" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> Wait a minute Dave. Let's gain some perspective here. I am not
>> necessarily
>> a huge fan of Microsoft, but this discount given to U.S. residents is a
>> pittance compared to what we have lost in overseas off-shoring of entry
>> level DST jobs. So a resident saves $60 on an exam over a techie
>> overseas.
>> Big deal! Who is more likely to get an entry level job? Given the
>> off-shoring phenomenon lately, I'd say the overseas dude will. Small
>> price
>> to pay for job security. I would gladly pay an extra $60 if I knew it
>> meant
>> a choice of jobs and my ability to obtain a job would increase due to
>> that
>> cert I am working on achieving.
>
> The US is not the only country whose workforce is under threat from
> outsourcing or "off-shoring" of jobs.
>
>> On top of that, the average entry level DST is now based overseas in
>> India,
>> the Phillipines, or some other country where the tech may be "fluent" in
>> English, but cannot be understood by most people who speak English
>> natively.
>> A large portion of those people that need the assistance of an entry
>> level
>> DST are close to, if not completely computer-illiterate, and many times
>> elderly. The language barrier makes it near impossible to understand
>> each
>> other. In addition, technically fluent people who clearly need senior
>> level
>> tech support when dealing with IT vendors and such must now wade through
>> the
>> masses of you overseas individuals who took our jobs and hugely annoying
>> computerized messages and terrible wait times while the overseas tech
>> takes
>> 20 minutes to answer a question that would be handled in 5 minutes by
>> someone without a language barrier.
>
> Yes, I fully understand the fluency issue as it was us here in the UK who
> invented the language. Ok, so there may well be linguisic influences from
> other Europen countries but it is primarilly an English language from
> England and as I am English I happen to be a bit better qualified than
> most to talk about it.
>
>> If I may be so bold as to make a few suggestions:
>> 1. Pay the extra money and be happy jobs are competing for you instead
>> of
>> vice versa.
> Not exactly the case here.
>
>> 2. Stop asking us for access to free study resources and learn it the
>> right
>> way like we did.
> Since when have I **ever** asked for a free study resource?
>
>> 3. Stop complaining about your "overseas predicament" and appreciate
>> what
>> you are getting in return.
> Er, like what?
>
>

Starrynight

According to the Prometric URL, any student or faculty member at an
"accredited" institution can take advantage of the offer. This may exclude
some for profit schools but any university or college in the US should
qualify. The URL does not say how you show proof of enrollment and none of
my students have tested yet under the discount so I can't provide any help
there either

The one catch is that you need to take the exams at a college with a
Prometric testing center (or what is referred to as an AATC). You cannot
take the reduced price exams at a CTEC or other commercial testing center
location. The URL below can also direct you to AATC's in different states
throughout the country.

Good luck on your exams!
Who is eligible to take advantage of the AATC reduced exam price?

The AATC reduced exam pricing is offered only to students and instructors
who currently attend, or are employed by, a high school or accredited
post-secondary school. These exams must be taken at a Thomson Prometric
AATC.

"starrynight" <> wrote in message
news:%...
> Hello folks. I appreciate the posting for the info on 'Second Shot
Testing'.
> However I am unclear about something. Do you have to be enrolled at
certain
> schools to receive this? Or are there only certain schools participating
in
> the deal. If you've got any info let me know.
> http://www.prometric.com/Microsoft/MSAATP/default.htm
>
> Thanks bunches,
>
> -Starrynight
>
>
> "Dave" <> wrote in message
> news:...
> > "Jason" <> wrote in message
> > news:...
> >> Wait a minute Dave. Let's gain some perspective here. I am not
> >> necessarily
> >> a huge fan of Microsoft, but this discount given to U.S. residents is a
> >> pittance compared to what we have lost in overseas off-shoring of entry
> >> level DST jobs. So a resident saves $60 on an exam over a techie
> >> overseas.
> >> Big deal! Who is more likely to get an entry level job? Given the
> >> off-shoring phenomenon lately, I'd say the overseas dude will. Small
> >> price
> >> to pay for job security. I would gladly pay an extra $60 if I knew it
> >> meant
> >> a choice of jobs and my ability to obtain a job would increase due to
> >> that
> >> cert I am working on achieving.
> >
> > The US is not the only country whose workforce is under threat from
> > outsourcing or "off-shoring" of jobs.
> >
> >> On top of that, the average entry level DST is now based overseas in
> >> India,
> >> the Phillipines, or some other country where the tech may be "fluent"
in
> >> English, but cannot be understood by most people who speak English
> >> natively.
> >> A large portion of those people that need the assistance of an entry
> >> level
> >> DST are close to, if not completely computer-illiterate, and many times
> >> elderly. The language barrier makes it near impossible to understand
> >> each
> >> other. In addition, technically fluent people who clearly need senior
> >> level
> >> tech support when dealing with IT vendors and such must now wade
through
> >> the
> >> masses of you overseas individuals who took our jobs and hugely
annoying
> >> computerized messages and terrible wait times while the overseas tech
> >> takes
> >> 20 minutes to answer a question that would be handled in 5 minutes by
> >> someone without a language barrier.
> >
> > Yes, I fully understand the fluency issue as it was us here in the UK
who
> > invented the language. Ok, so there may well be linguisic influences
from
> > other Europen countries but it is primarilly an English language from
> > England and as I am English I happen to be a bit better qualified than
> > most to talk about it.
> >
> >> If I may be so bold as to make a few suggestions:
> >> 1. Pay the extra money and be happy jobs are competing for you instead
> >> of
> >> vice versa.
> > Not exactly the case here.
> >
> >> 2. Stop asking us for access to free study resources and learn it the
> >> right
> >> way like we did.
> > Since when have I **ever** asked for a free study resource?
> >
> >> 3. Stop complaining about your "overseas predicament" and appreciate
> >> what
> >> you are getting in return.
> > Er, like what?
> >
> >
>
>

Can you please stop crying about loosing I.T. jobs in the
US to someone from the UK as if with the Pound Sterling
being worth twice what the US dollar is at the moment US
companies are going to out-source to UK companies...

You just attacked someone without looking for any
background on them and with no evidence whatsoever.

Not like a Yank to go doing that now is it...