71-553 and 71-554 experience

Is there anyone has been through these exams, i was wondering how was it like, and if anybody made it and passed the exams, what did they do to prepare?
ANY thoughts are appreciated
Thanks all

 

Results will come in a couple of months, so none has passed, I think...
Is there anyone has been through these exams, i was wondering how was it like, and if anybody made it and passed the exams, what did they do to prepare?
ANY thoughts are appreciated
Thanks all

 

While you can register for these Betas, they do not start until Feb. 13.
These, as well as Exams 551 and 552, are upgrade exams for current MCADs and
MCSDs on .NET.

Here are the registration codes and where to register:

If you are a current MCAD or MCSD:

* Exam 71-551: UPGRADE: MCAD Skills to MCPD Web Developer by Using the
Microsoft® .NET Framework -- Promo Code: UPG551
* Exam 71-552: UPGRADE: MCAD Skills to MCPD Windows® Developer by Using the
Microsoft® .NET Framework -- Promo Code: 552BTA
* Exam 71-553: UPGRADE: MCSD Microsoft® .NET Skills to MCPD Enterprise
Application Developer by Using the Microsoft® .NET Framework: Part 1 --
Promo Code: BTA553
* Exam 71-554: UPGRADE: MCSD Microsoft® .NET Skills to MCPD Enterprise
Application Developer by Using the Microsoft® .NET Framework:- Part 2 --
Promo Code: UPG554

Seating is limited. Pre-register via one of the following training centers
to reserve your spot. NOTE : Beta exams will not be available in China,
India and Pakistan.

Thomson Prometric: http://securereg3.prometric.com/
Pearson VUE: http://www.vue.com/ms/

Find study resources here:
www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcpd/

Good luck all!

Sondra Webber
Product Manager, Developer and Database Certifications
Microsoft Corporation

 

Thanks for the info
Currently I'm a MCSD.NET, having been invited directly in previous beta
exams (not in this beta process) I'm interested in take these exams (553 and
554) , so I have 2 questions:
- If I fail some or both exams, I'm still able to take the final exams when
they'll be available?
- What is the time to take the exams? Currently in the VUE page there is not
info about the allowed dates to take them

Thanks in advance
Ernesto Cardenas
MCSD.NET 2111596

 

Hi Ernesto,

The betas for the Upgrade exams will be available from Feb 13 - March 13.

If you fail the Beta, you can take the exam again when it is Live. Even if
you fail a Live exam you can retake it -- our exam retake policy is as
follows:

If you do not pass an exam the first time you take it, you may retake it at
any time. If you do not achieve a passing score the second time, you must
wait at least 14 days to retake the exam a third time. A 14-day waiting
period will be imposed for all subsequent exam retakes. If you have passed an
exam, you cannot take it again. Beta exams may be taken only once.

 

I', triying to register for the exams in the VUE page, but at the end of the
process the system says that the vouchers are invalid......

Best Regards
Ernesto
MCSD.NET 2111596

 

Sorry, i was using them a voucher rather than promotional code, currently I'm
registered.

Ernesto

 

Hi Mam,

I am a MCSD.Net Developer from India, I am interested in taking the beta
exams for
70-553 and 70-554. But, as I read from your note, these Beta Promo codes are
not valid in India.
I would like to know why it is so???
And is there any alternative way for seriously interested Developers to take
this exams in India using promo code??

Please let me know at ur earliest.

Regards,
Sachin.

 

Hello Sachin,

Unfortuantely there is not currently a way for someone to partcipate in Beta
exams in India. The reason is piracy -- while we know it happens in all
countries, it's been especially harmful to our program in India, China, and
Pakistan. During the Beta period it's vitally important that we control the
enviroment and have valid test results, and we cannot take risks with the
exam questions. While the Betas are a great, free benefit to the developer
community, their primary purspose is to help us create the best, most
technically accurate exams possible for the Microsoft Certification Program.

I hope you come back and take the exam when it is released!

Best wishes,
Sondra Webber [MSFT]
Product Manager, Developer and Database Certification
Microsoft Corporation

 

I just finished taking the 553 and I have to say the lack of available study
materials for this beta made it extremely difficult to prepare. I bought the
only two books currently available from mspress, Programming ASP.NET 2.0 and
Programming ADO.NET 2.0 Applications: Advanced Topics. While the ASP 2.0 book
did provide great insight into themes and security (membershipprovider,
membershipuser) it provided nothing at all regarding WebParts which was
covered on the exam. Addtionally there was no info regarding the new features
of mobile controls other than a short mention in a paragraph regaring
adaptive rendering; mobile controls are covered on the exam. Being that this
is the ASP 2.0 book, there was no covereage of Windows Forms or the new
functionality so for the WinForms area of the test I figure I bombed. You
need to know about the new control features in WinForms for the test.
The Programming ADO.NET 2.0 : Advanced Topics provided good coverage of
the new async db methods. You definately need these for the exam.
My biggest complaint about the test in comparison to the readily availble
information to study from is the large dedication of questions to ClickOnce
deployment. Don't get me wrong I like ClickOnce deployment and its abilities
but there was no information in any of the MS suggested materials that I had
that even mentioned this functionality. I only learned of its existance about
50 minutes before the test by surfing a blog regarding this exam and finding
that the author noted a large bank of questions dedicated to the subject. A
search on MSDN turned up a pretty good article regarding the subject but it
would of helped to have a nice MSDN available Framework 2.0 study guide,
providing links to MSDN documentation and quckstarts encompassing all of the
new functionality of the Framework. I would beleive this would serve as a
great resource not just for test takers but for all persons familar with the
1.0 and 1.1 models to go straight to what's new in the Framework without
having to dig through based on control or search term. All in all I thought
the exam was overall a good test of knowlege on the 2.0 framework however I
did not find enough study material available to suffice for this detailed
exam.

I'll be taking the 554 today and I haven't found a good source of study
material for this either. I beleive that there is no book currently in print
on this matter whatsoever but from searching blogs others have noted a large
number of questions regarding WSE 3.0. If you search the MSDN library you'll
see a few docs regarding patterns and so forth. I haven't found anything
solid so I guess I'll just be winging it today based on my knowlege of the
2.0 implementation.

Best of luck to all

-Kasi

Note: Be careful for a few questions in which the wording in one sentance
contradicts the next. I found these questions to be more of a grammatical
trick than a gauge of subject knowledge. I hope that if we all make note of
it MS will stop producing questions "word trick" questions like this. I would
be more specific but I don't want to spoil the exam...