Transcender/Kaplan vs Real Exam

XxNooniexX

Hello Everyone,

Been studying for quite a while now and I’m starting to get the hang of the practice exams. I’m curious though about the difficulty of the exams in comparison to the practice ones. The practice exams seem really picky and seem to discourage you quite easily as a result. Since these will be my first MCSA exams and it is first time I have used these practice exams to study from, I’m not really sure what to expect.

What do you guys think?

ed_003

Im studying and want to take some practice test but im not sure of which one. How is transcender?

alokin123

Transcender/Selftest are pretty close the real thing in terms of question type and difficulty. I remember reading somewhere that the people that develop these practise tests for Kaplan actually sit the real thing and then develop the practise test.

A lot of the questions you will find are as difficult as the real thing. I normally make notes based on the explanation in the practise tests.

ed_003

i like to do the same thing but i just dont want to spend money on one and it not be efficient

XxNooniexX

Thanks alokin123, hopefully they’ll help me pass then!

Ed_003, Transcender is very efficient, it would be definitely worth the money. I’ve found that it really clues you in as to how questions are asked and it really goes to show how much you truly know about the topics. I guess with my exams getting closer and closer I’m just losing my nerve when it comes to taking them that’s all. I can honestly say I have learnt a lot from them though, between the practice questions and the flash cards I’ve learnt loads. The only thing I would say though is don’t use them as your only resource as there are one or two questions that are a little outdated (most of the questions are very relevant so I wouldn’t worry too much but it really helps to use additional resources to improve your learning).

alokin123

i normally buy a combination of both Transcender and Measureup. Transcender is definitely harder but Measureup can throw up different lines of questioning on exam topics

XxNooniexX

alokin123 wrote: »

i normally buy a combination of both Transcender and Measureup. Transcender is definitely harder but Measureup can throw up different lines of questioning on exam topics

Thanks for the comparison alokin123. I would have preferred to buy the two but unfortunately I can’t afford it at the moment (trying to find work in the Middle East is a nightmare for a newbie). Got 92% in the 70-688 practice yesterday so I’m praying I might be alright, still freaking out over the exams though. I only get one chance a year to take them as I have to fly home to the UK first, so that adds to the pressure a little bit! Just got to keep my fingers crossed I guess and keep on studying.

ed_003

sounds good XxnooniexX! does it give explanations on the answers?

XxNooniexX

ed_003 wrote: »

sounds good XxnooniexX! does it give explanations on the answers?

Thanks Ed-003! Yes, it does give very detailed explanations as to why an answer is right and why the others are wrong, and underneath it even gives you hyperlinks to Technet articles so you can learn the topics in more detail. I’ve learnt quite a bit just from running through the questions like that. With Transcender, you can choose from three different modes; there’s a learning one where you can go through the questions without being timed (and you can look at the answers and explanations here), there is a timed mode (to try to simulate a proper testing experience) and a flash card mode which helps you to learn the material. I personally haven’t used the timed mode so much as I seem to be able to read quite quickly but I use the other two all the time and they are very useful.

ed_003

XxNooniexX wrote: »

Thanks Ed-003! Yes, it does give very detailed explanations as to why an answer is right and why the others are wrong, and underneath it even gives you hyperlinks to Technet articles so you can learn the topics in more detail. I’ve learnt quite a bit just from running through the questions like that. With Transcender, you can choose from three different modes; there’s a learning one where you can go through the questions without being timed (and you can look at the answers and explanations here), there is a timed mode (to try to simulate a proper testing experience) and a flash card mode which helps you to learn the material. I personally haven’t used the timed mode so much as I seem to be able to read quite quickly but I use the other two all the time and they are very useful.

Nice XxNooniexX, i tried the demo and it was good! how much did u pay for it ?

XxNooniexX

ed_003 wrote: »

Nice XxNooniexX, i tried the demo and it was good! how much did u pay for it ?

Hi Ed_03,

Sorry for such a late response, I've been preparing to take my exams next week so I've been cramming like mad!

I paid $168.00 for mine but that was because I had to download them rather than use a CD (I don't have a postal service where I live lol). I got mine from Kaplan's website as a bundle for the two exams because Transcender is more expensive (it has a few more questions though) and I didn't want my parents paying that much for it. If you wanted to purchase just the CD, it costs $117.30, a bit cheaper if that's what you're looking for.

It might be different for you depending on your situation and if you're studying for one exam or the two.