Reasonable Time frame for MCSA/MCSE

homerj742

I've been working for a small consulting company for a year and a half, building small networks. We're exclusive to Windows Server 2003 (standard, small business) and exchange 2003, XP Pro.

I just got my CCNA. Now I want to get MS Certified (while I'm waiting for new CCNP material).

What's a reasonable time frame to get an MCSA/MCSE?

Or heck, what's a reasonable time frame to prepare for 70-290 Exam?

Cessation

6months of jr admin exp here.
I am looking at 2 months for 290.
I would say around the same.
Havent failed an exam yet. Not planning on it either.

Goodluck,
Cess

jojopramos

Recommendable to finish it with jr admin experience....1 yr to 1.5 yrs...

Danman32

I took exams roughly once every two weeks. However, because of the phone volume as it is, I was able to apply about 3-5 hours of study per weekday, and some saturdays. I also have been working with NT class OS (NT,2K,2K3) for 8 years.

Megadeth4168

Depends on how easily you pick up on the material and how much you study.

I think you should be able to easily get an MCSA in 6 months time with some moderate to hard studying. I just wish I found the time and energy to devote to moderate to hard studying

Probably a year total for an MCSE.

Cessation

Danman32 wrote:

I took exams roughly once every two weeks. However, because of the phone volume as it is, I was able to apply about 3-5 hours of study per weekday, and some saturdays. I also have been working with NT class OS (NT,2K,2K3) for 8 years.

Ya.. dont listen to Danman cause that guy is rediculously smart...(I bet he even has that "photographic memory disease" =P).
I cant even pretend to think I could do an exam every 2 weeks.

So lets shoot for "Try" for Danmans pace but slow it down a bit if you dont understand fully" (which basically means go at your own rate)

homerj742

yeah Danman seems like a super stud-ier haha ok bad joke *groan*

I have testout material for MCSE/MCSA (10 discs total!) from my office. and I might pickup a copy of the Syngress book. That should suffice?

Danman32

Cessation wrote:

Ya.. dont listen to Danman cause that guy is rediculously smart...(I bet he even has that "photographic memory disease" =P).

Don't I wish! Though my mom claims I do have a good memory. It's getting mushy in my middle age though.

But I agree, go at your own pace. My example of my personal experience was only to state what was possible, not what was probable. It all depends on experience, comprehension and retention.

Cessation

Danman32 wrote:

My example of my personal experience was only to state what was possible, not what was probable. It all depends on experience, comprehension and retention.

LOL, reminds me of those comercials where people are using the "get rich quick" schemes. They always say... "Rusults are not normal..." and "dont expect"..
ha ha, thats awesome.

TeKniques

Well ... it took me 14 months to get my MCSE

Danman32

Two months per exam? That's not so bad.

Cessation

Danman32 wrote:

Two months per exam? That's not so bad.

Not bad at all. That is my max i want to spend on mine.
Just be happy you have your MCSE!

ocriggins

Well, I am going for my MCSA now. I am taking the 270 next week, but I hope to get in done a lot faster than two months an exam. Honestly, I am only going to study a week for the 270 and then another 2 more for the 290. This may be optimistic but I schedule the exam and then it forces me to study my butt off to pass it. I am not sure how hard the 270 is, but I took 3 days of studying to pass Network+. If you give yourself an entire weekend to study, you can get a lot done. I know for the 290 and 291 exams you need to setup up a lot of labs, but with Virtual Server being free thats easy to do. You can run DCPROMO a hundred times if you want. Just my opinion, but it's different for everything and everyone.

OC

Cessation

ocriggins wrote:

Well, I am going for my MCSA now. I am taking the 270 next week, but I hope to get in done a lot faster than two months an exam. Honestly, I am only going to study a week for the 270 and then another 2 more for the 290. This may be optimistic but I schedule the exam and then it forces me to study my butt off to pass it. I am not sure how hard the 270 is, but I took 3 days of studying to pass Network+. If you give yourself an entire weekend to study, you can get a lot done. I know for the 290 and 291 exams you need to setup up a lot of labs, but with Virtual Server being free thats easy to do. You can run DCPROMO a hundred times if you want. Just my opinion, but it's different for everything and everyone.

OC

Ya, thats great for you and all but some have things to do... like full time jobs as well as a full time Fiances' that keeps talking about the wedding details and does not want you to take time to study when you are away from work.... Wow... sorry. got sucked into my life for a sec.
Anways I love the girl so Its really good.

Megadeth4168

Cessation wrote:

ocriggins wrote:

Well, I am going for my MCSA now. I am taking the 270 next week, but I hope to get in done a lot faster than two months an exam. Honestly, I am only going to study a week for the 270 and then another 2 more for the 290. This may be optimistic but I schedule the exam and then it forces me to study my butt off to pass it. I am not sure how hard the 270 is, but I took 3 days of studying to pass Network+. If you give yourself an entire weekend to study, you can get a lot done. I know for the 290 and 291 exams you need to setup up a lot of labs, but with Virtual Server being free thats easy to do. You can run DCPROMO a hundred times if you want. Just my opinion, but it's different for everything and everyone.

OC

Ya, thats great for you and all but some have things to do... like full time jobs as well as a full time Fiances' that keeps talking about the wedding details and does not want you to take time to study when you are away from work.... Wow... sorry. got sucked into my life for a sec.
Anways I love the girl so Its really good.

HAHA! I can relate! My Fiance and I have been working on wedding plans, working full time and in addition to that I decided to go back to college! I've had a book for my next exam for 2 weeks now and have not even opened it yet!

Danman32

Well, you have fiances. Me, I am single and unattached. Had some opportunities, but they didn't pan out.

Doesn't help that my house is a disasterous mess, typical of a single bachelor that has a 50-mile-one-way commute.

TeKniques

Danman32 wrote:

Two months per exam? That's not so bad.

Yeah, it was pretty tough. Two hours of study every night for 5 days a week. I have a wife and 6 year old so it was a big commitment. But, you have to make some sacrafices to make yourself more money and advance your career.

ocriggins

Cessation wrote:

HAHA! I can relate! My Fiance and I have been working on wedding plans, working full time and in addition to that I decided to go back to college! I've had a book for my next exam for 2 weeks now and have not even opened it yet!

Yeah, I was the same way. I had a couple of Network+ books just sitting there untouched for months. I got annoyed last week and just scheduled the exam. I do have a full time job, but other than that I guess I am big loser--jk.

OC

drainey

TeKniques I fell your pain. I have an 8 year old and a 4 year old and a wife who doesn't understand the idea of studying when you already have a full-time job.

TeKniques

drainey wrote:

TeKniques I fell your pain. I have an 8 year old and a 4 year old and a wife who doesn't understand the idea of studying when you already have a full-time job.

Yeah, took me a while to mold her. Some women are impossible to make understand the importance of continuing education. Although some people are just content about treading water and not going anywhere.

Just take her out on the weekends, it makes up for all the studying

Danman32

Or perhaps find ingenius ways of getting the family to help you study, such as flash cards, quizing you, etc. Of course you would probably have to prepare your own flash cards since they wouldn't know what to ask you, but doing that by itself would help the study process.

Women want to help, even if it seems insignificant. Or so I am reading.

SWM

I also found it hard to get motivated to study (Wife 2 kids and full time job). Best method is to book your next exam as soon as you pass the last one. That way you can plan your time and you have to study.

bighornsheep

I'm giving myself 8-10 months for 70-291, 70-290, 70-270, 640-801.
In that order. Plus I have school full-time and work part-time to balance.

Would you say 291 and CCNA are the hardest in that list? I am guessing so, that's why I am doing those first and last.

ocriggins

Well to follow up on my I have no life so all I do is study speach, I did pass the 70-270 today with an 857. I have to admit, it wasn't too bad, by the end I was breezing through--couple very similar questions. I feel a bit more comforatble with the MS exam structure now. Does it retain this feel throughout all the MSCE exams?

LukeQuake

With fulltime work, my aim is for an exam every 1 1/2 Months.

elove_jm

LukeQuake wrote:

With fulltime work, my aim is for an exam every 1 1/2 Months.

i hope the aim aint dumping