MCTS / MCPD - which exam first?

Hi all,
According to MS the MCTS exams are (and you need MCTS before you can get MCPD(?)):

Exam 70-536: TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 - Application Development Foundation
Exam 70-526: TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 - Windows-Based Client Development
Exam 70-528: TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 - Web-Based Client Development
Exam 70-529: TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 - Distributed Application Development

I have some C#/Framework v1.1 experience already (win and web) and just assumed the 70-536 was the first exam I should take?

I've heard its a bit tough though. Should I go for 70-526 or 70-528 first instead? Does it matter??

Any input would be great, especially from anyone that has MCTS or MCPD. (I have never done any MS Cert. before).

Thanks.

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Webmaster

just assumed the 70-536 was the first exam I should take

It seems to be the common one to take first. It provides a foundation for the other three.

Should I go for 70-526 or 70-528 first instead? Does it matter??

In my opinion it doesn't. I guess people who have more experience with win apps will go for 526 first.

and you need MCTS before you can get MCPD(?)):

Yes, but note that you only need 2 MCTS exams to become MCTS. The 70-536 and one of the others.

pstanley

Thanks Johan.

Sounds like I need to do:
70-536: TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 - Application Development Foundation
whatever I end up finishing on (MCTS or MCPD), so yeah would be logical to start with it.

thanks

Webmaster

You're most welcome, and keep us posted about your progress. I hope to start some serious preparation for this exam myself this year. The 70-536 seems like a lot, but that puts some value in "foundation".

pstanley

Webmaster wrote:

You're most welcome, and keep us posted about your progress. I hope to start some serious preparation for this exam myself this year. The 70-536 seems like a lot, but that puts some value in "foundation".

will do.

let me know if you use any other resources apart from the "MCTS Self Paced Training Kit: Microsoft.NET Framework 2.0 Application Development Foundation" book -- which i intend to buy shortly.

cheers

Webmaster

I used the MSpress Training Kits for all my MS exams and will continue to do so, even though I heard some negative notes about this one, I heard from our moderator JDmurray it's not bad at all.

As for other resources:

www.techexams.net/mcts/70-536.shtml

I'll continue to expand that list with resources I, or others, find useful, but really, I use Google the most. There are so many good (VB).NET related sites that are not directly created for the certifications, but contain tons of useful and relevant information. And just as with all Microsoft exams, hands-on practice is the best way to prepare for the exam. A month or so before the exam I will get a commercial set of practice questions if I can find any good and clean ones. We also planned to add some more MCTS material to TechExams.net this year, hopefully some practice exams as well.

Since you mentioned you have some C# experience already, you might want to check out XNA Game Studio Express as well. I already checked with MS and it seems very unlikely that they will create a cert for just the XNA framework, but for me the XNA GSE beta was a fun intro in C#. I'll be going for VB.NET though.

mvastarelli

pstanley wrote:

I've heard its a bit tough though. Should I go for 70-526 or 70-528 first instead? Does it matter??

I took 536 first. I can't comment on the other tests, but it was a bit tricky.

senips

I am just another guy onto MCTS certification path.. A question for mvastarelli, could please describe the exam that you took (536) like how hard the question, each area 1/2 questions asked or, how tricky is that? ... MSPress book is enough? etc.,