Basic questions and some advice please?

First off, this site is great and thank you all for the great information on this forum. I have just been hired by a small company to work in IT (Even though I applied for something completely different). They are requesting that I pass this exam before I start working. Initially I assumed this test would be a cakewalk just by the title. Of course I was quick to learn that it wont be. I have no prior IT experience, I'm just one of those guys who likes to fix things and figure out how it all works. I have been studying for the past 2 weeks and my deadline to pass the test is coming up (need to pass it in roughly 1.5 weeks from now) Any advice would be greatly appreciated. So far I've been using CBT Nuggets, http://www.mcmcse.com/microsoft/guides/index.shtml, and proprofs, and of course this site.

Basically, what else can you guys recommend for study aids that would be beneficial and which are free of charge. My funds are limited, my local libraries have a waiting list on the Sybex book (no other titles are available there).

Finally, can someone please clear up exactly what kind of questions will be on the exam? I'm not asking what material, but what type of questions (ie multiple choice). So far I have only heard of multiple choice questions for sure. I read in other places that there are, as of yet anyways, no simulation questions. In advance, thank you all for ur help and wish me luck! going to probably schedule the test on July 2nd b.c time is runnin out!

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royal

Hello yosha21 and welcome to the site. Obtaining this certification shows them that you have the knowledge and determination to get something done. It sounds like a good position to get you the skills to become a more knowledge IT guy. Congrats!

Here is the method I use to study:
1. Get my feet wet with CBT Nuggets regardless if I am familiar with the material or not.
2. Begin reading my main/first book
3. While reading, I will use sticky notes and use them as a bookmark when I want to review information that spans >1 page. If the information is a paragraph or so, I will summarize it into my own words and write it into a notebook.
4. Every so often, even while I'm reading, I will go back to my notebook and read what is in there as well as review the pages that have sticky notes.
5. I will always do the chapter questions. If I get something wrong, I make sure I understand why, and if needed, I will go back and review that information. I also try to understand why the wrong answers were incorrect.
6. I then finish the book and then do a skim to make sure I review sections that I felt like I was forgetting.
7. I then begin reading my secondary book if I feel the need to. Repeat steps 3-6.
8. I then review any CBT Nuggets when I want some extra clarification.
9. I then use a practice exam package such as Transcenders which tests me on my readiness. I'll warn you though, do not use this unless you feel you are completely ready. After the 1st usage, you have many of the questions/answers in your head which won't properly test your readiness your second time around.

Hope this helps.

yosha21

Thats good advice, I have only taken one or two practice tests before I started studying to gauge how much I already knew. I've tried to stay away from them until closer to the test so I will not just memorize answers like you said. But just to clarify, is the test made up of only multiple choice scenarios? And than you for your advice and quick response. After this exam, I'll be expected to take and pass the 290 exam in the coming couple months also. These tests just sound so intimidating!

BPM_33

yosha21 wrote:

Thats good advice, I have only taken one or two practice tests before I started studying to gauge how much I already knew. I've tried to stay away from them until closer to the test so I will not just memorize answers like you said. But just to clarify, is the test made up of only multiple choice scenarios? And than you for your advice and quick response. After this exam, I'll be expected to take and pass the 290 exam in the coming couple months also. These tests just sound so intimidating!

I'll be taking this same test in 2 months. Best thing is to clearly look at the objectives, be near a PC at all times so you can pop on to test concepts (i.e. group policies, user accounts, partitioning etc...), be prepared to go through a book twice and study/work hard.

Especially since you only have 1.5 weeks to go. Oh and get use to the long winded Microsoft test questions.