Classroom Training

cjthedj45

Hey Everyone,

I have not posted for a while as I have been on holiday over xmas and new year. I have set myself a new years resolution of getting MCSA certified. I would also like to get certified in other areas I.E linux/unix Citrix and Cisco. I think having these certs will really strengthen my c.v and give me a better overall knowledge and hopefully I will be able to get into a better job.

Last year I passed my Network+ and 70-270 and now I'm just 2 exams away from the MCSA which I really want to get. I must admit though I'm finding it hard to get back into studying. I wondered if anyone could reccomend any classroom based training that is not going to cost an arm and a leg. I just want to get passed these exams a.s.a.p. I find that studying from books takes me longer and I'm more likely to get distracted. If anyone has any ideas how I can achive the exams quicker I would like to hear from you. I think I may find the classroom courses are to expensive and I have to use the books again. I have the microsoft training 70-290 book so may use that not unless there are any other suggestion.

I look forward to hearing from you

CJ

brad-

I am using CBT nuggets right now for 290 and 291.

For learning subject matter that I know nothing about, it is excellent.

Its not sitting in a classroom, which is always going to be expensive...but it's very similar, and its rewindable. Ive learned more in a month of watching the CBT nugget videos than I did in 4 years of college.

dynamik

brad- wrote:

I am using CBT Nuggets right now for 290 and 291.

For learning subject matter that I know nothing about, it is excellent.

Its not sitting in a classroom, which is always going to be expensive...but it's very similar, and its rewindable. Ive learned more in a month of watching the CBT nugget videos than I did in 4 years of college.

I agree. Only benefits of a classroom are hands-on and the ability to ask the instructor questions. You can setup a VM lab cheaply and easily and ask us questions. CBT Nuggets is the most economical way to go.

Daniel333

Well, I opted to "take a class" for 70-270/70-290 and then remembered why I dropped out of college.

After the teacher announced she didn't have her current MCSE. She also announced she had never used Vista before and said, and I quote, “we’ll be learning together!” I ended up writing a letter to the department head about the classes…

I am going to stop ranting now, before this gets too long.

I’ll just say. Even with a class you are going to have to buckle down, read the book and run the labs on your own. Find something that drives you and associate that with your success in your MCSA goal.


I recommend,
TestOut Videos
Sybex Books
Transcended Questions

And as far as asking questions go, this form is much more helpful than any class I have taken.

cjthedj45

Hi

Thanks for the tip I may look into CBT nuggets. I have actually brought some video training from quick cert which is presented by Bill Ferguson. I used it for the 70-270 but it was nowhere near enough material to get me passed the exams. The quick cert guys said all I would need would be the video training and that was it. I found this not to be the case though and I had to supplement it with a book.

cjthedj45

cheers guys for the quick replies. I guess I'm just looking for a quicker way to pass the exams. I think you guys may be right though and hitting the books maybe the way to go. After all I do want make sure what I have learned sticks and I can use it in my job. I have mailed a couple of classroom based training courses and I will wait to see what they are quoting. Probably to expensive for me though. I have just noticed microsoft are doing second shot on the exams until july so that gives me a goal to ge them done before the offer expires.

famosbrown

Daniel333 wrote:

Well, I opted to "take a class" for 70-270/70-290 and then remembered why I dropped out of college.

After the teacher announced she didn't have her current MCSE. She also announced she had never used Vista before and said, and I quote, “we’ll be learning together!” I ended up writing a letter to the department head about the classes…

I am going to stop ranting now, before this gets too long.

I’ll just say. Even with a class you are going to have to buckle down, read the book and run the labs on your own. Find something that drives you and associate that with your success in your MCSA goal.


I recommend,
TestOut Videos
Sybex Books
Transcended Questions

And as far as asking questions go, this form is much more helpful than any class I have taken.

Was this class a MOC (Microsoft Official Course) with a MCT (Microsoft Certified Trainer) instructing or just a class at a local college? The courses are great if you like Instructor-Led courses. The instructors I had were very knowledgeable, were current consultants, and have worked full-time in the industry before. The course will not prepare you for the exam at all...it's not a Bootcamp or anything. You will have full lab setup for all types of servers...ISA, Exchange, AD, RRAS configs, etc., an industry expert to ask questions and seek help from, peers to bounce ideas off of, and it's a good resume filler for Related Course work or education if you need that section.

After the courses, I usually read the book through, take the eLearning Course the course provide, which comes with another virtual lab online for playing with stuff, check out the Techexams forums and training tools, practice at home with labs to go over some of the things not stressed in the course, and of course TEchNet. Now that I've been in the loop for a little bit now, I don't see myself paying for courses anymore...I have the on the job and book knowledge now to really understand the new and old technology that will really help my self study. I also haven't had a job after beginning my certification track that didn't send you to these courses on their tab anyway...so I will still take the courses as long as they are paying.

Gundamtdk

I wondered if anyone could reccomend any classroom based training that is not going to cost an arm and a leg. I just want to get passed these exams a.s.a.p. I find that studying from books takes me longer and I'm more likely to get distracted. If anyone has any ideas how I can achive the exams quicker I would like to hear from you. I think I may find the classroom courses are to expensive and I have to use the books again. I have the microsoft training 70-290 book so may use that not unless there are any other suggestion.

I look forward to hearing from you

I have myself taken classes at a school (70-290, 70-291, 70-284) that follows the Microsoft class books and course outline.

The classes are great if you are just starting out with Microsoft.

But to my disappointment the official Microsoft books (2274 & 2275) do not cover enough material to do the exams.

To my shock, topics like IIS and terminal services are skipped in the course.

It's not just with this particular course.

I had contact other schools with the same results -- none of the classes would prepare you for the exam.

You are better off picking up a book, get CBT and one software exams and do them yourself if you want to write the exam.

michael_knight

I don't have any specific training center to suggest but If you take Public transportation to work, I would use the ride as study time. I study on the train myself. Or Better yet go to the Library for 30 minutes to an hour afterwork and study there, or just stay at work a little longer and study there. Or another suggestion which I think I'm going to do today, is to go to Hooters by yourself during Happy hour and study there. The downside to these suggestions is that they are in environments that might be semi noisy, but if the noise doesn't bother you you're ok. I myself haven't had a chance to get any lab time in, hopefully it doesn't hurt me too much, but I think that's needed as well.

Krank

Gundamtdk wrote:

I have myself taken classes at a school (70-290, 70-291, 70-284) that follows the Microsoft class books and course outline.

The classes are great if you are just starting out with Microsoft.

But to my disappointment the official Microsoft books (2274 & 2275) do not cover enough material to do the exams.

To my shock, topics like IIS and terminal services are skipped in the course.

It's not just with this particular course.

I had contact other schools with the same results -- none of the classes would prepare you for the exam.

You are better off picking up a book, get CBT and one software exams and do them yourself if you want to write the exam.

I agree with Gundamtdk, the Microsoft courses are usually just a resource for studying but shouldn't at any case be taken as the only study source. I have taken the courses for the exams 70-271, 70-272, 70-620 and actually I'm on the 70-290 and It's clear for me that I need something else. I have found VERY useful the MS Press Books and the Testout CDs plus Trascender or Selftest exam simulators.