Information overload - Struggling!

I passed the 70-270 with an 800 and i was always fairly confident. I haven't had a great deal of time to learn the 70-290 course and i feel like i'm struggling.

I have been going through CBT Nuggets and the MSPress book along with messing about on the Transcender where I average only around 60%.

With me not having a massive amount of time, what would you recommend that i spend my time on. I've got plans to do IIS tonight and TS tommorow - anything else which wouldn't have come on the 270 course? I mean i've not spent any time on Printers/Performance because it's pretty much the same as 270.

Like i say - with me only getting 60% on transcenders is worrying - anybody used them before? Are they at the same level as the exam, easier, or harder?!

Have the CBT Nuggets got enough info?

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

Mishra

You might want to continue studying CBTs and reading the MSpress book and doing the practice questions in the book. I wouldn't worry about transcenders until you have a fair overall knowledge of each chapter and have messed with things in your lab.

Practice questions should be near the end of your studies so you can catch up on the things you don't understand but you thought you did.

147

When I took the 270 I found the Transcender to be a little harder than the actual exam. However, I also credit the Transcender material for filling in the gaps in m knowledge after studying the Sybex book. I'm studying the MSPress book and CBT Nuggets for this one, andthen folloowing up with the Trancender tests. I'm not even installing the Transcender test until I'm done with the book and Nuggets.

Daniel333

I have to agree with everyone else. Save Transcender for the end to fill in the gaps.

I found the best approach is to use videos like CBT or www.vtc.com to get a good idea of what you are doing.

Then get TWO books on the subject and read them both. Sybex and Microsoft should be just fine. Do every question

Also run every lab in the book no matter how trivial.

I am not sure what to expect on the SIMs for this test (transcender can't help you here), but based on what I have seen in the prep on 70-290 you get a lot of "create user Timmy and and give him the ability to delete other user's print jobs." and "create a hidden shared folder, direct timmy's my documents to it and prevent him from using offline files"

GUI_Mess

Well, in the end - the system at the center where i was supposed to take the exam was experienceing problems so i didn't sit the exam. Have done some more prep work and extremely confident now - just need to do some WSUS work!

brad-

I'm kind of in the same boat. Ive watched all of the CBTNuggets twice, and read the sybex book for 290 twice. I figured after that, I should be able to start Trancenders so I did. I'm getting about 50-60% as well, and my morale is in the dumpster.

I'm going to a MS 5 day course for 290 in a couple of weeks so hopefully that will get me ready.

Trailerisf

Looking back to when I took the exam. The information seems overwhelming. Now, its childs play.

The best advice I can give you is read the material in the sybex text. Watch the CBT's and stop the movie. Replicate what they just did on your own server (as much as possible without trashing your AD) ... Start the movie and continue on. You need to understand the material. Know what they are going to do before they do it. Predict the next step. Then go back and re-read the text.

The exams are really basic. No sweat with the content. Its MS's weak-ass way of manipulating the material to confuse you.

I wrote an exam a month while working 60hrs a week and a new family. Its completely doable, don't get discouraged.

Forget the boot camps... Waste of money... Spend the money on CBT's and study yourself. You will save a tonne and be more prepared.

dynamik

brad- wrote:

I'm kind of in the same boat. Ive watched all of the CBTNuggets twice, and read the sybex book for 290 twice. I figured after that, I should be able to start Trancenders so I did. I'm getting about 50-60% as well, and my morale is in the dumpster.

I'm going to a MS 5 day course for 290 in a couple of weeks so hopefully that will get me ready.

Why are you feeling so down? Transcender has excellent explanations for each question. If that's not enough, that provide a list of sources for further study. You can always supplement that with google or technet too. Brush up on your weak areas and you'll be getting 100% within a week.

brad-

Trailerisf wrote:

Forget the boot camps... Waste of money... Spend the money on CBT's and study yourself. You will save a tonne and be more prepared.

Employer is paying for it

I bought the CBT and Trancenders on my dime.

snadam

brad- wrote:

Trailerisf wrote:

Forget the boot camps... Waste of money... Spend the money on CBT's and study yourself. You will save a tonne and be more prepared.

Employer is paying for it

I bought the CBT and Trancenders on my dime.

I HIGHLY recommend you pick up the MSPress book. If you know the book back to front, along with the material you already have, you should be able to pass this exam.

Transcenders have a tendency to have one single word change the entire question. It really makes you think. Keep chugging along and youll get it!