Back in the Saddle Again

So I'm getting back on the cert-horse, after falling off and not studying since I passed CCNA last November. (Seems like ages ago, now that I think about it.) My plan is to get through 70-293, then 70-298, and finish off my MCSE with 70-294. So, I sit down and do a Transcender exam to see where I am without any studying. . .

42%

Ouch. . . my pride.

I guess it's back to putting my nose to the grindstone. I'm going to start off by doing the TestOut course for this exam, complementing each section with the corresponding CBT Nuggets videos. After that, working my way through the MS Press book, (yeah, I know,) and doing some lab-work with a couple of Virtual PC installs of Windows Server 2003. Considering that I passed 70-291 back in July of 2006, there's going to be some review for me, but it's been way too long between exams, and I'm paying the price now. To anyone studying these exams, take it from me, do not wait this long between related tests. Or, if possible, any tests.

Well, wish me luck. I'm getting back in the game, studying up for exams. First MCSE, then MCITP: Enterprise Administrator, then back to the Cisco forums for some of that good ol' CCNP quality-time.

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Comments

Mishra

Don't show us up more! We already have a long way to go compared to you.

nel

Go on slowhand ride it like youve never rode it before!!!

Good luck man, keep us posted. im heading off into the cisco fairytale at the moment...

doom969

Good luck, you know you'll nail it !

1MeanAdmin

You had a good break, so you will make it!

Good luck!

drainey

Amen on waiting to long. To a couple of years off. Then my company decided I should get 2k3 MCSE. Studied for two weeks and took the 70-292 upgrade exam. Scored a whopping 485. talk about a sledgehammper to the ego. The worst part is I thought I had done well prior to the score showing up. Now it's back to the books and labs to do it the hard way.

Good Luck. I'm sure you'll nail it.

Slowhand

Heh, thanks for the vote of confidence, guys. Hopefully, my work-conditions will change to leave me less drained at the end of every day, so that I can actually get some studying done. For now, though, I'm trudging my way through it. Hopefully, I won't have such a big gap between this exam and the next set. I guess this is an exercise in patience, as well as technical knowledge, since there are so many things I want to do.

I keep thinking about MCITP: Enterprise Administrator, CCNP, the journey back to school, and beyond. Sometimes I just have to tell myself "stay focused, you can look to the horizon later. Right now, you've got to study. . . no matter how much you feel like you should already have done this test years ago". But, that's how they getcha. I guess I have to consider this re-ascension up the MS infrastructure hill my penance for slacking off and not having carried through with this stuff back in '06.

snadam

Slowhand wrote:

Heh, thanks for the vote of confidence, guys. Hopefully, my work-conditions will change to leave me less drained at the end of every day, so that I can actually get some studying done. For now, though, I'm trudging my way through it. Hopefully, I won't have such a big gap between this exam and the next set. I guess this is an exercise in patience, as well as technical knowledge, since there are so many things I want to do.

I keep thinking about MCITP: Enterprise Administrator, CCNP, the journey back to school, and beyond. Sometimes I just have to tell myself "stay focused, you can look to the horizon later. Right now, you've got to study. . . no matter how much you feel like you should already have done this test years ago". But, that's how they getcha. I guess I have to consider this re-ascension up the MS infrastructure hill my penance for slacking off and not having carried through with this stuff back in '06.

you and me both, but on a much lower and inferior level for me

Slowhand

snadam wrote:

you and me both, but on a much lower and inferior level for me

Nah, the only guys around that are inferior are the ones who qualify as chumps.

Mishra

Is all the 293 material review for you? When do you plan on taking the test?

snadam

Slowhand wrote:

Nah, the only guys around that are inferior are the ones who qualify as chumps.

good point

Slowhand

Mishra wrote:

Is all the 293 material review for you? When do you plan on taking the test?

A lot of it is, but there's plenty of new stuff to keep me busy. I'm green to clustering, for example. Essentially, since it's been so long since 70-291 and my initial tiny bit of reading for this exam, I'll have to treat the material as if though it was brand-new to me. As for scheduling the exam, I was hoping to be ready in a few weeks. I'd like to be able to sit for the exam early or mid-May.