Booked, but doubts...

pmann

I've booked my 217 exam for Thursday, but I'm getting a little tentative about it.

I feel good, but this exam just doesnt seem to have very much subject matter to it, when compared to the others I've done, unless I'm missing something

I've read Myers Passport book (twice), read the QUE EC2 book, done all of the questions in both books, done the practice disk that came with Myers book and done the transender tests (3x65 q's). [The usefulness of the transender tests has faded away since I've done them so many times I can click the answers without reading the questions!]

Does that sound like enough studying to go for it? Did other people find this an easy'ish exam?

pandimus

i found it to be a little tough..

Remember you can always reschedule

pmann

Well thats kind of scary to know, maybe I'll pull the plug and reschedule, I just dont feel right about it.

Recently I cant seem to pass a cert in my first shot, when I get a toughy question during an exam, I seem to get the yips and can't recover from that point, my brain turns into mush and I start questioning and doubting every other answer I click and then get panicky because I start running low on time. Guess I've got some kind of 'exam block'...

pandimus

it was definitly easier than 216 and sec+ if that is any comfort.

Pavlov

If you don't feel right about it, by all means, call and reschedule.

I failed the 217 exam my first try... I knew before I hit "Start" that I shouldn't have been sitting there. My brain just wasn't ready for the onslaught and my confidence crumbled with every question I knew I got wrong. I also knew I had a free voucher to retake it, so I went back and hit the books hard and came out swinging and mentally prepared to kick it's little butt the next night (I passed the 2nd time)

Bottom line, my advice is if you don't feel like you're truly ready for it then reschedule. Try going to the local bookstore and reading through the MS Press Training kit book and if they have the accompanying Readiness Review book, flip through it and see how you feel after reading their sample questions.

pmann

Yeah, you guys are right, so I pulled the plug on it and rescheduled it for a week Monday. I dont feel comfortable with it or particularly well prepared. There's no point in wasting the time or $'s.

A good little phrase comes to mind; To fail to prepare is to prepare to fail!

2lazybutsmart

rescheduling is a good thing to do; but remember, excessive rescheduling might make you 2 nervous for the actual encounter.

Good Luck!

jimmy420

Regarding your Transcender practice questions try to randomize the test.

You can accomplish this by clicking:
Exam --> Options --> General Tab --> click on the check box to Randomize Choices.

This may give you a little more usefulness out of the Transcender.

Good Luck with your test.

pmann

Good thinking, I didnt know that option was there.

Ive just got the full PrepLogic question set too, so Ill work through the weekend and by monday I should be ready to step up to the plate.

pmann

Nailed it (with 780) . Thought I did a lot better than I actually did, I didnt find the exam questions that challenging, mainly because they all seemed to be 'policy' related questions.

Didnt crack up this time either, but still needed 2 hours. Never mind, a pass is a pass.

Onto the next one...

janmike

Congratulations!

2lazybutsmart

Congratulations pmann.

Which one are you doing next?

pmann

I'll go for 70-220 next and then maybe finish with 70-214. I find the security side very interesting, it covers the whole network environment, all the hardware/software and it seems to be a growth area (with increasing recent interest from MS).

Im also quite interested in databases, but most of my background has been with Oracle. Id like to get a UNIX cert too, worked with UNIX for >20 years but never got a cert, maybe LINUX at some point.

oh 2lbs, I know you like puzzles, so here's one to think about that took me a whole day to work out...

You have 12 apparently identical quarters, but one is a fake. All you know is that the odd one is a slightly different weight to the others, it might be heavier or lighter. I'll give you a set of balance scales which you can use three times (i.e. three distinct weighings, no tricks) to identify the fake AND to determine whether its heavier or lighter than the others. [As a hint, there is no point in starting with six on one side and six on the other, since you cant tell whether the fake is heavier or lighter].

This is a little computer related in that subnetting kind of helps! Good luck, bet you cant solve this in less than 4 hours!

Lexxdymondz

Congrats on the pass pmann.

2lazybutsmart

oh pmann: I do like tricks and quizzess "with tricks" .

well this one isn't hard; and yes... there is no point with starting out with 6 and 6. In fact, I've done this quiz so many times without ever figuring out an easy way to "type the solution all out!!!".

You'll start working with 3 groups of 4. then you'll weigh 2 groups agains't each other. then you'll note which is up or down (this is true of if they don't balance). however, if they do balance then the bad one is in the 3rd group. else. you'll remove 3 coins from the left and place them aside. then you'll replace those three with 3 from the right. the you'll put 3 from the 3rd group on the right. and so on and so forth.

It's not had, but it's long. Have you tried to come up with an equation of some sort to solve it out with one booom!

2lbs.

pmann

I guess I probably dont know any puzzles that you havent come across.
Afraid I dont know any computer related ones, but before I get back to my studies, I cant resist challenging you with one of my favourites...

There is a long alleyway, a 30ft ladder is lent across the alleyway, with its top resting on the right wall and with its base butted up to the left wall. A 20ft ladder is lent across the alleyway in the opposite direction, with its top resting against the left wall and with its base butting the right wall. The distance from the point at which the ladders cross is 12ft from the ground. What is the width of the alleyway?

Sounds easy? Try it!