294: Check, 297: Not so much...

Took both the 294 and 297 on Saturday. 294 must be really deceiving. I was feeling pretty confident going through the questions, I thought I had the correct answer on most of the questions and the ones that I wasn't sure of, I was able to eliminate a couple of the answers. I was so confident when I got throught that I didn't even review the ones I marked. I was expecting a 8xx score, but only ended up getting a 723. My score report didn't print out, so I don't know what my weak area(s) was, but will get them to email me a copy.

I severly underestimated 297. Since I thought I remembered the info from the previous tests, I didn't read any of the 297 material, just did a couple of MeasureUp case studies to see the format of the exam. I was feeling pretty good through the first two case studies, and even at the end, I thought it was going to be close, but I was dead wrong. The score was 5xx. My lowest (less than 50%) domain was "Creating the Conceptual Design by Gathering and Analyzing Business and Technical Requirements." I just purchased the Self Test practice exams for this and will re-sit it in a couple of weeks.

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Comments

aordal

Congrats on 294 though! Alot of people seem to have problems with that one so at least you got that one out of the way. Not all hope is lost! I'm sure you'll do fine on the next one.

NetAdmin2436

It's not often I get to say this but....Congrats on your pass and sorry to hear about the fail.

I still don't know how you guys can sit through multiple MS exams on the same day. One 3 hour exam is enough for me.

meadIT

Thanks for the grats/condolensces.

I have to drive 1.5 hours for a testing center that is open on the weekends, and I was so close (or so I thought) to finishing the MCSE (and had a second shot) that I just wanted to try and knock both of them out. Now I have to get up early on my birthday to go take another test.

Mishra

Sorry to hear. I thougth the same thing of the 294 but turned out to be a MUCH less score. >_< I knew all the topics pretty well but I'm always not on track with the MS answer.

The 297 sounds like it is terrible... It almost makes me want to take it. lol

dynamik

Congrats! Did you use the second shot offer? 500s is still pretty close, so you'll probably nail it after a little review.

NetAdmin2436 wrote:

It's not often I get to say this but....Congrats on your pass and sorry to hear about the fail.

Seriously. What's up with all these people only taking one exam per day?

NetAdmin2436 wrote:

I still don't know how you guys can sit through multiple MS exams on the same day. One 3 hour exam is enough for me.

Have you ever come close to using all that time though?

Mishra wrote:

The 297 sounds like it is terrible... It almost makes me want to take it. lol

Sadistic!

NetAdmin2436

dynamik wrote:

NetAdmin2436 wrote:

It's not often I get to say this but....Congrats on your pass and sorry to hear about the fail.

Seriously. What's up with all these people only taking one exam per day?

Health reasons.... otherwise my brain would explode.

dynamik wrote:

NetAdmin2436 wrote:

I still don't know how you guys can sit through multiple MS exams on the same day. One 3 hour exam is enough for me.

Have you ever come close to using all that time though?

Some of us are slow readers

dynamik

NetAdmin2436 wrote:

Health reasons.... otherwise my brain would explode.

Hah, I was just teasing. The only ones I've doubled-up on were 298 and 299. They overlap for the most part, and 299 is a really short exam.

NetAdmin2436 wrote:

Some of us are slow readers

My reading ability isn't anything special. Do you flag/review questions? I always end up second-guessing myself, so I just skip that step. I'd take significantly longer if I reviewed. Plus, I think all the time I put in Transcender outside of the exam has really honed my ability to decipher what they're looking for and answer according.

NetAdmin2436

dynamik wrote:

Do you flag/review questions? I always end up second-guessing myself, so I just skip that step. I'd take significantly longer if I reviewed. Plus, I think all the time I put in Transcender outside of the exam has really honed my ability to decipher what they're looking for and answer according.

Yeah, I may mark 3 or 4 questions and come back and review them first. I *try* to review the rest of the questions after that. I just hate failing, so I tend to be conservative and use all my time....Honestly though, I probably could go without all that since I only tend to change 1 answer.

undomiel

I did the 298 & 294 in the same day. It wasn't one of my better ideas though I did pass both. I noticed that in the second test I was second guessing myself a whole lot more than I did in the first test, and I usually have myself disciplined to not second guess without a darn good reason. I probably won't do two tests in the same day again unless ones a pretty easy test.

Thiassi

Bleh, I hate the 297 exam with a passion.

Took me three attempts to pass it. I passed every other exam for the MCSE without much of an issue.