Mcas

Rumpel

Anyone done these and can recommend a company (UK based) to go through for all the study material?

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impelse

Are you talking MCSA (Micosoft)?

Rumpel

Hi, no it`s Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS).

Devilsbane

I took the 77-601? and became MCAS certified in word. Don't know if it helped me get a job, but my thinking was that since I was looking to break into the IT field I was probably going to start at helpdesk. And knowing the ins and outs of office would be an advantage.

I would say go for it. Even if it didn't help me get a job, I learned a lot of cool little tricks. I wish I would have learned Excel more than word, I think that would be more beneficial, but at the time I just wanted a quick cert and I already had a good grasp of word.

The test is 100% performance based. It is identical to a real word application minus the help feature. A little banner at the bottom gives you 2-3 tasks to do and you just implement them. For example: Bold this, underline that, style this, and indent that. That could be one of the questions.

RobertKaucher

Yes, MS has reached the point that they are running out of nonconfusing acronyms and abreviations. There are now two DACs in SQL Server...

NinjaBoy

In the UK, I've used and recommend Tresham College

The guy (Ian) that does the MCAS/MOS is a mate and can run rings round me (with office, not technical things).

-Ken

TheShadow

Well you can take this with a grain of salt from someone that has taught MOS (2003) and MCAS (2007) classes; it is practice that will see you through. If you do not have much office experience before going to a class then the class duration will probably not be long enough for you to pass the exams. I do not know about the UK but many colleges offer semester long classes in the states.

Learning Office is entirely different from preparing to pass the MCAS exams, and classes are best for learning Office only in my experience. Others may give you different advice, but my experience was from adults working on modules several hours per day.

As mentioned in a previous post these exams are 100% performance based. The time, unlike Microsoft's other exams, is marginal unless you are a very good touch typist and know most of the functions like you use them everyday in your normal job. The Access and Excel tests are especially brutal since they no longer have general and expert versions of the exams, like the 2003 versions. They settled on something in between for 2007

Considering what a class would cost you, I would recommend getting Trainsignals Office 2007 training set which is on sale right now for $397 U.S.

Microsoft Office 2007 Training Package - Microsoft Word 2007, Excel 2007, PowerPoint 2007, Access 2007, Outlook 2007, Visio 2007 | Train Signal

I have no connection with Trainsignal other than using many of their products over the years. You then have something to review as you practice your speed.

We used exam simulation software by In Demand Training Solutions, a spin off of DDC publishing which is a spin off of Pearson-Vue. That package is very good but I did have an affiliation with them as a Alpha and Beta tester so I will leave this one alone. They may have changed hands again anyway, happens a lot in the training business.

What ever you decide to do remember time is your enemy in the MCAS exams; do not take them lightly. It is not enough to know how, if you think about it for a second, you must know how without thinking. I have seen lots of over confident people be surprised by Certiports Office exams. Definitely second shot canidates if Certiport offers them when you are ready.

Best of luck to you.

Devilsbane

Shadow, I have to disagree with you. At least with the word exam. I don't see a class being that beneficial. (EDIT: Let me rephrase that, it would be beneficial. But I think it would go to slowly and thus bore you and cost more money) I've used word for school, and I think we all have. I came in with an understanding of how to type and do some light formatting. I had never used styles or templates before. I had limited experience with track changes and had never really worked with password protection.

I read a book (Which I will go try to find a link to in a few minutes) which was really good. I read almost all of the book in front of my laptop and took time to "play" quite often. I found the book to be very informational. There were review questions at the end of every chapter and even full tests at the end. My only gripe is that the tests are question based and not performance based. But if you did plenty of play time along the way, this shouldn't be that big of a deal.

I used the free *********** software. It gives you real life exams, integrates with word just like the test does. My only gripe with this piece of software is that it is a 10 question trial and I couldn't figure out how to buy the full version.

Devilsbane

Here is the book I used. Which includes instruction for Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook and Access. Not a bad deal for $28. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0789737744/ref=oss_product

Also, I don't believe that the software I used should be *******'d out. It was far from being a ****. It would give you a timed exam with 10 questions (more if you buy the full version, which of course I couldn't find out how to buy) and tell you to do a couple things to a word document it opened. You click finish and go to the next question. At the end it would give you a score, out of 10. I don't even remember if it gave instructions on how to do the problem correctly or it I had to go elsewhere to find out how.

I can, however, see how the name sounds like a **** site. But at least from what I used it for, I assure you it isn't.

EDIT: I also used the trial from Ucertify. That was also question based and was similar to the questions that were included off the cd.

earweed

If you check it on certguard it was probably a ****. I know you may disagree but the filter is rarely wrong.

Devilsbane

(See CertGuard's Review) Safe

However, the link doesn't work since the forums filtered it.

This is the report.

This site appears to be providing their own study material, or they are a legal reseller for another practice test provider that writes their own questions and answers. We've completed in-depth investigations of the site, it's forums, and other related sites (including the ownership and affiliations). THIS is the kind of PTP you should be looking for.

EDIT: I discovered this software because I received the full retail version for both A+ tests from a pair of Jean Andrews books (A+ guide to hardware and A+ guide to software) that I was required to purchase for a class. Barely used the software though, went instead with Transcender. I don't think Jean Andrews would be handing out **** software.

earweed

Well, I said rarely

As far as MCAS's the OP may want to check on what exams are being retired in October http://www.techexams.net/forums/general-certification/54197-microsoft-announces-exam-retirements.html
to see what ones not to go for.

Devilsbane

No MCAS exams are being retired. In fact I don't even think any of the MOS exams (same thing but for 2003) are being retired.

Devilsbane

Just looking in, it looks like you can still take the office 2000 and office xp certs, although it is quite hard to find a testing center for them. None by me, but if you do a search for just the United States, it will start to list them in the country. It only shows 1 page of 200 and only gets down to Adamsville.

Use OrganizationLocatorView to find a testing center.

TheShadow

Devilsbane wrote: »

Shadow, I have to disagree with you. At least with the word exam. I don't see a class being that beneficial. (EDIT: Let me rephrase that, it would be beneficial. But I think it would go to slowly and thus bore you and cost more money) .

Are we disagreeing? I said I do not believe a class is good for passing the test and you seem to say the same thing. As far as learning, Word is the easiest of the exams. Even powerpoint has a few gotcha's. But take the Excel exam and see what you think.

As far as being bored in a class that really could be the instructors fault. If your class is boring that is because your teacher may be a bore. A student should take away from each lesson a reason why they want to learn a thing and when they would want to apply it in real life. This is a question that I ask myself when I take a class, watch a video or read a technical book or specification. If I can't answer that question then someone has not done their job, it may be the author however that someone may be me. I rarely get bored with any type of learning for that reason.

Whether you take a class, read a book or watch a video depends on the type of learner that you naturally are. Some absolutely need a class and hand holding and while there is nothing wrong with that as I mentioned in my last post, it is not sufficient to pass MCAS exams. Now I believe in a round about way you are stating that a class was not beneficial, to you, so I do not comprehend the point of disagreement.

Devilsbane

Just a heads up, as of June 2nd this cert will be named MOS (Microsoft Office Specialist) just like the previous office certs.

@Shadow What I'm saying is that sitting in an office class would make my ears bleed, doesn't matter who the teacher is. (At least a college class that I am customed to, meeting 4 hours a night for 16 weeks)

shon541

Rumpel wrote: »

Hi, no it`s Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS).

And to make sure people continue to be confused, they renamed it again.

MCAS now to be called MOS 2007.

What's Happening to MCAS? - Born To Learn

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/office-cert-update.aspx#overview

Devilsbane

shon541 wrote: »

And to make sure people continue to be confused, they renamed it again.

MCAS now to be called MOS 2007.

It actually isn't that confusing. Since the MOS credential has been used for years. People understand that a Microsoft Office Specialist is one that knows Microsoft Office. What is a Microsoft Application Specialist? An expert at applying Microsoft??

I got this email yesterday notifying me that my credential was changing. It says I can get a new certificate, but it doesn't say that it is free, and it probably isn't.

Good thing I never updated my business cards with MCAS.

Rumpel

Interesting reading, cheers guys.