MCSE...It only took 7+ years...passed 298

PASSED 298 this morning with a score of 700!!! I HATE this exam format

. I did just well enough from my last test to pass (678 score). Suggestions are to read the forums here on test taking techniques. I did the question first/case study last method. TIME MANAGEMENT IS KEY. I luckily only had 1 testlet that really had my scratching my head to find the BEST answer and eventually made a semi-educated guess on the final question.

Either way, That should wrap up my MCSE 2003 track!!! I'm just eagerly awaiting my confirmation email from Microsoft.

My study material this time was:
MS-Press 70-299 book
Sybex 70-298 Book
Transcender
CBT Nuggets 70-298
Forums
MS site
Labs

Sincerely,

-Latest Member of the 700 Club

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

RobertKaucher

Welcome to the 700 and the MCSE: Sec club! I got a 700 exactly on my first SQL Server exam. That blew chunks. But the score that really killed me was for the 70-294. I thought I was going to score in the mid maybe low 800s. Low 700s. Only test I ever passed that the passing score made me angry.

veritas_libertas

Congratulations

xenodamus

Congrats - quite an accomplishment, regardless of the timeframe.

Mishra

It's the MCSE pass post! I've been waiting for years to see this!

Congrats!

As much time as you had for this, I bet you can throw out ldap queries in your sleep.

Essendon

Congrats!!! Achieving the MCSE status is no small feat.

snadam

Mishra wrote: »

It's the MCSE pass post! I've been waiting for years to see this!

Congrats!

Me too Mishra, me too

Mojo_666

Grats, I did my first exam in 2006, my last in 2009 but 7 years is epic. I am guessing that you ahd a busy 7 years of gainfull employment in that time?..which is just as epcic as getting the MCSE IMO.

But anyways, big Grats \0/

snadam

Mojo_666 wrote: »

Grats, I did my first exam in 2006, my last in 2009 but 7 years is epic. I am guessing that you ahd a busy 7 years of gainfull employment in that time?..which is just as epcic as getting the MCSE IMO.

But anyways, big Grats \0/

Heh, to be technical, I achieved MCP status in 06. However, I've been wanting to be acquire MCSE status since the 2003 track came out for the most part. And yes, gainful employment REALLY slowed me down. Most of my motivation to get certified was to get out of where I was. Once I moved on, work hours went way up and cert desire went way down.

Mishra

snadam wrote: »

Heh, to be technical, I achieved MCP status in 06. However, I've been wanting to be acquire MCSE status since the 2003 track came out for the most part. And yes, gainful employment REALLY slowed me down. Most of my motivation to get certified was to get out of where I was. Once I moved on, work hours went way up and cert desire went way down.

I probably would tune that up to

REALLY slowed me down

Slowhand

Big congrats to you, snadam!

That "work" stuff really cuts into the study-time, doesn't it? I'm glad you finally knocked the MCSE out, it's good to see you didn't give it up. (Gives me a little bit of hope that I can finish the damn thing up before long, here.

)

Psoasman

Congrats! Wow, good for you!

Daniel333

Great job man!!!

mikedisd2

Top stuff, and it's there to stay as well.

Mine took me from '06 to '09 to complete as well. 2x MCPS in 2x years, then crammed the rest in the 10 months.

Turgon

snadam wrote: »

PASSED 298 this morning with a score of 700!!! I HATE this exam format . I did just well enough from my last test to pass (678 score). Suggestions are to read the forums here on test taking techniques. I did the question first/case study last method. TIME MANAGEMENT IS KEY. I luckily only had 1 testlet that really had my scratching my head to find the BEST answer and eventually made a semi-educated guess on the final question.

Either way, That should wrap up my MCSE 2003 track!!! I'm just eagerly awaiting my confirmation email from Microsoft.

My study material this time was:
MS-Press 70-299 book
Sybex 70-298 Book
Transcender
CBT Nuggets 70-298
Forums
MS site
Labs

Sincerely,

-Latest Member of the 700 Club

Congratulations! I shouldn't worry. I'm going on 10 years on and off to finish the CCIE but have been very gainfully employed throughout the whole process. Work pays the bills and there is also life to consider, marraige and children. Both require your time and focus. So long as the good things in life are progressing there really is no rush.

N2IT

snadam wrote: »

PASSED 298 this morning with a score of 700!!! I HATE this exam format . I did just well enough from my last test to pass (678 score). Suggestions are to read the forums here on test taking techniques. I did the question first/case study last method. TIME MANAGEMENT IS KEY. I luckily only had 1 testlet that really had my scratching my head to find the BEST answer and eventually made a semi-educated guess on the final question.

Either way, That should wrap up my MCSE 2003 track!!! I'm just eagerly awaiting my confirmation email from Microsoft.

My study material this time was:
MS-Press 70-299 book
Sybex 70-298 Book
Transcender
CBT Nuggets 70-298
Forums
MS site
Labs

Sincerely,

-Latest Member of the 700 Club

I think more people should take this approach. People who fly through certifications, especially intricate ones very rarely retain the information. I am sure there are some special cases, but those people are the same ones who really don't need the certs. Obviously you have system admins and other position which touch a lot of these technologies and I can see the learning curve ramped up for them. But people who have only been in the industry 1-2 years that have dozens upon dozens of certs and even the high level ones looks bizarre.

Anyway I just wanted to give you props, because I think you did it right!

Turgon

N2IT wrote: »

I think more people should take this approach. People who fly through certifications, especially intricate ones very rarely retain the information. I am sure there are some special cases, but those people are the same ones who really don't need the certs. Obviously you have system admins and other position which touch a lot of these technologies and I can see the learning curve ramped up for them. But people who have only been in the industry 1-2 years that have dozens upon dozens of certs and even the high level ones looks bizarre.

Anyway I just wanted to give you props, because I think you did it right!

Becoming a craftsman takes years anyway. The ancient Greek masons could exactly judge the fluting on a marble column by eye as they worked the stone. You dont get that skilled in a hurry.

bertieb

Yeeeeeeeeeessssss! Fantastic news Snadam, I've been following your progress and ups and downs on this path but am really chuffed you stuck with it and 'won'. Congrats fella!!

Mojo_666

snadam wrote: »

Heh, to be technical, I achieved MCP status in 06. However, I've been wanting to be acquire MCSE status since the 2003 track came out for the most part. And yes, gainful employment REALLY slowed me down. Most of my motivation to get certified was to get out of where I was. Once I moved on, work hours went way up and cert desire went way down.

That's almost identical to me, although I did 3 exams in 2006, then faced getting laid off at the end of 2009 but I had 12 months heads up to finish my certs so thats what I did.

snadam

Wow, thanks for the responses! I finally saw MCSE on my MCP Transcript Sunday morning! (not that I was looking almost every waking hour

Mishra wrote: »

I probably would tune that up to

REALLY slowed me down

Mishra, funniest thing I read this weekend!

wedge1988

Go you. Fair play snadam

Plus side is that i'm just about to do 70-647 & 649

so i might be making some notes

Bulletz

Congrats!!! on getting your MCSE, Thats a great Achievement, you are a certified Engineer mate

Dakinggamer87

Congrats on becoming MCSE certified!!

I'm hoping to get there this year

Johnny Johnson

Congratulations!

I have followed your posts for a few years now. I have one test left to go for a MCSE and it has been since 2004 that I got my first MCP. I originally went for a Windows 2000 track but started up again in 2008 and changed to 2003. I've just been very slack.