How long do you wait to re-take an exam?

Supposing you don't achieve a passing score on a Microsoft Exam, e.g. 500 instead of 700
How long would you wait to have another go?

I have always rescheduled about 8 weeks away, which usually gives enough time to brush up on the weaker areas, without getting too stale with the current knowledge you have.

Just as a matter of interest, how do YOU approach this?

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Comments

N2IT

Only taken one true MS exam SQL Developer scored a ~550 failed.

I never went back to take it again or restudy. I have failed other exams and went back to pass them. Infact never failed a second exam ever. I usually give myself another month and then retake an exam if I failed.

If you barely missed it, I would go back immediately.

nicklauscombs

i always schedule to resit a week out from when i failed. hit the books hard and give it another go.

undomiel

Haven't failed a Microsoft exam (I don't count betas taken just for a lark) but I failed the VCP a few times before passing. The first time I scheduled to take it a month later but the next two I scheduled for as soon as the waiting period would expire. That was special circumstances though, since I was working under the VCP4 upgrade to VCP5 deadline. Any other exam I don't think I would give myself a specific deadline. After a failure I would give myself 24 hours to cool down, then go back to the books and evaluate what I thought I knew. After getting an idea of how much more knowledge I need to cram in or correct I would schedule for whatever time frame it takes. I hate the waiting.

Asif Dasl

This is the Microsoft Exam Retake Policy - you must wait 24 hours for the second test, and then if you fail that then you have to wait 14 days.

erpadmin

Asif Dasl wrote: »

This is the Microsoft Exam Retake Policy - you must wait 24 hours for the second test, and then if you fail that then you have to wait 14 days.

Ummm....

I think the OP was asking how long we would personally wait before we sit down for another exam again, not a rehash of what Microsoft policy is.

I have failed MS exams before and I would wait one or two weeks (from 1st attempt to second...as opposed to waiting a whole 24 hours.) If it's second attempt to third attempt, then I do the whole legal two weeks.

Asif Dasl

Jeez your right erpadmin, totally skimmed that! If it was close then maybe a week but I would probably wait at least 2 weeks...

tpatt100

It depends, sometimes I have waited too long that I feel like "oh I will just take this week off and relax" and end up waiting too long I just cancel it and say to heck with it. Back in my nub days I failed the Microsoft TCP/IP test twice because I was so ticked off I failed the first time I came back the following week and thought "hey odds are in my favor of passing just with numerous attempts " and failed it again...

Asif Dasl

I forget which exam it was (70-291?) but I failed it anyway, a week later I got a bunch of questions that were so easy to me that I passed well over 700. You can get lucky in that way.

stlsmoore

I failed my first ever exam (CVoice) back in early March and I'm still not sure when I'm going to retake it. I've been very busy at work and in my personal life so it's been hard to get back into it fully. I did read two additional books to help beef me up on my weaker areas. I'm hoping I can retake it again soon.

David Morson

It all depends upon my preparation and how much time I can give for preparing my exam. I do not take risk to sit in exam until and unless I am sure that I have done enough preparation and studied sufficient to take a particular exam.

the_hutch

Haven't failed a test to date (with the exception of beta tests), but I've got my CISSP exam coming up and realize that there is definitely a chance with that one. The IT consulting firm that I'm doing my bootcamp through will actually let me resit another bootcamp course if I fail...free of charge. So one week

QHalo

Took me 12 months before I retook CCNA:S. OK I kinda just said screw it and went on, then my renewal came up.

steve13ad

I failed the 70-659 last month by one question. So I marinated in my own frustration for about a week and then spent the next three weeks reviewing EVERYTHING. I was more confident going into the test and the additional review really paid off.

the_hutch

steve13ad wrote: »

I failed the 70-659 last month by one question. So I marinated in my own frustration for about a week and then spent the next three weeks reviewing EVERYTHING. I was more confident going into the test and the additional review really paid off.

Yeah...don't forget to marinate. Its an important part of the process.

the_hutch

the_hutch wrote: »

Yeah...don't forget to marinate. Its an important part of the process.

Gotta be "well-seasoned" for the retake exam. <-- ...yup, see what I did there

LaduLaser

My rule #1 is to never register to take a test before I feel confident that I can pass it. I have read here about people who like to push themselves by setting deadlines and making detailed studyplans that'll keep them from doing stuff that is more fun but pointless, but I would never be able to forgive myself if I missed out on something fun just to be albe to take a test a week or two earlier in the calendar.

Only time I had to reschedule was with 70-680 (MCTS Win7). First try was close (668 points, 700 req), so I re-registered to take it again just three weeks later. Did worse on that second attempt and summer break '11 was coming up. So I took my time during the vacation to study a lot, especially googling+reading up on those things that were on the test but not in the book (effin Prometric...). Came back at the end of August (meaning 2 months between second and third attempt) and passed it.

So I guess my approach is to give it as much time as I feel I need in order to feel ready for a re-take. Depending of course on how close I was, if I was less than 40 points from a pass I'll just re-register ASAP.

Ch@rl!3m0ng

Depends failed the 70-643 and what with life going on and everything else gave myself about 3months to re-study everything. But think under normal times i would look at 4-6 weeks or until I felt ready! Have Just Pushed back my 60-647 exam as just not feeling the love at the mo.