Advice for 70-298

DirtyWilly

Failed the 70-298 today, first attempt with a 578. Does anyone have some words of wisdom for this brutal test?

I had around 8+ testlets with a total of around 50+ questions. Does this seem a little excessive? Did anyone else have this many questions? There's no possible way someone could have completely read through all of those including the questions in time.

So far I've used the 70-299, 70-298, CBT, and Transcender, but there's only a month left to get this done before it expires. I'm going to schedule the official MS 2830b course, but I'm just not sure it will help. Also have the Sybex 70-298. Content wasn't the issue.

I feel I could study for this test for 6 more months and get a worse score.

Any words of advice, training material, encouragement, how your tests went; all welcome.

RoyalRaven

Took it today - 593. Felt confident with almost all of it, but I must have mixed up a few things. I'm back in two days to try again. I read the questions and then tackled the data....usually attacking the questions after reading one or two. Some questions stick out easily, others require knowing EXACTLY what detail is needed for the best answer. I tried to speed read, which helped me have quite a few minutes at the end to cycle through my answers one last time. I did catch one where something in the data contradicted what I originally though outright...did correct it, but I wonder if I missed some minute detail on others. Don't let it beat you up...having self confidence and determination is the only way I made it through with a sane head. I also felt the same - could prepare forever for this one....but I walked in knowing I had a good chance. Covering the areas I felt I need to brush up on before I sit again shortly.

RoyalRaven

I kid you not, I got the EXACT same score - 593 on my second try. I re-read the whole 299 MS Press book again and was even more confident with the materials (heck I have been working with most of this stuff for 10+ years). My business and technical requirement section took a major hit though..and this time I read practically everything in the text AND still have plenty of time to answer the questions. What really irked me is that multiple testlets were similar to my first attempt. While some were nice to see again, a couple of them are just a mess and I never wanted to see them. I really do think there is not a large testlet pool for this test. Trying one more time....the last day it's available!

DirtyWilly

Royal, I took it a second time and got the exact same score you did, exactly. I felt exactly like you did, exactly. I was very confident, I thought for sure it was going to say I passed at the end. I feel I could study for this for 6 months and still get the same score.

I've been trying all sorts of methods for working through the case studies and questions. Reading the questions first, reading the study first, answering first and confirming in the study... I can't say what works best. One thing I will say is I wrote down every single case study. I would immediately erase it and the notes were sloppy/unreadable with the markers they give you, but writing it down helped me commit it to memory. I never ran out of time using this method of ultra sloppy note taking, but I was still rushed through the questions. This method was a little tougher for time allowance on 1-2 of the longer case studies. Again, never had to guess, didn't run out of time, but rushed on a few.

I will also be taking it on the last possible day.

RoyalRaven

There's quite a few ways this one can be approached. I'm going to spend extra time on my last go-round to make sure I completely catch everything the people are saying in the case study and double-check the hierarchy of who said what. I know I made sure last time, but that is the area I think it's scoring me on the worst. Just takes a word or sentance to alter the whole design. I definately have the technical aspect down, just perhaps jumping to conclusions too fast. I read pretty fast, so I will likely read through the whole thing first then tackle the questions...so I don't spend too much time jumping around everywhere. I have passed a testlet exam before with that approach.

Best of luck with your attempt! Don't let the pressure of it get to you. I have also found if you're 100% sure on your answers and have a few minutes before the testlet expires, take a short break and collect your thoughts before diving further in.

RoyalRaven

How'd you do? I fell just short with a 669 on the last attempt. Felt way more confident this time...and I'm pretty shocked I didn't get the pass based on how good I felt working through the testlets. I still again got many of the same ones as before (may have seen one or two different ones). I don't know if I'll ever understand what this test is trying to do. Time to move on to other items anyway. I've passed at least 15-20 Microsoft exams and I've never struggled with one like this....and I've even passed a testlet version before. Have the MCSA+S due to having a CISSP, but I wish 70-298 wasn't the only way to get this for the MCSE. After three tries though, I don't think I'd have any steam left for another shot anyway even if it didn't retire!