Exam difficulty: Your opinions 2

[Wishdiak]

Since there are so many people in this forum who seem surprised that they didn't do better on a particular exam, it might help to compare the relative difficulty of each exam that we've taken. This might help some to anticipate the difficulty of a particular exam and to spend extra time studying.

I'll go first, with the exams I've passed in the MCSE: Security on Windows Server 2003 track.

Difficulty ratings below are from 1 to 5 stars, with one being the least difficult and 5 the most difficult.

70-270: *
70-290: ***
70-291: *****
70-293: **
70-294: ***
70-299: *****


Wishdiak
A+, Network+, Security+, MCSA: Security 2003

http://www.wishdiak.com

 

[porkchopexpress]

70-292 **** Had a few questions on NTbackup switches which i hadn't memorized as i didn't think they would test on this /? doh!!

And loads of long DNS questions that leave you with very little thinking time once you have read the question (carefully as advised), approx three mins per question i found this much more difficult than the 2k MCSA exam.

 

[Wishdiak]

Thanks for your feedback, Keithc71 and porkchopexpress.

Compiled information so far:
70-210: * (4 votes)
70-215: ** (2 votes)
70-217: ** (1 vote)
70-218: *** (2 votes)
70-228: ** (1 vote)
70-229: *** (2 votes)
70-235: *** (1 vote)
70-270: ** (7 votes)
70-271: ** (1 vote)
70-282: ** (1 vote)
70-284: ** (1 vote)
70-290: ** (8 votes)
70-291: *** (7 votes)
70-292: **** (1 vote)
70-293: *** (5 vote)
70-294: *** (5 votes)
70:296: ***** (1 vote)
70-297: *** (3 votes)
70-298: ***** (2 votes)
70-299: ***** (1 vote)
70-315: ** (2 votes)
70-316: ** (2 votes)
70-320: *** (1 vote)
70-350: ** (1 vote)
70-431: * (2 votes)
70-441: ** (1 vote)
70-442: *** (1 vote)
70-445: **** (1 vote)
70-447: ** (1 vote)
70-630: **** (1 vote)
70-631: **** (1 vote)

Wishdiak
A+, Network+, Security+, MCSE: Security 2003

http://www.wishdiak.com

 

[GoTerps88]

You deserve a star for the extra work in compiling this list.

Thanks for your efforts.

 

[JonesNW]

I think the toughest exam i've done to date was 293, server + gave me a rough time too but it was probably because I was just starting up when I did that.

70-270:*
70-290: *
70-291:***
70-293:****
71-622:**

Will add 294 to the list next week, hopefully it wont need too many stars!

A+,N+,S+,MCP,MCSA
70-270-passed
70-290-passed
70-291-passed
70-293-passed
70-294 - Pending

 

[JonesNW]

Managed a pass on 70-294, but it was very close.

270:*
70-290: *
70-291:***
70-293:****
70-294:****
71-622:**

A+,N+,S+,MCP,MCSA
70-270-passed
70-290-passed
70-291-passed
70-293-passed
70-294 - Pending

 

[mrdenny]

Time to update your sig file then

Congrats on the pass.

Denny
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000)
MCTS (SQL 2005 / Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0: Configuration / Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007: Configuration)
MCITP Database Administrator (SQL 2005) / Database Developer (SQL 2005)

--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)

http://www.mrdenny.com

 

[JonesNW]

I noticed the sig a about 2 seconds after I made the post!





A+,N+,S+,MCP,MCSA
70-270-passed
70-290-passed
70-291-passed
70-293-passed
70-294 passed

 

[deniskh]

70-292 (Upgrade to MCSA 2003 for a MCSA 2000)is the most difficult exam.

 

[wasisnt]

70-270: *
70-290: ***

MCSE NT 4.0, MCP (2003), A+ & Network +

Free Computer Help and Tips:

http://www.onlinecomputertips.com/

 

[wasisnt]

I mean

70-271: *
70-290: ***

MCSE NT 4.0, MCP (2003), A+ & Network +

Free Computer Help and Tips:

http://www.onlinecomputertips.com/

 

[mcpgtwannabemcse]

270 ** <- passed 763
290 ** <- passed 785
291 *** <- failed 572

cant remember too much from 270 and 290 i guess cause i passed but since i failed 291 i know it is alot of wsus and ip addressing like dns, dhcp, and subnetting. if anyone has any doubts about failing ip would be the main topic to study i had 46 questions 3 sims(easy) around 10+ wsus (easy) the rest a mixture of securty (i personally enjoy-scored well on) rras (i enjoy-scored well on) dns,dhcp, subnetting ( was prepared and enjoy thought i was more knowledgeable but was my weakest topic)

 

[Wishdiak]

Thanks for your feedback, JonesNW, deniskh, wasisnt and mcpgtwannabemcse.

Compiled information so far:
70-210: * (4 votes)
70-215: ** (2 votes)
70-217: ** (1 vote)
70-218: *** (2 votes)
70-228: ** (1 vote)
70-229: *** (2 votes)
70-235: *** (1 vote)
70-270: ** (9 votes)
70-271: ** (2 vote)
70-282: ** (1 vote)
70-284: ** (1 vote)
70-290: *** (11 votes)
70-291: *** (9 votes)
70-292: **** (1 vote)
70-293: *** (6 vote)
70-294: *** (6 votes)
70:296: ***** (1 vote)
70-297: *** (3 votes)
70-298: ***** (2 votes)
70-299: ***** (1 vote)
70-315: ** (2 votes)
70-316: ** (2 votes)
70-320: *** (1 vote)
70-350: ** (1 vote)
70-431: * (2 votes)
70-441: ** (1 vote)
70-442: *** (1 vote)
70-445: **** (1 vote)
70-447: ** (1 vote)
70-630: **** (1 vote)
70-631: **** (1 vote)
71-622:** (1 vote)

Wishdiak
A+, Network+, Security+, MCSE: Security 2003

http://www.wishdiak.com

 

[porkchopexpress]

deniskh will you vote on 70-292 please.

 

[GoTerps88]

70-320 3 stars
70-315 3 stars
70-229 4 stars
70-305 3 stars

 

[guidomyte]

70-227 **
70-290 **
70-270 *
70-291 ***
70-294 coming soon
70-298 coming soon
70-284 coming soon
70-285 coming soon
70-282 coming soon

**gulp**

 

[Juandaman81]

70-270 *
70-290 **
Sy0-101 ?
291 - ?
293 - ?
294 - ?
298 - ?
i'll update the others as i take them.

Wishdiak - Very Good Thread - thank you

Scares me a little on what i'm about to Face though!!!

If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?

 

[Juandaman81]

comptia sy0-101 - *

"the worst exam i've ever seen"

If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?

 

[porkchopexpress]

Really i'm surprised as the description says "This is a vendor neutral entry-level test, which prepares you for advanced security related certifications such as CISSP, ISC2, SSCP, MCSE, MCSE: Security and MCSA: Security."

I was thinking about taking it myself.

 

[Juandaman81]

i'm not saying it's a hard exam, a lot easier then 70-270 i suppose, its 100 questions in 90mins, with no really long questions like MS exams. so you dont spend 5mins trying to work out whats the point of the question is.

encryption and MDAC,RBAC,DAC tested heavily.

If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?

 

[abstractmechanic]

Hi everybody,

I had to wait for the crush of A+ 2003 Objectives test takers to free up the testing centers, but I finally sat for my 70-299 - and passed! I am one happy paper MCSA. I figure we all gotta start somewhere. I got a 785, which isn't setting the world on fire, but I have to say, Wishdiak, that I found this test the least stressful of them all, even the 270. It was only 30 questions, you were given 90 minutes, and there was SUS, instead of WSUS, stuff. I used the MS Press Training Kit, a Thomson text, and Transcender practice tests. As an aside, I think that the explanations of the answers provided by Transcender are sometimes the best sources of information anywhere. In giving this exam a rating, I'll weigh in a little heavier than the test felt:

70-299 ****

Thanks again for the great thread, Wishdiak. Have a good day.

- Kirk