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

 

[Juandaman81]

MCSA:Sec+ now!!!

.... and as for 291 = ****

tough exam... trigger questions put you under that little bit more pressure!

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

 

[Wishdiak]

Thanks for your feedback, GoTerps88, guidomyte, Juan69 and abstractmechanic.

Compiled information so far:
70-210: * (4 votes)
70-215: ** (2 votes)
70-217: ** (1 vote)
70-218: *** (2 votes)
70-227: ** (1 vote)
70-228: ** (1 vote)
70-229: *** (3 votes)
70-235: *** (1 vote)
70-270: * (11 votes)
70-271: ** (2 vote)
70-282: ** (1 vote)
70-284: ** (1 vote)
70-290: *** (13 votes)
70-291: *** (11 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: ***** (2 vote)
70-305: *** (1 vote)
70-315: ** (3 votes)
70-316: ** (2 votes)
70-320: *** (2 votes)
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

 

[GeertVerhoeven]

I passed the 70-300 a while ago and give it a *** exam

Geert Verhoeven
Consultant @ Ausy Belgium

My Personal Blog

 

[GeertVerhoeven]

Last friday I passed the 70-536 and give it **.
If you study with the MS PRESS book, it should be relative easy.



Geert Verhoeven
Consultant @ Ausy Belgium

My Personal Blog

 

[steed074]

I pretty much agree with the assessments of the group Wishdiak, here's one more test to add - 70-620, Vista (*) It builds off the consumer version of XP and basically only covers the new stuff that Vista adds, like UAC (lots of questions on this) and the different versions (you need to know the upgrade paths and which have media player/tablet functions/bitlocker).

Jason

 

[Wishdiak]

Thanks for your feedback, GeertVerhoeven, and steed074.

Compiled information so far:
70-210: * (4 votes)
70-215: ** (2 votes)
70-217: ** (1 vote)
70-218: *** (2 votes)
70-227: ** (1 vote)
70-228: ** (1 vote)
70-229: *** (3 votes)
70-235: *** (1 vote)
70-270: * (11 votes)
70-271: ** (2 vote)
70-282: ** (1 vote)
70-284: ** (1 vote)
70-290: *** (13 votes)
70-291: *** (11 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: ***** (2 vote)
70-300: *** (1 vote)
70-305: *** (1 vote)
70-315: ** (3 votes)
70-316: ** (2 votes)
70-320: *** (2 votes)
70-350: ** (1 vote)
70-431: * (2 votes)
70-441: ** (1 vote)
70-442: *** (1 vote)
70-445: **** (1 vote)
70-447: ** (1 vote)
70-536: ** (1 vote)
70-620: * (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]

Just taken 70-292 again but passed it this time i'm still giving it 4 stars though 690 last time and 760 this time. Tons of DNS questions again and quite a few on disaster recovery i still think it's more difficult than the 2k MCSA exam by long way i scored 930 in that.

 

[DanMIS]

My thoughts so far:

70-270: *
70-290: **
70-291: ***

CCA Citrix 4.0
MCP 2003
70-290 Passed
70-291 Passed
70-270 Passed
70-284 - working on it...

 

[lcolson1959]

My thoughts:

70-270: *
70-431: *

lcolson1959

MCTS (SQL 2005)

 

[kss444]

Took 70-305 last week. I thought it was a *.

I'm getting ready for 70-306, so far I'm thinking it will be harder.
Since I am a web forms guy and not to much of a win forms guy.

I'd like to see test 70-306 and 310 added someday.

Ordinary Programmer

 

[Wishdiak]

Thanks for your feedback, porkchopexpress, DanMIS, lcolson1959, and kss444.

Compiled information so far:
70-210: * (4 votes)
70-215: ** (2 votes)
70-217: ** (1 vote)
70-218: *** (2 votes)
70-227: ** (1 vote)
70-228: ** (1 vote)
70-229: *** (3 votes)
70-235: *** (1 vote)
70-270: * (13 votes)
70-271: ** (2 vote)
70-282: ** (1 vote)
70-284: ** (1 vote)
70-290: *** (14 votes)
70-291: *** (12 votes)
70-292: **** (2 votes)
70-293: *** (6 vote)
70-294: *** (6 votes)
70:296: ***** (1 vote)
70-297: *** (3 votes)
70-298: ***** (2 votes)
70-299: ***** (2 votes)
70-300: *** (1 vote)
70-305: ** (2 votes)
70-315: ** (3 votes)
70-316: ** (2 votes)
70-320: *** (2 votes)
70-350: ** (1 vote)
70-431: * (3 votes)
70-441: ** (1 vote)
70-442: *** (1 vote)
70-445: **** (1 vote)
70-447: ** (1 vote)
70-536: ** (1 vote)
70-620: * (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

 

[DanMIS]

I give 70-284 a **.

CCA Citrix 4.0
MCSA: Messaging 2003

 

[DanMIS]

I give 70-293 a **.

CCA Citrix 4.0
MCSA: Messaging 2003
293 - passed

 

[pagy]

Wishdiak (or anyone else),

Could you share your experiences of 70-299 with me please, I'm thinking about having a pop at this one if time permits. I see most people give it 5 stars here so I'm guessing it's no walk in the park!!!!

Paul
MCSE


"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
Albert Einstein

 

[kss444]

Just took 70-306 and passed. 3 more to go.
I give 306 ** (2 stars)

Ordinary Programmer

 

[Cstorms]

70-270 *
70-290 **

I would say that although this is a good refence to see what youre getting into all it takes is to study the nuts and bolts off what is being expect on the exam.

70-290, know everything NTFS permission wise, know bout groups and how to work with them, have a thorough understanding of AD users and computers, Terminal Services questions came up a decent amount as well, and of course, software RAID and backup.. Know all that and your good.

Cory

 

[Wishdiak]

Thanks for your feedback, DanMIS, kss444, and Cstorms.

Compiled information so far:
70-210: * (4 votes)
70-215: ** (2 votes)
70-217: ** (1 vote)
70-218: *** (2 votes)
70-227: ** (1 vote)
70-228: ** (1 vote)
70-229: *** (3 votes)
70-235: *** (1 vote)
70-270: * (14 votes)
70-271: ** (2 vote)
70-282: ** (1 vote)
70-284: ** (2 vote)
70-290: *** (15 votes)
70-291: *** (12 votes)
70-292: **** (2 votes)
70-293: *** (7 vote)
70-294: *** (6 votes)
70:296: ***** (1 vote)
70-297: *** (3 votes)
70-298: ***** (2 votes)
70-299: ***** (2 votes)
70-300: *** (1 vote)
70-305: ** (2 votes)
70-306: ** (2 votes)
70-315: ** (3 votes)
70-316: ** (2 votes)
70-320: *** (2 votes)
70-350: ** (1 vote)
70-431: * (3 votes)
70-441: ** (1 vote)
70-442: *** (1 vote)
70-445: **** (1 vote)
70-447: ** (1 vote)
70-536: ** (1 vote)
70-620: * (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

 

[quadsevens]

Just took the 70-290 for the first time today. I got 5 sim questions on it mostly on ADUC. I would rate it at:

70-290 ***
70-270 *

 

[DanMIS]

70-294 - (**)


CCA Citrix 4.0
MCSA: Messaging 2003
293 - passed
294 - passed

 

[bjb123]

70-431 **

After 2.5 months of studying 3 different reference manuals, doing sims, trancenders and CBTs I finally passed. I thought a couple of the sims were tough. But then I don't work on SQL server 2005 every day at my job. You guys/gals who work on it all the time probably had an easier time.