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Exam difficulty: Your opinions 2

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Wishdiak

Wishdiak

Technical User
Mar 7, 2004
1,787
US
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
 
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The 70-290 for me as I failed this first time but passed second time round.
 
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Thanks for your feedback, kss444, JonesNW, Subnettingfool, brokenhalo, montanablue2, lcolson1959, and onoski. I apologize for the delay in updating this thread.

Compiled information so far:
70-210: * (4 votes)
70-215: ** (2 votes)
70-217: ** (1 vote)
70-218: **** (3 votes)
70-227: ** (1 vote)
70-228: ** (2 votes)
70-229: *** (4 votes)
70-235: *** (1 vote)
70-270: *** (19 votes)
70-271: ** (2 vote)
70-282: ** (1 vote)
70-284: ** (3 votes)
70-290: *** (22 votes)
70-291: **** (15 votes)
70-292: **** (3 votes)
70-293: *** (7 vote)
70-294: *** (7 votes)
70:296: **** (2 vote)
70-297: *** (4 votes)
70-298: **** (3 votes)
70-299: *** (3 votes)
70-300: **** (2 votes)
70-305: *** (3 votes)
70-306: *** (3 votes)
70-310: **** (2 votes)
70-315: ** (3 votes)
70-316: ** (2 votes)
70-320: *** (2 votes)
70-350: ** (2 votes)
70-431: ** (6 votes)
70-441: ** (1 vote)
70-442: *** (1 vote)
70-445: **** (1 vote)
70-447: ** (1 vote)
70-536: ** (1 vote)
70-620: * (2 votes)
70-630: **** (1 vote)
70-631: **** (1 vote)

Wishdiak
A+, Network+, Security+, MCSE: Security 2003
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I'd agree with the 70-294: ***

Just passed it today with an 873 and completed my MCSE. Yay!

Neill
 
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After completing the MCSE:Security, here are my votes:

70-270 ****
70-290 **
70-291 **
70-293 ***
70-294 ***
70-298 ****
70-299 ***

I don't know why 70-270 was so hard, but it was. I think that 70-298 only gets 4 stars because there's so much material in the case studies to review in such a short time frame, I always felt very rushed.

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCSE:Security 2003
 
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Thanks for your feedback, ntinlin, and kmcferrin.

Compiled information so far:
70-210: * (4 votes)
70-215: ** (2 votes)
70-217: ** (1 vote)
70-218: **** (3 votes)
70-227: ** (1 vote)
70-228: ** (2 votes)
70-229: *** (4 votes)
70-235: *** (1 vote)
70-270: *** (20 votes)
70-271: ** (2 vote)
70-282: ** (1 vote)
70-284: ** (3 votes)
70-290: *** (23 votes)
70-291: *** (16 votes)
70-292: **** (3 votes)
70-293: *** (8 vote)
70-294: *** (9 votes)
70:296: **** (2 vote)
70-297: *** (4 votes)
70-298: **** (4 votes)
70-299: *** (4 votes)
70-300: **** (2 votes)
70-305: *** (3 votes)
70-306: *** (3 votes)
70-310: **** (2 votes)
70-315: ** (3 votes)
70-316: ** (2 votes)
70-320: *** (2 votes)
70-350: ** (2 votes)
70-431: ** (6 votes)
70-441: ** (1 vote)
70-442: *** (1 vote)
70-445: **** (1 vote)
70-447: ** (1 vote)
70-536: ** (1 vote)
70-620: * (2 votes)
70-630: **** (1 vote)
70-631: **** (1 vote)

and CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR MCSE, ntinlin!

Wishdiak
A+, Network+, Security+, MCSE: Security 2003
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I just finished my mcse...here's my opinion on the tests that I took to get it (in the order I took them)...

70-294 *****
70-089 (SMS 2003) **
70-290 ***
70-297 ***** (Material and questions weren't all that difficult, but the format and time limits made it really challenging for me)
70-620 (Vista client) *
70-293 ****
70-291 ****

After all of it, I still think that 70-294 (the very first test that I took) was the most difficult...and I'm actually way more familiar w/ that material than I am w/ the 293/291-type material...

Next I'll move on to the MCITP Enterprise Administrator...I'll only need to take 2 tests to upgrade instead of 3 because I took Vista as my client w/ my 2003 MCSE (a tip for if you still haven't taken your client requirement).
 
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heres the tests i took to finish off my MCSA and what i thought on the difficulties

70-270 *
70-290 ***
70-291 ****
70-284 ***

-drew

MCSA 2003: Messaging
 
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Here are my thoughts on the exams i took to become MCSE: Security

70-270 *
70-290 ***
70-291 **
70-293 **** My hardest exam
70-294 **
70-299 *
70-298 ** I lot of reading on this one (Case Studies)

Do not pray to have an easier life, pray to be a stronger man!!!

B.S. Computer Information Systems
Masters of Information Technology in Network Security
CompTIA A+, Net+, Security+
MCSE: Security

MCITP: Exchange Server 2007 (Pending)
MCITP: Server 2008 (Pending)
MCTS: Windows Vista (Pending)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Thanks for your feedback, HiThere71, astaylor, and MITPRO.

Compiled information so far:
70-089: ** (1 vote)
70-210: * (4 votes)
70-215: ** (2 votes)
70-217: ** (1 vote)
70-218: **** (3 votes)
70-227: ** (1 vote)
70-228: ** (2 votes)
70-229: *** (4 votes)
70-235: *** (1 vote)
70-270: ** (22 votes)
70-271: ** (2 vote)
70-282: ** (1 vote)
70-284: *** (4 votes)
70-290: *** (26 votes)
70-291: *** (19 votes)
70-292: **** (3 votes)
70-293: **** (10 vote)
70-294: *** (11 votes)
70:296: **** (2 vote)
70-297: **** (5 votes)
70-298: *** (5 votes)
70-299: *** (5 votes)
70-300: **** (2 votes)
70-305: *** (3 votes)
70-306: *** (3 votes)
70-310: **** (2 votes)
70-315: ** (3 votes)
70-316: ** (2 votes)
70-320: *** (2 votes)
70-350: ** (2 votes)
70-431: ** (6 votes)
70-441: ** (1 vote)
70-442: *** (1 vote)
70-445: **** (1 vote)
70-447: ** (1 vote)
70-536: ** (1 vote)
70-620: * (3 votes)
70-630: **** (1 vote)
70-631: **** (1 vote)

and CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR MCSE, HiThere71!

Wishdiak
A+, Network+, Security+, MCSE: Security 2003
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I took 291 today and I got my A** handed to me [mad] . I must admit that I did not study as much as I should have but this test just spanked me. 290 was a breeze compared to this one.

I give it a *****
 
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70-649 **

Paul
MCSE 2003
MCTS:Active Directory
MCTS:Network Infrastructure
MCTS:Applications Infrastructure

If there are no stupid questions, then what kind of questions do stupid people ask? Do they get smart just in time to ask questions?
Scott Adams
 
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I agree with Pagy on the 70-649. I took it a couple weeks ago.

70-649 **

I expect that it will get more difficult as time goes on and they have a chance to tune it.

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCSE:Security 2003
MCTS:Active Directory
MCTS:Network Infrastructure
MCTS:Applications Infrastructure
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Great thread.

Restarted my MCSE having done all the courses for 2000 but never the exams.

I thought:
70-270 **** (wasn't expecting the security / policies stuff)
70-290 ***
70-291 **** (so much to remember)
70-293 ***
70-294 pending
 
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I just passed the 70-620 and 70-647 this morning.

70-620 *
70-647 ***

I will say that if you have an MCSE you'd probably find the 647 to be a little easier, if you were starting from scratch you'd probably rate it at 4 stars.

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCSE:Security 2003
MCITP:Enterprise Administrator
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
70-620 *

Paul
MCSE 2003
MCTS:Active Directory
MCTS:Network Infrastructure
MCTS:Applications Infrastructure

If there are no stupid questions, then what kind of questions do stupid people ask? Do they get smart just in time to ask questions?
Scott Adams
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
pagy\kmcferrin, is the vista exam that easy?

Nick
MCSA 2003

"If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?"
 
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Yeah stupidly easily. A quick flick through the book was all I needed and I reckon I would have still passed without even doing that....



Paul
MCSE 2003
MCTS:Active Directory
MCTS:Network Infrastructure
MCTS:Applications Infrastructure

If there are no stupid questions, then what kind of questions do stupid people ask? Do they get smart just in time to ask questions?
Scott Adams
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
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