Passing Prometric Exams

Tips on passing Microsoft exams at Prometric Testing Centres

Passing Prometric exams.

Some tips to make your exam process less stressful than it might be

The other week I took a Prometric exam, and for once I broke some of my rules.  It was at a location I’d not visited before, and due to a conference call I arrived with moments to spare.  As I entered I walked nose-first into a glass door.  With my nose that’s a quite an impact.  Concussion and teary eyes are not the best start.

So here are my rules for exam taking.

1. Book early.  This will give you the best choice of exam centres.  This time I gave barely one week’s notice, hence the strange location.  It also gives you a goal to work to.  I find it hard to study without a particular date bearing down on me.  If I know I have to take an exam or deliver a course in X number of days, it helps focus my mind wonderfully.
2. Study.  Navigate to the appropriate exam syllabus at http://www.microsoft.com/learning to find out exactly what subjects are covered in the exam.  Read the on-line help, read reference books, revise your course material.  Also practice with the product.  Microsoft make the exams deliberately difficult to pass if you’ve only ever read the literature.  How often has your mind gone blank trying to remember your PIN number, but your fingers never seem to forget.
3. Try practicing with practice exams from MeasureUp.  These are approved by Microsoft.  Other sources of exam practices may fall foul of Microsoft’s licensing agreement, and after all your hard work it would be a shame to have Microsoft take all your certifications away.
4. Arrive in plenty of time.  I aim for a half hour margin.  This gives you time to slow your heartbeat after your journey, get your head in the right place, and remind yourself of that difficult bit of syntax you always have problems with.  There’s nothing wrong with a last minute revision.  Have a glass of water.  Visit the bathroom.
5. Take your time when you’re shown to your seat.  You will be given a scratch pad and pen.  You are forbidden to take notes in with you, but you are free to make notes when you’re in there.  So take a minute to scribble down those tables you spent time memorising, or that tricky syntax you’ve just revised.  Only then hit the start button.
6. Don’t panic.  If you hit a question you are in two minds about, mark it.  You will be able to return to it afterwards when you know how much time you have left.  Beware, for the MCITP exams, you can revisit the questions at the end of each scenario, but not at the end of the whole exam.  For the MCTS exams, you can revisit them all at the end of the exam.  Occasionally you might get a clue to a hard question in a later one.
7. Do not leave any question unanswered.  You do not get negative marks for answering a question wrongly, but you will not get any points for a blank answer.  Normally you can eliminate one or two of the options as obviously wrong.  A fifty-fifty guess is better than no answer at all.
8. Virtually everyone has failed one or two exams at some point.  Don’t beat yourself up if this happens.  Your report will tell you the areas you are strong and weak on.  You can always rebook the exam after some extra studying.  From time to time Microsoft offer a retake at a reduced cost.  At the time of writing (March 2010) the Second Shot scheme is here: http://www.prometric.com/microsoft/SS_MCP_form.htm?s=SSM

Finally, good luck.  When you pass, you’ll find that the MCP community is a great source for tips and answers to those undocumented features.