MCAD Advice

[jackgreat]

Hello Everyone,

I am interested in microsoft certification and the certification of my interest is MCAD.

I am a graduate (completed my masters degree in I.T) (UK) (2005) and I have worked for 1 year as a developer before. I major in Visual Basic 6 and SQL language. I have done bit of java, php and have knowledge of MS office and MS Windows.

Since there is a lot of demand of .NET in the industry i want to do MCAD.NET.

At the moment i am looking for work so i am busy till the evening and free there after. I want to self study for MCAD.

There are 3 suggessions i wanted.

1. I think i have selected the right certification. What do u think??

2. How many hours do i need to put every day in order to do it effectively ? I do have knowledge of VB6 but no knowledge of .NET / VB.NET. Any advice as to how do i go about it.?

3. In the first course module i am confused as to which one should i pick -

(a) Exam 70–305*: Developing and Implementing Web Applications with Microsoft Visual Basic .NET and Microsoft Visual Studio .NET

OR

(b)Exam 70–306*: Developing and Implementing Windows-based Applications with Microsoft Visual Basic .NET and Microsoft Visual Studio .NET

Any advice??

Are the books refered in Microsoft site enough to do them or any other book is recommended.

[MCAD/MCSD Self-Paced Training Kit: Developing Windows-Based Applications with Microsoft Visual Basic .NET and Microsoft Visual C# .NET. ]

I would be glad if you can help me out.

Thanks,
JG

[gigemboy]

About the only question I can answer is #3. I would do the Windows Application side before the Web Application side... it was how they did at my college, and was easier to understand that way...

[RobDog888]

I think you selected the right cert.

I would also take 70-306 instead.

It is usually recommended that you have ~2 years hands on experience in order to be ready for a test.

Here are the MCAD requirements:

1 from:
70-305
70-306
70-315
70-316

1 from:
70-310
70-320

1 elective:
70-229 (may be retired soon)
70-230
70-234
70-305, 70-306, 70-315, or 70-316 (if you use one of these as an elective then you cant use it as a core requirement).

[jackgreat]

Thanks a lot ppl for your suggessions.

I think i will take exam 70-306 that is windows development using VB.NET & Visual Studio.NET

And i will try to put it as much effort as i can.

Thanks again.

[conipto]

Isn't the MCP structure changing completely with the Onset of VS 2005?

Bill

[jackgreat]

Hi dudes...

Thanks a lot for your tips. I also discussed about choice between two popular modules with my father.

Exam 70–305*: Developing and Implementing Web Applications with Microsoft Visual Basic .NET and Microsoft Visual Studio .NET

OR

Exam 70–306*: Developing and Implementing Windows-based Applications with Microsoft Visual Basic .NET and Microsoft Visual Studio .NET

Though i was more keen in Exam 70-306 but my father adviced that i do the former one (Exam 70-305) because knowledge of web is essential and now in demand. Moreover since i have a sound knowledge of VB 6 i would learn less in exam 70-306 than what i would learn in exam 70-305.

So i guess i will do Exam 70-305 now.

What do you think ? Have i made right decision.

Thanks,
Saurabh

[RobDog888]

If you plan on going for your MCSD then you will end up having to take both 70-305 and 70-306.

[gigemboy]

Theres still quite a lot of changes between VB6 and .NET. If you know .NET windows applications, you will have an easier time understanding the web applications side. But then again, the choice is up to you.

[RobDog888]

The web stuff is amonst completely different as you have the css and html stuff in there too. Yes it has the code behind but even that is completely different and dont forget about web services too.

[mendhak]

For mainstream, I'd suggest

XML + Web Services
Winforms with vb.net/c#
Webforms with vb.net/c# (in other words, do BOTH)
SQL Server
Architecture

[jackgreat]

Hi Ppl,

Thanks for your valuable suggessions. In MCAD out of 3 modules 2 i have decided.

Exam 70–310: Developing XML Web Services and Server Components with Microsoft Visual Basic .NET and the Microsoft .NET Framework

Exam 70–229: Designing and Implementing Databases with Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition.

Now for the first module which one should i do. still confused.

Exam 70–305: Developing and Implementing Web Applications with Microsoft Visual Basic .NET and Microsoft Visual Studio .NET

OR

Exam 70–306: Developing and Implementing Windows-based Applications with Microsoft Visual Basic .NET and Microsoft Visual Studio .NET

Since i have knowledge of VB6 but not yet exposed myself to .NET what you do think?

From the feedback i see that doing Exam 70-306 is what being said as it will give more exposure to net first.

Any Info.

Thanks,
JG

[conipto]

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/newgen/

I knew I'd read somewhere that they were changing the structure.. If it's not something you need desparately, you may want to wait until they release the certifications for the 2005 line of products..(They say early this year) Although, it also seems that converting an MCAD to The new equivalent is only one test.

Bill

[RobDog888]

Yes, thats true Bill but it will still take some time to get up to speed on 2005. What I am doing is going to go the conversion route as like you posted its only 1 test.

If MS stays true to form, then we have about 2 more years left to get our MCAD/MCSD for 2003 before they retire the tests.