Thomas Williams

Going for my MCSD

I started studying for my MCSD and I'm getting ready to sit my first exam at the end of the month - 70-306: Developing and Implementing Windows-Based Applications with Visual Basic.NET and Visual Studio.NET.

I'm nervous about the 170 minutes of tricksy questions, but I'm also nervous as I haven't done one of these exams ever before and I don't know what to expect. I've been preparing by studying Mike Gunderloy's excellent tome, but studying alone and without knowing what exactly is going to be on the test is weird.

Going through Uni helped me realise the value of studying with someone - maybe I'll check out the new online MCSD “TechnoStudy“ Study Group. On the plus side, normally I'm not a nervous exam taker, and I've got time to be thoroughly prepared, so I think I'll be right.

My wife Olivia and I decided that now was a good time to start doing the MCSD after toying with the idea for some time. I was a little sceptical of the whole process - I pay Microsoft to make the technology, then I pay Microsoft to be able to use the technology. Hmmm. But when I finished Uni, I had set myself a goal of reviewing my progress and job goals after 5 years, and the 5 years had elapsed, leaving me wanting to continue to enjoy IT and my job. The MCSD fits in here as a chance to make sure I've covered the basics and the things I might have missed, and also, hopefully, become a bit more advanced and proficient at my trade.

Having Olivia's input is really important to me because Olivia is an at-home Mum with TJ and Maya, and so I need her support as much as she needs mine, and money doesn't flow freely! But I believe that the costs are achievable: around $200 an exam (5 exams total to take), making sure I get good reference material so I can study (Amazon is a big help here), having time to study (my friend Tejas suggested allowing 13 weeks per exam), and hopefully not spending too much time on the computer at home when I should be spending time with family.

I looked into IT Masters, but I felt the cost was a little prohibitive, and the fact I have a Bachelor's Degree in Computing meant that getting a Master's was only a very little step. After talking to one or two people, I got the idea that a Masters in IT was directed at people who have experience in IT and currently work in the industry, but have no formal qualifications. Possibly at some stage in the future I'll be back at Uni studying to be a professor, but for now I'm happy with progress.

So wish me luck for my exam at the end of June...