Scheduling and Taking an Exam

Once you think you are ready to take an exam, call Prometric Testing Centers at (800) 755-EXAM (755-3926) or Virtual University Enterprises (Vue) at 800-TEST REG (837-8734). They'll tell you where to find the closest testing center. Before you call, get out your credit card, because each exam costs $125.

You can schedule the exam for a time that is convenient for you. The exams are downloaded to the testing center, and you show up at your scheduled time and take the exam on a computer.

After you complete the exam, you will know right away whether you have passed. At the end of the exam, you will receive a score report. It will list the areas that you were tested on and how you performed. If you pass the exam, you don't need to do anything else-Prometric or Vue uploads the test results to Microsoft. If you don't pass, it's another $125 to schedule the exam again. But at least you will know from the score report where you did poorly, so you can study that particular information more carefully.

Test-Taking Hints

If you know what to expect, your chances of passing the exam will be much greater. Here are some tips that can help you achieve success.

Get There Early and Be Prepared

This is your last chance to review. Bring your books and review any areas you feel unsure of. If you need a quick drink of water or a visit to the restroom, take the time to do so before the exam. After your exam starts, it will not be paused for these needs.

When you arrive for your exam, you will be asked to present two forms of ID. You will also be asked to sign a paper verifying that you understand the testing rules (for example, the rule that says you will not cheat on the exam).

Before you start the exam, you will have an opportunity to take a practice exam. It is not related to the exam topic and is simply offered so that you will have a feel for the exam-taking process.

Be Aware of What You Can and Can't Take in with You

These are closed-book exams. The only thing that you can take in is scratch paper provided by the testing center. Use this paper as much as possible to diagram the questions. Many times, diagramming questions can help make the answer clear. You will have to give this paper back to the test administrator at the end of the exam.

Many testing centers are very strict about what you can take into the testing room. Some centers will not even allow you to bring in items such as a zipped-up purse. If you feel tempted to take in any outside material, be aware that many testing centers use monitoring devices such as video and audio equipment (so don't swear, even if you are alone in the room!).

Prometric and Vue testing centers take the test-taking process and the test validation very seriously.

Follow a Planned Approach

To prepare for a non-adaptive exam, follow the plan presented in this section. As you take the test, fill in the answers to questions that you know and move on. If you're not sure of the answer, mark your best guess, then 'mark' the question.

At the end of the exam, you can review the questions. Depending on the amount of time remaining, you can then view all the questions again, or you can view only the questions that you were unsure of. Double-checking all your answers is a good idea, just in case you misread any of the questions on the first pass. (Sometimes half the battle is in trying to figure out exactly what the question is asking you.) Also, sometimes a related question may provide a clue for a question that you are unsure of.

Be sure to answer all questions. Unanswered questions are scored as incorrect and will count against you. Also, make sure that you keep an eye on the remaining time so that you can pace yourself accordingly.

If you do not pass the exam, note everything that you can remember while the exam is still fresh in your mind. This will help you prepare for your next try. Although the next exam will not be exactly the same, the questions will be similar, and you don't want to make the same mistakes.




MCSA. MCSE 2003 JumpStart. Computer and Network Basics
MCSA/MCSE 2003 JumpStart
ISBN: 078214277X
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 203
Authors: Lisa Donald

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