Arriving at the Exam


As with any test, you'll be tempted to cram the night before. Resist that temptation. You should know the material by this point, and if you're groggy in the morning, you won't remember what you studied anyway. Get a good night's sleep.

Arrive early for your exam; it gives you time to relax and review key facts. Take the opportunity to review your notes. If you get burned out on studying, you can usually start your exam a few minutes early. We don't recommend arriving late. Your test could be cancelled, or you might not have enough time to complete the exam.

When you arrive at the testing center, you'll need to sign in with the exam administrator. In order to sign in, you need to provide two forms of identification. Acceptable forms include government-issued IDs (for example, passport or driver's license), credit cards, and company ID badges. One form of ID must include a photograph. They just want to be sure that you don't send your brilliant Java guru next-door-neighbor-who-you've-paid to take the exam for you.

Aside from a brain full of facts, you don't need to bring anything else to the exam room. In fact, your brain is about all you're allowed to take into the exam! All the tests are closed-book, meaning you don't get to bring any reference materials with you. You're also not allowed to take any notes out of the exam room. The test administrator will provide you with paper and a pencil. Some testing centers may provide a small marker board instead (we recommend that you don't settle for a whiteboard). We do recommend that you bring a water bottle. Three hours is a long time to keep your brain active, and it functions much better when well hydrated.

Leave your pager and telephone in the car, or turn them off. They only add stress to the situation, since they are not allowed in the exam room, and can sometimes still be heard if they ring outside of the room. Purses, books, and other materials must be left with the administrator before entering the exam.

Once in the testing room, the exam administrator logs onto your exam, and you have to verify that your ID number and the exam number are correct. If this is the first time you've taken a Sun test, you can select a brief tutorial of the exam software. Before the test begins, you will be provided with facts about the exam, including the duration, the number of questions, and the score required for passing. The odds are good that you will be asked to fill out a brief survey before the exam actually begins. This survey will ask you about your level of Java experience. The time you spend on the survey is NOT deducted from your actual test time—nor do you get more time if you fill out the survey quickly. Also remember that the questions you get on the exam will NOT change depending on how you answer the survey questions. Once you're done with the survey, the real clock starts ticking and the fun begins.

The testing software is Windows-based, but you won't have access to the main desktop or any of the accessories. The exam is presented in full screen, with a single question per screen. Navigation buttons allow you to move forward and backward between questions. In the upper-right corner of the screen, counters show the number of questions and time remaining. Most important, there is a Mark check box in the upper-left corner of the screen—this will prove to be a critical tool, as explained in the next section.




SCJP Sun Certified Programmer for Java 5 Study Guide Exam 310-055
SCJP Sun Certified Programmer for Java 5 Study Guide (Exam 310-055) (Certification Press)
ISBN: 0072253606
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2006
Pages: 131

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