Remember that you are taking an exam sponsored by a vendor for the sole purpose of selling more of the vendors equipment. If the exams were too hard few people would pass and therefore when the buying decisions are made cisco would come up less often. If the exams were too easy cisco would lose credibility by certifying that people unskilled in their products were actually skilled professionals. In other words not a single certification exam is about anything other than a marketing tool. Ben, CCNP --- JC wrote: > Hello, > > I just couldn't resist stating this on the > groupstudy, please respond > with your feelings on this matter. I started > studying for my CCNA back in > October of last year. I was lazy so I took my time > and passed the test in > December of last year. I got lazy for a while and > then I began studying for > my CCNP in April. at the end of May I took my > certification tests, my goal > was to take: > > 1) CCNP Foundation Exam 2.0 > 2) CCNP CIT 2.0 Exam > 3) CCDA Exam > 4) CCDP Exam > > Within a two week time frame I passed all of > these exams. What is my > point, I'm dissapointed that I was able to pass all > of these exams in two > weeks. The state of certification today stinks in > my opinion. They offer > you multiple choice exams, why? So many people are > getting certified in > this and certified in that, that after awhile our > certs will be of no value. > The only reason the CCIE is the almighty is because > you have to take a lab > to pass it. Why don't they require everyone to take > a lab test for all > levels of tests. It does not have to be a full > blown equipment lab but why > can't the tests be virtual in nature. Setup a > virtual lab test sorta like > the Sybex CCNA simulator setup, and make people > enter some crucial commands > by memory or fill in the blank. Specify the > connector that should be > attached to this interface, configure the CSU, > etc... etc... See, the > problem is, I've studied for multiple choice tests > all of my life, In > college you took the same multiple choice tests, > however every once in a > while you had to be creative and pass an essay exam > which truly tested your > ability to know the process and know the facts. I > realize it is easier to > write a multiple choice exam and make money, but > from our perspective it > cheats us. The problem is that I studied my ass off > to pass the tests, but > a lot of the information you study for a multiple > choice test leaves your > head instantaneously. If all Certification tests > reguardless of level > included a lab portion it would test our ability to > be creative with a > design on a design exam, or test our troubleshooting > knowledge on a > troubleshooting exam, not merely remember a fact. > I owe a lot to certifications because they have > helped my career along, > but in the same vein I still can't survive without > my degree. The > credibility of exams these days is diminishing along > with the economy. As > long as it is a "dog eat- dog world" as we have > always known it to be, we > are all in trouble. The only people that stand to > make money off of us by > writing multiple choice exams are the vendors of the > equipment and those who > train us. W are getting ripped off here guys and > there will never be an end > to the price increases on exams and labs if we don't > work to improve the > quality of the exams that are given. If everyone > can pass these exams > without ever touching any equipment then these > certifications mean nothing. > My heart tells me that the CCIE is the most coveted > by all because it > challenges your true ability to function in a real > world scenario, and not > everyone has it because their is a lab portion which > truly tests our skills > not just our memorization ability. Have you ever > worked with the guy who > knows everything, yet you study for all those > certifications and you still > feel completely inferior around him. Sure your > title says "CC this and MC > that," but while your studying, the know it all > veteran with no > certifications is basically running the business by > keeping the network > running, keeping management happy, keeping customers > happy, and most of all > contributing to the profitability of the company. > This is not meant to be a cut on any of us > networkers, and I'm not > saying I'm any different then the rest. However, my > goal on certifications > has changed dramatically. If there is not a lab > component I'm not > interested. We have to fight for the value of our > studies, if not then we > will all be searching for a new line of work. > > > Thanks, > > JC [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Spot the hottest trends in music, movies, and more. http://buzz.yahoo.com/ Message Posted at: http://www.groupstudy.com/form/read.php?f=7&i=9078&t=9078 -------------------------------------------------- FAQ, list archives, and subscription info: http://www.groupstudy.com/list/cisco.html Report misconduct and Nondisclosure violations to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
