MCSE or a+ cert. Where?

[Regs]

I am looking to take either a a+ course or a MCSE course for certification. Where can I sign up for such a course or can I skip straight to the test?

 

[teqwiz]

Online and affordable = cert21.com. I donot advise going to New Horizons at all, for classroom learning. They actually breached their contract woith me on several occasions, and though they did try to make it up in piddly ways, I still can't get a night Cisco class after going there for 1.5 years, to finish my certs. Completed all but in that time. Have A=, Network+ MCP and doing MCSA on my own. Will complete MCSE in two monthes, though they don't have any classes I can take until February. A refund is impossible from what I have heard from dropouts and dissattisfied clients there.

Online also I reccomend brainbench.com

 

[mrCide]

new horizons was a waste of money pretty much.. teachers dont knwo what they're talking about. others are too arrogant.. etc..

ended up just taking the classes then studying for the tests on my own (nothing from the classes really helped/stuck).. im sure with theright material you wouldnt have a problem either.

 

[wiredspider]

Regs, there is such a massive difference between A+ and MCSE certification. A+ requires only 2 test where as MCSE requires something like 7. And if you can skip straight to the test depends on how much you know and what experiance have you had..

 

[HappyPuppy]

Originally posted by: wiredspider
Regs, there is such a massive difference between A+ and MCSE certification. A+ requires only 2 test where as MCSE requires something like 7. And if you can skip straight to the test depends on how much you know and what experiance have you had..

For the MCSE tests it doesn't matter how much you know. You have to be able to feed back what Microsoft wants to hear. At least read a book.

 

[dolph]

transcenders are great practice tests.

 

[MojoJojo]

Originally posted by: HappyPuppy

Originally posted by: wiredspider
Regs, there is such a massive difference between A+ and MCSE certification. A+ requires only 2 test where as MCSE requires something like 7. And if you can skip straight to the test depends on how much you know and what experiance have you had..

For the MCSE tests it doesn't matter how much you know. You have to be able to feed back what Microsoft wants to hear. At least read a book.

Bingo!

Hit it right on the head!

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: MojoJojo

Originally posted by: HappyPuppy

Originally posted by: wiredspider
Regs, there is such a massive difference between A+ and MCSE certification. A+ requires only 2 test where as MCSE requires something like 7. And if you can skip straight to the test depends on how much you know and what experiance have you had..

For the MCSE tests it doesn't matter how much you know. You have to be able to feed back what Microsoft wants to hear. At least read a book.

Bingo!

Hit it right on the head!

Which is worth 2 in the bush that looked a gift horse in the mouth that counted chickens before they hatched.

 

[teqwiz]

Originally posted by: HappyPuppy

Originally posted by: wiredspider
Regs, there is such a massive difference between A+ and MCSE certification. A+ requires only 2 test where as MCSE requires something like 7. And if you can skip straight to the test depends on how much you know and what experiance have you had..

For the MCSE tests it doesn't matter how much you know. You have to be able to feed back what Microsoft wants to hear. At least read a book.

Agreed. Also A+ is Hardware intensive. Os installation and physically repairing Computer.

MCSE is server and client networking and user/object management based in win2k/XP. Alot of paper MCSE's ie: (certified with no experience ) have found that an experienced, uncertified person will most certainly get the better jobs. The guidelines for certification as Microsoft sees it is 1 year of experience and passing all 7 tests.This is not strongly enforced though that may change soon.

Also MCSE is a huge undertaking. Make sure that network admin is what you really want to do before spending all that money. That is my advice.

 

[PlatinumGold]

hehehehe

i used to do sales and teach A+ at New Horizons, i could tell you stories about that place. it really isn't about education at new horizons but about making money. i believe all business should be in business to make money BUT the focus of the business should be in a quality product not in money as a goal in itself.

anyway, stay away from new horizons.

IF you have the money to invest in yourself, those 2 week crash courses aren't too bad. remember, the mcse course isn't designed to prepare you for your job or for your career or anything real world, it is strictly designed to get you to pass the exam.

 

[wyvrn]

My advice is to take classes at your local community college. They are cheap and use "official curriculums". Plus you get extensive time on equipment that you will not get taking a bootcamp or self-studying. And they are a fairly good at helping you find entry-level jobs. You shouldn't expect anything else at this point anyway. I have taken 1 MS course and the full CCNA curriculum at community colleges and find that I learned much more this way than the certs I self-studied for and passed.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!