CCNP is not easy to get. Someone that is CCNP certiffied is one that knows a great deal about networking. I do not know about you but I do not think I'll ever pass the CCNP exams without buying a few routers and switches. In which case $500 that you are bragging about is small change. But, if you make at least $65k/year I do not think $1000/3years (books and exams) is a big deal. It takes money to make money! Adrian
""Brian Zeitz"" wrote in message [EMAIL PROTECTED]">news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]... > My comment is with the CCNP exams. When I started it was the 500 series, > which was not long ago, now its changing to the 600 series. For some > people it takes a while to pass a CCNP exam, so I have not had enough > time to get a lot done in the 500 series, let alone switch to 600. I > know the 600 is not out yet, but still. Also here is a question, why > would someone want to take the last exam in the CCNP series, because > when you take the last exam, your 2 year timer starts ticking. Where is > the motivation there? I think I am just going to work on the course > material, and not take the rest of the exams, $125 a pop is a lot, and > you're right there are so many exams. So for CCNP it would cost me $500. > Then if I wanted to do the security, another 400-500$, that saying if I > passed everything on the 1st go. Then the books and courseware. Then > re-certification, this is an expensive proposition. > > And I don't see a significant salary increase for CCNP certification. > Like a regular experienced Network engineer with MCSE/CCNA makes say > like 60-85K. Well that is the same range as a CCNP would make. I donno, > the way some of these help wanted ads are written, you would think that > CCNA is better then CCNP. I always see like "CCNA highly desired". > > I am already scheduled for 503, so there is nothing I can do about that. > But I ask myself this question. What is the difference between me going > to a testing center, paying 125$ for each of these exams vs. me going in > my bedroom, sitting down with a Boston or transcender to test my > knowledge. I think I might do just that. Besides, everyone says it is > more important to know the material, and then have some paper. I am not > knocking the CCNP, it's a great program. But right now I can afford > these ongoing cost, and the ongoing cost are not exactly justified. I > thought the exams for the CCNP did test my knowledge of the subject > fairly. My plan for right now is to learn all the material I would need > to be a CCNP, but not take the rest of the exams. If an employer request > I have my CCNP, Ill just say gimme $500 and Ill go do that. > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Yahoudi [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Wednesday, March 13, 2002 2:15 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: Quality of Cisco exams [7:38063] > > should anyone be surprised that Cisco too is becoming victim to the > certification craze? > > 1) cert tests for everything under the sun > > 2) reduction of the CCIE Lab from two days to one > > 3) obsolete and EOL'd equipment in the Lab > > 4) lower level tests that have too many filler questions centered around > marketing materials > > 5) poorly worded questions? sometimes I wonder if this is just the > excuse of > those who don't really know the materials, but since I know your work, > Robert, in your case I will accept your judgement on this > > It would be impossible for Cisco to test for everything out there - old > and > new. The question becomes this: is any certification forward looking or > backwards looking? Face it, the whole reason for certification is for > companies to go to the marketplace and show potential buyers that if > they > buy a particular company's products, there are plenty of people around > who > can work on it. This goes for any technology - from Microsoft to Linux > to > Cisco to anyone. Certification is nothing more than a marketing tool, > and > one more means to help companies sell. If certification is too easy, > then > sure, there is some marketplace backlash, but if certification is too > hard, > requires too much expertise, too much experience, then that has negative > effects as well. > > One would hope that being a beta test, Cisco would throw out a lot of > the > bad questions just because their analysis shows them as bad questions. > But > you never can tell. I sometimes suspect that Cisco deliberately keeps a > certain percentage of bad questions in their exams just so that you have > to > be smarter than the average bear to pass, because you have to do so much > better with the remainder. Does that make sense? > > > ""Robert Padjen"" wrote in message > [EMAIL PROTECTED]">news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]... > > Greetings all - > > > > I have a discussion point that I am curious to get > > feedback on from the group. I recently took another > > Cisco certification exam (beta) and was amazed at the > > questions. > > > > For example, at least four questions regarded products > > that no longer exist - Cisco end-of-lifed them some > > time ago. Other questions included choices that don't > > exist - at least I am unaware of a (sic) series router > > for serial connections (it was a switch that does not > > have a WIC slot). Still more questions had no > > reasonable way to answer them without having > > previously read or learned specific Cisco materials. > > > > My observation is that this is bad for us as > > certification holders. And, since we pay for the tests > > and represent to our employers that they represent a > > certain level of professionalism, I think I have a > > real issue. The issues are not complaints regarding > > poor writing or syntax on the exam, although I am > > concerned about this for non-native English speakers > > taking the English exam. Rather, I am concerned that > > the test is outdated even when its in beta. This is > > not the first test (production or beta) that I have > > noted this with. I still haven't seen tests on MPLS, > > VPN, 4224 switches, IMA, etc., yet this would seem to > > be relevant on the CCNP/DP exams. > > > > Please share your thoughts. > > > > BTW - If this is considered an OT item please > > disregard. It is my hope to gain some understanding > > and then address the issue with Cisco if there is > > agreement that there is an issue. As the content of > > the tests is of concern to all of us I hope that the > > potential benefits are valued. > > > > ===== > > Robert Padjen > > > > __________________________________________________ > > Do You Yahoo!? > > Try FREE Yahoo! Mail - the world's greatest free email! > > http://mail.yahoo.com/ Message Posted at: http://www.groupstudy.com/form/read.php?f=7&i=38177&t=38097 -------------------------------------------------- FAQ, list archives, and subscription info: http://www.groupstudy.com/list/cisco.html Report misconduct and Nondisclosure violations to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
