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MCP Welcome Kit

I got my MCP certification at the end of March, about time I got some certificates. For the non-technical that's the Microsoft Certified Professional qualification.

Well, when I say qualification, I'm sceptical about the whole thing.

I managed a score of 968, whatever that means. A pass is at xxx, from xx questions that may or may not be marked. And that's all Bill's boys say. Questions may be added to the test for the purpose of gathering statistics but may not count towards your final score, which is OK if you got it wrong but a waste if you got it right.

So there's nothing in the exam which says how the scores are calculated, what the maximum score is, what each question is worth, whether all questions are equal in value. A stark contrast from school & university exam questions.

So xx questions in, 50 minutes from a maximum of 165 minutes, and I leave the exam. A score of 968 out of some unknown number meant nothing to me. But I'd passed, and that's all that matters.

So why the scepticism? I swotted up on some elements of Xp that I'd never touched before, namely VPN settings for one. Sure enough I was asked a couple of questions on VPN, which I guess I got right, but I still haven't ever touched a VPN setting in my puff.

But as long as I can still show an ability to learn I'll be happy to shove it on the CV.

Even the logo isn't valid - the border's non-existent and you have to set your own to MS specification! (whoops, haven't done that yet)

Oh, that welcome kit. Apologies for digressing into the exam itself. As a newly qualified MCP I was entitled to get a welcome kit. And the contents were:

  • A Pin badge (actually OK as the pins are relpaced by magnets so there are no holes through your shirt, not that there ever were holes in any shirts because I've never seen one worn).
  • A swipe card with name. MCP ID and date certified on it. For what purpose I've yet to see

  • Certificate personally signed by Big Bill himself.

  • Voucher for money off the MCP store, where you can buy goods branded with your relevant qualification at discount price, then pay US-dispatched only shipping costs, VAT and import duties.
  • What a let-down. Now if there was a free MSDN subscription for the first year after qualification that would be worth having...

    [2006-07-11] Editing the scores out so as not to fall foul of the non-disclosure agreement you have to sign in blood before taking the test

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