• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
programming forums Java Mobile Certification Databases Caching Books Engineering Micro Controllers OS Languages Paradigms IDEs Build Tools Frameworks Application Servers Open Source This Site Careers Other Pie Elite all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
Marshals:
  • Campbell Ritchie
  • Jeanne Boyarsky
  • Ron McLeod
  • Paul Clapham
  • Liutauras Vilda
Sheriffs:
  • paul wheaton
  • Rob Spoor
  • Devaka Cooray
Saloon Keepers:
  • Stephan van Hulst
  • Tim Holloway
  • Carey Brown
  • Frits Walraven
  • Tim Moores
Bartenders:
  • Mikalai Zaikin

Got Sun Certified!!

 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 50
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hi all:
I took the Sun Java Exam today (Aug 19th) and got certified at 91%.
It was a week back that I started participating in JavaRanch discussion forum by answering a question on threads and I really find this site useful for technical discussions. Sincere thanks to the JavaRanch team for making this site a very useful one. Good job & Keep it up!
The exam clearly proves the fact that one has to be thorough with the basics & concepts to fare well in it. I think, irrespective of what resources one uses, one has to master the basics well for the exam.
I got 54/59 and one of the questions puzzled me up like anything. It had all the options wrong, for sure, but I was asked to check correct answers from them! On the whole, the test was interesting and it looked to me as if I was tested upon all the minute details & concepts in a fairly distributed manner.
Reading a good certification book thouroughly, coding lot of sample programs & learning from mock exams are sure to fetch good results. I found preparing my own notes was very much useful for quick reference before exam. Participating in discussion forums also helps to boost the self-confidence & strengthen the knowledge of concepts, I think.
Best Wishes to all those taking the exam!
Thanks again,
Gaja.
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 2378
MySQL Database Spring Java
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Congrats Gaja! Great score!! Yah this site is excellent!!!
------------------
azaman
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 214
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
CONGRATULATIONS Gaja!
Excellent job
Percy
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 151
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Congrats Venkat!!! Great score
i would like to know if knowing the constructors of streams/readers/writers classes in java.io is sufficient or does one have to be thorough with their methods also?And in java.util topic does one have to mug up methods of Collection interfaces?
rajashree.
 
Gaja Venkat
Ranch Hand
Posts: 50
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Thanks
Azaman
Percy
Rajashree


i would like to know if knowing the constructors of streams/readers/writers classes in java.io is sufficient or does one have to be thorough with their methods also?And in java.util topic does one have to mug up methods of Collection interfaces?
rajashree.


As far as my opinion goes regarding java.io, knowing the constructors and methods is required. I did get two questions on both of these! The questions were such that no guess would have worked, I think! Initially I too had the same doubt whether I should go for studying the methods in detail. As my score in java.io used to be less in mock exams, I thought of trying my best. Once I started studying, found that the study can be made more easy by trying to logically analyze how & why methods are available for each class in java.io package! This really worked & I scored 100% in java.io in SCJP exam which I don't think, I got in any mocks!
Regarding java.util, I did get 2 questions that demanded knowledge of util classes. One question, I think I wouldn't have answered correctly, if I had not known the methods. Here too my score used to be less in mocks when compared to other sections, say 50% or 70% in this section. I decided to go into more details and went through Java API docs! Believe me, things started looking much easier & less boring regarding the methods.I am happy to share that I got 100% in java.util in SCJP2!
Thanks,
Gaja
 
Gaja Venkat
Ranch Hand
Posts: 50
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hi all exam candidates!
As more apprehensions are seen regarding java.io & java.util, in general, thought of providing certain tips on studying these. These are based on my experience when studying for the SCJP exam in which I scored 100% in java.io & java.util sections
1. The best place to study these topics from is Java API docs. The link is Java API
2. Start with the Super class. Go through the entire page patiently and understand the methods in that class.
For example, if it is java.io, could start from InputStream. The information in the page given is fairly simple & straightforward.
3. Now try to get all the general information about this Super class with a special emphasis on read (or write as the case may be) methods.
In the above example, we can see that the InputStream is an abstract class and that it has 3 read methods out of which the one that returns the byte read in int, is abstract. So naturally any subclass of InputStream has to have this method implemented or it itself has to be abstract. This point may be noted.
Then there are 2 other read methods which are not abstract. This means, any subclass of InputStream will have these methods available also, just have to see whether they are overridden in subclass or not! These two methods return the number of bytes read.
There are other methods too - I would suggest doing an analysis like this & understanding the following for all the methods in the Superclass, with a special emphasis on read/write methods
a) name of the method
b) what the method does
c) the input parameters
d) the return type
e) Exceptions thrown
4. Simultaneously can start preparing a chart too. Sometimes pictures have more effect than text. Why spare this option??
Take a sheet of paper & draw a box with "InputStream" marked inside at the top center.
Now, no need to put all the information gathered, in this chart, then this would start looking clumsy! Instead can use some important information. For example, just after the name, in brackets can put the number of constructors the class has. Also special points may be put. For example, when constructors take encoding parameter, "encoding" may be written near the class name & encircled!
5. Now that the Super class details are known, just move on to a subclass, say, FileInputStream.
Here it can be seen that this class is not abstract. If a class is not abstract & it extends an abstract class, then it means all the abstract methods of the Super class have been implemented in the subclass. So down the page, you will find that this is true - ie all 3 read methods are non-abstract and they are just the same as those in Super class.
As much time was spent on the Superclass, here studying becomes easy. Just like how the constructors & methods of Superclass were studied, here also have to go through the constructors & methods.
FileInputStream reads from File. So has 3 constructors based on how the input file is represented - File, FileDescriptor or String. As it reads from File it can't have zero-parameter constructor.
When going through methods, can see that finalize of Object has been overridden to call the close() of FileInputStream. To be noted!
6. Update the chart too simultaneoulsy by drawing a leaf (ie a box below InputStream) and marking it as "FileInpuStream" .
As FileInputStream has no subclass, a big dot can be put to denote this. (A hanging leaf does denote this - but this is useful as we go deep building the tree and plan not to complete the tree).
7. Like this complete all the relevant subclasses!
8. Repeat this with other Super classes such as OutputStream, Reader, etc.
Not only that this makes the study of java.io methods less boring & more logical, the notes & chart also serve as a quick reference before taking the exam. Similar approach may be taken for java.util classes too.
There are plenty of free tutorials, notes, tips, commercial tools etc available for SCJP preparation. Most of these are really good and their efforts are really to be appreciated. Besides making the best of these, one can figure out the weaker sections and start preparing notes on these sections atleast for quick reference.
I followed this strategy for java.io & java.util and it worked for me.
Hope this is of some help!
All the Best!
Gaja
Sun Certified Programmer for Java 2 Platform
[This message has been edited by Gaja Venkat (edited August 21, 2001).]
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 3141
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Congratulations Gaja
------------------
Jane Griscti
Sun Certified Programmer for the Java� 2 Platform
 
rajashree ghatak
Ranch Hand
Posts: 151
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Thanx Gaja for ur wonderful tips on java.io and java.util topics.
ur efforts are very much appreciated.
rajashree.
 
Ashik Uzzaman
Ranch Hand
Posts: 2378
MySQL Database Spring Java
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Gaja outstanding advice really!!!
------------------
Muhammad Ashikuzzaman (Fahim)
When you learn something, learn it by heart!
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 100
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hi Gaja,
Nice to hear that you have done it...great score...
Good Luck,
Poonam
 
Gaja Venkat
Ranch Hand
Posts: 50
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Thanks Jane! Your site is interesting and it would be great to come up with a compact version of JLS!
Thanks Rajashree, Ashik - for your appreciation. That inspires me to give more tips All the Best!
Thanks Poonam.
Gaja
Sun Certified Programmer for Java 2 Platform
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 1874
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
congratulations. all the very best for the future.
Your Friendly Bartender
Shailesh.
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 356
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Congratulations Gaja, Thanks for the tips, sure if we follow your strategy io will be easiest part.
Vanitha.
 
Greenhorn
Posts: 4
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Congratulations Gaja
It was really nice to know that you cleared the exam with 91% marks. I am also palnning to appear next month. Currently I am going thru Complete Java Certification by Simon Roberts,Philip Heller and Micheal Earnest. What else should I study in order to come out in flying colours.
Congratulations once again.
------------------
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 356
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Thanks Gaja for advising such a wondeful strategy, Congrats and all the very best.
--Farooq
 
Gaja Venkat
Ranch Hand
Posts: 50
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Thanks Shailesh, Vanitha, Akhil, Farooq!
Lots of resources are available for the exam - free on the net as well as for purchase. What I would suggest is to study with the goal of understanding concepts by coding small programs & then practice selcted mock exams. This way, the study will be focussed towards mastering the exam objectives. The exam does test on certain points which a Java Programmer need not memorize or know by-heart in his/her actual work. So a focussed study is very much important apart from learning the language.
I would like to suggest as follows:
1. Take a print out of the objectives from Sun's site and mark it as and when you finsih studying objectives.
2.Take a good certification book (I used Roberts, Hellers & Ernest's book) and finish reading chapter by chapter.
3. Install JDK and code small programs to test the concepts. Prepare notes and make note of interesting(or weird!) results.
4. Finish the test given at the chapter end. For whichever test you take, read the explanation for both correct and wrong options! As William Brogden has rightly said in his Exam Cram book, the exam requires not only to check the correct options, but also to discard the wrong options!!
5. Now after completing this book, probably another book such as Exam Cram by William Brogden (has lots of trick questions) may be used. Here again finish all the chapters
6. Study Java API documentation for java.io, java.util etc and prepare notes.
7. Refer to Java Language Specification(JLS) whenever doubts arise or when ideas appear to be conflicting in other resources!
In my opinion there is no substitute for going through the Java API documentation and JLS and I did refer to both of these frequently.
8. Also when some topics require more study, referring to other resources such as tutorials/articles from Sun's site, Marcus Green's tutorials etc helps a lot. Participating in technical discussion forums such as JavaRanch, jchq is good and helps to improve confidence.
9. Now can start doing mock exams from the net. Actually for me, it required a second reading of Threads, Inner classes & AWT before getting ready for mocks.
If doing mock exams from the net or going through JLS is a difficult task and if high percentage is desired in the exam, then may be, one can think of getting commercial products available for the exam preparation.
10. When working with mock exams, it is better to do the follwoing:
a) Create an actual test environment by not referring to books or other resources. Also try to take a test in one shot without giving break.
b) Try to convert "taking mock exams" as a learning tool. So there is no point in finishing 3,4 mocks on the same day without proceeding ahead with learning. The results from mocks can be best used for identifying the weaker sections and areas where the concepts are not clear.
c) After finishing 1 or 2 mock exams, study the weaker areas and code programs to strengthen the learnt concepts before taking mock exams again
d) Lots of mock exams are available on the net. My opinion is that there is no need to attempt all these exams. Instead, one can select a few exams and then plan when to take them. Date of the exam, time spent, score, URL, weaker sections etc may be recorded in a work sheet so that it can be referred later.

Jonh Hunt's exam, Rules Roundup game, Barry Boones' tests, Marcus Green's exams, Khalid Mughal's test, Sun's sample test are some from the net which I found very useful and which in my opinion, no one should miss! Also don't miss to take the final mock exams given in the certfication books.
Hope this helps.
All the Best!
Gaja Venkat
Sun Certified Programmer for Java 2 Platform.
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 1157
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Congratulations Gaja
------------------
Sandeep
Sun Certified Programmer for Java 2 Platform Scored 93%
Oracle Certified Solution Developer - JDeveloper
-- Oracle JDeveloper Rel. 3.0 - Develop Database Applications with Java Scored 56 out of 59
-- Object-Oriented Analysis and Design with UML Scored 73%
Oracle Certified Enterprise Developer - Oracle Internet Platform
-- Enterprise Connectivity with J2EE Scored 72%
-- Enterprise Development on the Oracle Internet Platform Scored 44 out of 56
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 418
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Congratulations!!!
Very good Tips Gaja Venkat!!!
It'll really help People like me who are preparing for the exam...
Stick to this site and do guide us.
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 280
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Congraz Gaja,
Thanx a lot for such excellent
and detailed tips!!
It's definitely going to help us a lot
 
Gaja Venkat
Ranch Hand
Posts: 50
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Thanks Sandeep, Rashmi and Leena!
Rashmi, Leena - All the Best for your Exam!! Sure, shall try to answer exam-preparation-related queries here.
Best Wishes,
Gaja Venkat
Sun Certified Programmer for Java 2 Platform
 
Gaja Venkat
Ranch Hand
Posts: 50
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hi all Exam candidates!
When I browsed this forum last 3,4 times, I could see that there were questions about preparing for Sun Java Exam, especially about studying IO section. As now, I am not able to locate all these posts, thought of bringing this post to the top so that it may be of some help to you all! (Please scroll upwards for some study tips which others too said that they found useful)
All the Best,
Gaja Venkat
Sun Certified Programmer for Java 2 Platform
 
Greenhorn
Posts: 10
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
HEY,
CONGRATS ...Cool Score,
Keep it up..
 
Gaja Venkat
Ranch Hand
Posts: 50
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Thanks!!
Gaja Venkat
Sun Certified Programmer for Java 2 Platform
 
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic