Thanks for all the good wishes. I've been intending to do this for about a year but only seriously got started 3 weeks ago.
I started with the Que guide for the 1.2 exam until Amazon delivered the Sybex
Java 2 Certification Guide 3rd Edition by Heller and Roberts. I discovered Java Ranch about a week ago and used the Chisholm and Green mock tests for the final week preparation.
Most of the certification guides seem out of date, even the Sybex guide which was supposed to be revised for the latest SCJP 1.4
test. The Que book was actively misleading and a waste of time and money. Based upon the Que results I would have gone a week too early and wasted my exam fee.
The Roberts-Heller book was much better but their questions were still too easy. I was scoring 95% plus on their test exams before I started using the Chisolm and Green mock exams, and am glad I took the time to do the further work. As it was I was well over the threshold though it was by no means easy. I used every minute of the 2 hours allotted.
The Marcus Green tests were probably the best gauge of whether one is prepared even though they haven't been updated to reflect the 1.4 version of the test as yet. But a trifle too easy. I would wait until scoring at least 75% on the Green tests before taking the actual exam.
The first two Chisholm tests I took were seriously ego-deflating. I scored 35% on the first comprehensive test and 40% on the second. After several days study I scored 60% on the third, then spent the rest of my time doing his special topic exams.
I don't think the Chisholm exams give a realistic guide to the actual SCJP exam as they are too difficult. I see them as more of a professional tool. One should go out to Dan's website every morning and take and grade a test. It's good for one's humility and will help to upgrade one's skills opver time....
[ April 11, 2003: Message edited by: Alfred Neumann ]
