Passed SCBCD with 94%

[Bharat Ruparel]

Just got back from the test, cleared it with 94%.
My preparation material was as follows:
1. Head First EJB Book - This is a must unless you do not like to be humored as you learn, I do. I also enjoyed the free conversational style that the authors have refined, much appreciated. Thanks Kathy and Bert.
2. Mikalai Zolkin's SCBCD Study Guide which is really a nice condensation of Richard Monson Hafael's landmark text (I have all the three editions) and the EJB specs. I didn't really refer to the EJB specs in detail primarily because of Mikalai's excellent Study Guide. Thanks Mikalai.
3. Valentin's Cheat Sheets - Excellent presentation and summarization of an otherwise very difficult and quite inconsistent Spec. I used his cheat sheets extensively in my preparation. Thanks Valentin.
4. SoftSCBCD Simulator - For a $ 17.00 value, it sure packs a lot of punch. I went through all the five mock tests at least once. The quizs are quite effective too. Thanks Manoj.
5. I was a beta tester for Enthuware's EJBPlus. While the beta product had a few bugs (it won't be called a beta otherwise), it is an excellent product. This is provided by the same gentlemen who wrote one of the best texts on Servlets/JSPs/SCWCD; Malaviya and Deshmukh. I interacted with Anil Paul quite a bit. This is a class outfit. Thanks and regards to you all.
About the actual exam, much easier than the one in HFEJB text and easier than the simulators' exams. I lost 50% point on "Entity Beans" section. I have no idea why? One thing that irks me about Sun's tests is that you have no idea where you went wrong and why as you can figure out in the simulators. A lot of us are not just after certificates but the real learning experience. It would be nice if Sun figured out how to give us more pin-pointed feedback without opening itself up to the possibility of a lawsuit. I think most of us will be happier if we knew what is it that we missed.
I will start on SCEA soon.
Javaranch is the place to be. Thanks Kathy.
Bharat

[bhargavi kakarala]

hi bharat
congrats..... great score.
ALL THE BEST for u'r next cert.

[Ken Boyd]

Thanks for info Bharat.
Question for you: I have Valentin's Cheat Sheets. Do I need to read spec?
BTW: I have Head First EJB Book (good one)

Thanks,
Nehul
SCJP1.4, SCWCD

[Bharat Ruparel]

Hello Bhargavi,
Thanks.
Hello Nehul,
You may want to download (& print) Mikalai's Study Guide along with Valentin's cheat sheets. In my opinion, if you have read any of the popular texts such as Monson-Fafael or Ed Roman, you will not need to read the Specs. You can get by with Mikalai's Study Guide since he has done an excellent job of summarizing the Specs especially for someone who is familiar with Monson-Hafael's text (I think that it is titled Enterprise Java Beans, and is currently in its Third Edition.). You can find a link to Mikalai's material on the forums page, same place where you found the link to Valentin's cheat sheets.
Regards.
Bharat

[Ken Boyd]

Thanks Bharat.

[bhargavi kakarala]

hello bharat,
Iam planning to take exam within 3 days any lastminute suggestions. U mentioned that u used Softscbcd is it INESystems mock test or some other

[Philippe Maquet]

Great score, Bharat! Congratulations!
Phil.

[Bharat Ruparel]

Hello Bhargavi,
Please follow the link below to get more information on SoftSCBCD. It is a product of Soft-Learn Systems and costs $17.00.
https://coderanch.com/t/158266/java-EJB-SCBCD/certification/softSCBCD-opinions
Hello Phil,
Thanks! I think that your score on SCBCD was also 94%, isn't it? Just goes to prove that great minds think alike or mess-up alike. Now, when do we see you crossing the finish line for SCJD? I will keep reminding you until you do it so you better get it done.
Regards.
Bharat

[Manoj Gupta]

Hello Bharat,
Congratulations on passing SCBCD. We are happy that you found the product useful. Please send us your comments on the softSCBCD product at [e-mail]. We will be soon adding your name (along with your feedback) on the home page of our website
Thank you,
SoftLearn Systems
www.softlearn-systems.com

[Philippe Maquet]

Hi Bharat,

Hello Phil,
Thanks! I think that your score on SCBCD was also 94%, isn't it? Just goes to prove that great minds think alike or mess-up alike.

Yes, I got 94% too!

Now, when do we see you crossing the finish line for SCJD? I will keep reminding you until you do it so you better get it done.

I have other cert/study priorities in relation with my new job unfortunately. I'll finish it one day, but I cannot tell you when. Now, if I had to decide to stop posting here for a while, and invest the saved time in my SCJD assignment, I could finish it rather quickly. But i'd hate myself for such a decision, so... Life is made out of choices, right?
BTW, good luck with your SCEA cert!
Best regards,
Phil.
[ February 01, 2004: Message edited by: Philippe Maquet ]

[Paul Anilprem]

Congratulations, Bharat! Great Score.
Please do post your scores on SCBCD Results Comparison page

[Vishwa Kumba]

Congratulations Bharat!

[Rashmi Tambe]

Congrates Bharat!

[Sivasundaram Umapathy]

[Bharat Ruparel]

Hello Manoj, Anil, Vish, Rashmi & Siva,
Thank you all.
Regards.
Bharat
Manoj,
I have sent my feedback to you.
Anil,
I can't log on to the site that you provided for posting what is my user id and password?

[Bert Bates]

Bharat,
Wow!! Great score!
Congratulations, we're glad the book helped.
Bert

[Jayant Kulkarni]

Hi Bharat,
Congratulations...!! Great score.
Thanks for sharing your expeirence.
Can you send me Mikalai's Study Guide or any link to that?
The link on SCBCD link page is not working.
Thanks in advance.
Jayant

[Bharat Ruparel]

Hello Bert,
Thank you.
Hello Jayant,
I actually printed out a hard-copy of Mikalai's Study Guide since it was in an HTML format. I checked at the forum page and you are right the link is broken or the document has been moved. You may want to post a request for Mikalai on the SCBCD forum requesting a copy, I am sure he will be helpful.
Regards.
Bharat

[praveen palwai]

Link to Mikalai's Study Guide is
<a href=http://bcd-guide.nm.ru/bcd-guide.html>http://bcd-guide.nm.ru/bcd-guide.html</a>;

[Jayant Kulkarni]

The link is working now on SCBCD links page.
Thanks all,
Jayant

[George Thomson]

Nice score ....Congrats....