I passed scjp today, finally, after a couple of months of studying. I started with java last summer and had some experience with Perl prior to that. The best advice I can give to anyone who is planning to take this certification is to get their hands on "A programmers guide to Java Certification" by Mughal and Rasmussen. This book is excellent and very much to the point (unlike lots of other books on Java). If you know the material in this book, you will pass the exam.
Cheers,
Sven
Cheers,
Sven