IBM free voucher for certification tests

[Americo Souza]

Hi Ranchers

IBM announced today that they will offer 2000 free vouchers for several certification tests. The promotion is valid until Jun/2005. The candidate has to pass the pre-assessment test.

You can check the details at:
http://www-03.ibm.com/certify/news/20041220g.shtml

[Nicholas Cheung]

Thanks for your info.

Which exams you are going to take?

Nick

[Ko Ko Naing]

To qualify for a voucher, a candidate is required to be one of the first people to pass the aligning Pre-assessment/Sample Test between January 1, 2005 (12:00 a.m. Eastern Time) and April 30, 2005 (11:59 p.m. Eastern Time).

So even if I pass the Pre-assessment Test as a second person, I won't get a voucher?

Can anyone clarify? Thanks...

[Nicholas Cheung]

You must be the 1st 2000 people who pass the test.

Nick

[Sree Nivas]

Each Pre-assessment/Sample Test costs $10USD and each may be retaken multiple times to qualify for a voucher. Each time it is taken, a $10USD fee applies.

[Hussein Baghdadi]

I have a question please...
should I take the pre-assessment test in order to apply for the real exam ?
I don't want to take the pre-assessment test.
do IBM allow us to take the real test (Cert) without using the pre-assessment test ???
thanks..

[Americo Souza]

Answering your questions:

-------------------------------------------------------
Should I take the pre-assessment test in order to apply for the real exam?
--------------------------------------------------------

The pre-assessment test is a necessary condition only if you are applying for a free voucher.

Normally those tests are completely optional. However they are a valuable resource to measure your preparation

[Gian Franco]

Hi,

Do you book a pre-test in advance?

Thanks,

Gian

[Nicholas Cheung]

Do you book a pre-test in advance?

It is an online test, which you cant book it in advance.

Nick

[v giri]

Friends

I have benefitted from such free vouhers in the past. Let me share a few things that could help newbies in this.

1. You may get any number of vouchers (i.e. any number of DIFFERENT exams)
2. You still need to complete all the exams by 6/30. (Sometimes they have extended this deadline but don't count on it).
3. You can probably take 3-4 vouchers and still make best use of it (assuming 1 month preparation per exam - difficult but possible).
4. Usually exams remain the same (since ICE days). Chances are that these are available with answers in Internet including Javaranch. Do a little research.
5. Just in case you cannot find anything about the exam, take the exam BEFORE 1/1. If you pass you are okay - just repeat it on 1/1. Otherwise do a little bit of research for answers for the questions you did not know and you are all set for 1/1. Instead of $10, it would be $20 for you but it is still deep discount.
6. The hard part is after you get the voucher. Do your best to give the exam AND PASS; otherwise it is just an opportunity lost for both yourself and another guy who missed out because of 2000 number.

All this information with the usual disclaimer that it may not work out exactly as it did for us in the past.

Best wishes

[Americo Souza]

Hi Giri

I have some questions, regarding the pre-assessment test:

-------------------------------------
Usually exams remain the same (since ICE days)
----------------------------------------

What you mean? IBM has one set of questions for each pre-assessment test, so every time that you try to take it, the questions will be the same?

Thus if I am not prepared to take some tests now, I have to take them in advance because possibly I can find/research the correct answers and get my free voucher?