Sun procifiency test SCJA

[Stephen Davies]

Is it me or is the Sun proficiency test for SCJA a little off skew. Apart from not informing us of the correct answers to see Ssuns take n things, several questions are badly worded, and there are questionable details which seem to be outside the scope of SCJA objectives. Plus perhaps againit is just me but does anyone else not find the dam UML diagram that one question is based. It says which of the following implements the UML diagram, but there isn't one nor is there a link (in Firexx 3 and 2 and in IE )? Despite passing almost all mocks and such I still get a low mark on Sun proficiency! A few questions really niggle me (apart from the Missing UML Diagram). One is

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1. You must represent a fluid pump that has three states: open, closed, and cavitating. Which two types of data best represent the pump state as a single variable? (Choose two.)

boolean
integer
floating point
enumerated type

I think its an integer and enumerated type(as I have to choose two) can't be a boolean as there are three states of the pump, and I dont see the need for a floating point, inless by some twisted logic you could represent the states as 1,1.1,1.2 etc. However as Sun gives no indication on why I am left at a loss to really know.

The test also asks about using java.util.Money, is this an SCJA exam objective???

Also I dont want to post too much from it here, as people who take the test shouldn't know too much if they wish to remain objective, but I thought I would share my concerns.

Steve

[Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar]

Maybe the test is made as hard as possible. After passing the exam with 92%, I took this test and still got the bad result. I don't know why.

Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar
SCJP 5.0
SCJA
SCJD (Working on UrlyBird 1.3.2)

[Stephen Davies]

Were you able to see the UML diagram in the related question?

[Vishal Gupta]

Hi Stephen
I still have to take Sun proficiency test but for this question, i would also select the same answers - integers and enumerated type.
Let me take the test and see the rest!!!

[Stephen Davies]

Vishal,

I wish you good luck, let me know how ou get on!

[Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar]

Were you able to see the UML diagram in the related question?

Oops, I don't remember.

Jeffry Kristianto Yanuar
SCJP 5.0
SCJA
SCJD (Working on UrlyBird 1.3.2)

[Stephen Davies]

I think that all taking this procifiency test should be wary of it. It is old, badly worded, and question 7 on UML has no link or visible UML diagram to which it referrs to.The questions are very badly worded indeed and use non standard terminology, a swell as many out of the scope of SCJA. Besides that, your feedback simply contains the scores for each section and nothing else, you dont get to see the answers readily, you have to go and look it up somewhere on suns website (if it exists). Dont take the scores to heart, I have been doing well in my SCJA mocks, thanks to this website, Camerons Book and a fewother books and websites, but I still cannot get over 60% in the proficiency test!!!

[Vishal Gupta]

I took the Sun proficiency test and just managed to pass!!
- as mentioned by Stephen, question 7 doesn't have any UML diagram but we can select the right answer!
- this exam seems tougher than other mock exams I took (which includes Sun ePractice tests too)
- but I feel all questions was within the objective though wordings were little off
- and the most frustating part is you wont be able to know the correct answers...though I tried to play with it (by registering several time or press back button) but its hard...

I would be interested to discuss these questions 'offline'...

[ August 18, 2008: Message edited by: Vishal Gupta ]
[ August 18, 2008: Message edited by: Vishal Gupta ]

[Stephen Davies]

Vishal, well done at just passing! It is indeed a difficult exam, but perhaps made difficult not by the knowledge required, but by the way, the questions are worded? Still it is slightly frustrating, as you cannot see exactly where one goes wrong.

I would be happy to discuss these questions offline, perhaps via our private messages function. I think this is better, as discussing them on the forum, gives away many questions which will spoil it for others!