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want ur help on SCJP

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Hello everyone in JavaRanch.I have joined this forum just today with hopes that I will get some encouragement and will be able to build up my confidence and enventually pass the SCJP with a good score.I am new to Java.I have never worked on anything realted to Java.Infact I am very new to the industry also.Only 1yr. of company exp. that too don't consider myself to have learnt something very worthwhile. I am presently working on VB and Oracle and find my job rather boring.Want to shif over to someting challenging like Java.
I have read Khalid's book fully.But this I did 2 months back.I hv forgotten many things,I know. I am rather nervous friends,lacking in confidence at present and do not know how to go by though I know I will have to do it.Can I be ready for the test in 2 months?What kind of efforts and how many hours of study do I need to put in?Passing this test means a lot to me and I want to do well.Though there are lots of helps and suggesstions on this in this site and others yet a little direct advice will give me a lot of encouragement.Pls help me frineds.
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Hi Sarbani,
Welcome to Javaranch, a friendly place for Java greenhorns
Please find some helpful resources below:
Objectives:
SCJP 1.2 objectives
SCJP 1.4 objectives
Specification:
Java Language Specification 2nd (JLS)
Official Java Language Specification Errata
Unofficial Java Language Specification Errata
Mock exams:
Maha's site
Javaranch mock exams list
Marcus Green's web site
Jiris e-Learning System
Dan Chisholm's web site
JDiscuss' mock exams list
Valentin's mock exam
Hints:
The one thing I wish I'd done... by Kathy Sierra
Traps to be aware of in any SCJP test !!! :) by Maha Anna
Don't forget our Sun Certification Results forum where people give some feedback after taking the exam.
Preparation tips by Maha Anna
Test engines:
JQ+
J@Whiz (SCJP 1.2)
J@Whiz (SCJP 1.4)
JCertify 6.0 (SCJP 1.4)
JCertify 5.0 (SCJP 1.2)
Books:
Javaranch bunkhouse
Other info:
SCJP FAQ
Position on Real Questions - Must Read!
Other people's results
Good luck

Moving this to the Programmer Certification forum...
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Hi Sarbani -
I was almost in your position, because I never had much Java experience. I had 1 month parttime and 2 full months of preparation time. I passed this exam recently wth 91%. I studied the Roberts and Heller book and did all the mock exams in this site. Here are my humble suggestions:
Whichever concept you are studying, grasp it well. Even if you understand something well just by reading, it is a good idea to do some hands-on on the computer. That way it stays longer in our memory. This will be useful since it is not possible to brush up everything just before the exam.
After doing the course material once (from any book), go thru Dan Chisholm's chapter-wise questions. At this point you'll be able to determine if you need to read more from the JLS.
Do all the mock exams from Javaranch + the ones in www.jiris.com. While doing the mocks, jot down any question matter that appear difficult, even if you get those right. Even a slight difficulty should trigger you to study little more on that topic.
I found the J@Whiz mocks useful in the sense that I could better focus and concentrate in the real exam. This helped me tremendously in avoiding the silly mistakes. Also it covers the new topics like assertion, etc.. which are generally not covered well in the free mocks.
But I think the difficult questions in the real exam can be answered only if you are clear in the fundamentals (especially from JLS).
If remembering the API signatures (wrapper, stringbuffer, etc..) is proving difficult, make some flash cards and get those straight. It is required to know the APIs well (like, if some API is an instance or static method, the String APIs that are not present in the StringBuffer class, etc..).
Last but not the least, feel positive throughout the preparation phase. Just remember, this is NOT rocket science.
I hope this helps.
Thanks, Sudd
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This is very helpful, I was going to ask someone how is JWhiz??? But now that its tried and tested by you and proved useful, I think I will goahead and buy it to prepare for my test. Thanks
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Thanks Valintin and Sudd for all those useful info. I am going to put in my best and will be needing more of your help in future.
Thanks again....Sarbani.
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Sarbani - I agree with Sudd. The point I would like to emphasize is USE FLASHCARDS!!! It really helps to make flashcards and study them - get friends to quiz you. I used flashcards a lot when studying for the exam - they helped me pass!
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Originally posted by Bert Bates:
Sarbani - I agree with Sudd. The point I would like to emphasize is USE FLASHCARDS!!! It really helps to make flashcards and study them - get friends to quiz you. I used flashcards a lot when studying for the exam - they helped me pass!


I agree that flash cards are very helpful. For example, I think they are the best way to memorize method and constructor signatures.
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I've never used flash cards before, but it sounds like a useful study technique. Can you give me some examples of how you use them?
For instance, if you wanted to learn the methods and ctors of the String class, what would some of your flash cards look like?
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John - simple facts - 1 or 2 per card, like:
'In the String class what arguments can the valueOf() method take?
or
What two argument signatures does the substring() method take.
Just simple factiods to remember!
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Thanks Bert
It looks like a good way to memorize things that just don't want to stick in my brain!
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Hi Mukherjee
Thanks for putting good question. I thought of posting same question, but after going thruogh urs i thought it is not necessary. Thank to all for ur valuable suggestions. If any of u thought to add more suggestions, kindly mail to me, most welcome and will be glad to u.
[ November 22, 2002: Message edited by: Bandlamudi Narasimha Rao ]
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Thanks Bert for that idea on flashcards.I am surely going to try that out.Haven't stared my preparations seriously yet.But with all the help from all of you I am really going to put in my best.Thanks to all of you.
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Hi Sudd,
I wanted some more of your valuable advice.You have written that you had put in 2 months of full time effort.What do you exactly mean by that?
I would like to explain my position to you a bit.I am presently working in a reputed s/w company in Kolkata,India but am not at all happy with the work(nor with the money factor) here.I am thinking of quitting and looking out for something really challenging.But before that I actually want to feel confident enough which I think this certifiction can provide.Do you think 2 months of fully dedicated study(ie leaving my job!) will be worth it?(I have been a good student and teachers have never complained abt my sincerity and am quite confident of getting a good job if I leave this one provided I get some time to prepare myself .)Please Advice.
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Hi Sarbani -
Two full months, 8 hrs a day, were enough for me. To be precise, I am working and have a family. However, I had self-studied Java almost 2 years ago. But seriously I did it only now for the SCJP preparation. I'm otherwise a C/Unix/RDBMS programmer, doing application programming for more than a decade now.
Regarding your question about whether it'll be worth it or not, I am unable to comment much because it totally depends upon the Java job market in Calcutta/India. I'm out of India almost for 6 years now. But one thing is for sure. If there is ANY demand for a Java programmer, getting this certification will be definitely to your advantage. And of course, getting certified will boost your confidence in Java immensely. Definitely, it did that for me.
Sudd
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I got you Sudd,thanks for the advices.I know what I need to do now.
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