Is gaining Java certification harder than its ever been?

[Sam Hazim]

Since the move to Oracle the exam has been shortened to 2.5 hours (down from 3) and raised the passing score somewhat. This concerns me slightly as 2.5 mins per question seems a lot tighter than I'd like (whilst I think I could complete the exam I don't think I'd have much time spare).

Seems like it's harder than ever to pass the exam, how does everyone feel about that?

(e.g. out of the people already certified, does that extra 30 mins make much difference?)

[Boris Mechkov]

Sam Hazim wrote:Since the move to Oracle the exam has been shortened to 2.5 hours (down from 3) and raised the passing score somewhat. This concerns me slightly as 2.5 mins per question seems a lot tighter than I'd like (whilst I think I could complete the exam I don't think I'd have much time spare).

Seems like it's harder than ever to pass the exam, how does everyone feel about that?

No, i would not say it is harder. It has gotten a little easier, since they removed the time-consuming drag & drop questions, hence they shortened the time. There is plenty of time for doing the exam, IF and only IF, you know the insides and outsides of the Java programming language. The exam is pretty straight forward if you are prepared enough.

[Ikpefua Jacob-Obinyan]

Hmmm Boris has said it all... What else can I say?... Dont go for the exams or else you are well prepared!... The removal of the drag-&-drop made the exams a little easier because it was really time consuming. You should be through in approximately 120mins if you are well prepared.

Regards

Ikpefua

[Sam Hazim]

That's good to know. I had thought the time was shortened by 30 mins with no change in difficulty. Learning that the drag and drop questions have been removed is great news for me, I didn't like those questions (especially the one in the K&B book on compound assignments where you have to use the variables to result in a value of 33, which was a puzzle more than anything else! They admit as much though!)

[shuba gopal]

Oracle has actually tried to make it neither easier nor harder. I would say they have succeeded. The worst thing about D n D questions was that you should have noted down the answers previously or when you revise, the answers disappear. I am glad they were removed from the test.

[Paul Anilprem]

Certainly not ever. Considering that until 2000, the exam did not tell the number of correct options that you had to select and also included awt, I think the exam has mellowed down quite a bit