Java 8 OCA and OCP preparation time?

[Reinhard Auner]

Dear forum,
I plan to take the Java 8 OCA (1Z0-808)and OCP (1Z0-809) one after the other but my problem is that I have to do this while working full-time.
So, I am not sure if the times for preparation mentioned in the OCA book from Jeanne and Scott are calculated for studying full-time or not?
Any helpful answer is highly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

Yours, Reinhard

[Liutauras Vilda]

Welcome to the Ranch.

That depends a lot on your current experience you hold as well as on your abilities in the amount of time you can put in studies whilst working.
Don't think about the OCA and OCP at the same time. One thing at a time - OCA first and nothing else. You may find yourself exhausted and will want a break.

Both exams are hard, OCP harder. I'd say 3 months studying a lot and doing some practice tests can get you there (assuming you know some Java foundations).

Please tell how much experience you have? When did you set your goal to go and sit an exam?

[Reinhard Auner]

Thank you!

I have not very much experience with Java but I know how to write Java programs. I can put three hours a day aside for studying during the week, on weekends more. I didn´t think about doing OCA and OCP at the same time. That would be foolish. I have started learning for the OCA exam in June and want to take it at the beginning of September, at least that´s the general plan. Is that too ambitious?

yours,

Reinhard

Liutauras Vilda wrote:Welcome to the Ranch.

That depends a lot on your current experience you hold as well as on your abilities in the amount of time you can put in studies whilst working.
Don't think about the OCA and OCP at the same time. One thing at a time - OCA first and nothing else. You may find yourself exhausted and will want a break.

Both exams are hard, OCP harder. I'd say 3 months studying a lot and doing some practice tests can get you there (assuming you know some Java foundations).

Please tell how much experience you have? When did you set your goal to go and sit an exam?

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

We didn't assume full time studying. I think you are allowing a good amount of time to pass the OCA in September

It all depends on your experience with Java and speed in learning of course. The OCP will take a lot longer than the OCA to prepare for.

[Reinhard Auner]

Thanks, Jeanne!

So I will pursue learning and hope for the best!

yours,

Reinhard

Jeanne Boyarsky wrote:We didn't assume full time studying. I think you are allowing a good amount of time to pass the OCA in September

It all depends on your experience with Java and speed in learning of course. The OCP will take a lot longer than the OCA to prepare for.

[João Victor Gomes]

I work full-time as well. I've been preparing myself for the OCA exam since April, 17, I guess. I scheduled to take the exam on July, 3, which means next monday

I studied with the following books: OCA Java SE 8 Study Guide (Jeanne Boyarsky and Scott Selikoff), OCA/OCP Java SE 7 Study Guide (Katy Sierra and Bert Bates), and Core Java Vol. I (Cay Horstmann and Gary Cornell).
I studied 1 chapter per week (from the study guide by Jeanne and Scott), following this sequence:

read the chapter;

practiced with a lot of code;

read about the subject in the other two books that I mentioned;

took the chapter exam;

created mind maps and flashcards.

Then, I started to take the mock exams from the study guide, to see what I should improve, and studied again chapters 3, 4 and 5 from the book, studied my flashcards, studied my notes/mind maps (about all the subjects), and practiced again.
After all this, I started to take Enthuware mock exams, and I've been doing it for 2 weeks, and I'll finish the mock exams next weekend.
And of course, between my studies, I created and read a lot of topics here in the ranch, and read about some concepts in the Java Language Specification.

Sometimes I stayed up until 2 a.m. to accomplish my tasks, even knowing that I have to wake up around 6 a.m. It's very exhausting.

I hope I will be here on monday, with a detailed topic about my success on the exam

[Roel De Nijs]

In the OcajpFaq (besides other very useful information) and this thread you'll find an overview of all available (free and commercial) resources (study guides, mock exams, video courses,...) to thorougly prepare yourself for the certification exam. And on the OcajpWallOfFame (and the OcpjpWallOfFame) you'll find plenty of (links to) experiences (some including time lines of their preparation) from other ranchers (including resources they have used). So it can be useful to determine which resources are useful (and which are not).

If you use the search function, you'll find plenty of topics with advice to prepare (and ace) the OCA exam. Here are a few:

Studying so hard just to fail(1z0-808)

Failing Java SE 8 Programmer I

Bad Experience with OCA 7 exams

Any tricks about how to manage the 120 min for so many question?

second failed OCAJP

Need some advice after failing the exam

Hope it helps!
Kind regards,
Roel

[Roel De Nijs]

João Victor Gomes wrote:I scheduled to take the exam on July, 3, which means next monday

Best of luck! I am pretty sure you will do great! (Yeah, I know I am increasing the pressure but remember: pressure makes diamonds )

[João Victor Gomes]

Roel De Nijs wrote:
Best of luck! I am pretty sure you will do great! (Yeah, I know I am increasing the pressure but remember: pressure makes diamonds )

Thanks Roel. I'll do my best. I'm doing very good on Enthuware mock exams, but I'll be very wary.