I’m currently preparing to upgrade my MCAD.NET status to Visual Studio 2005 Certifications (yeah I know I’ve been lame ). As an MCAD or an MCSD, you are eligible to upgrade your credential—to reflect your expertise using Microsoft Visual Studio 2005—with one or two exams.

I know Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2008 is already in use, but still I’m going to benefit from this upgrade offer Microsoft has given us.

On http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/upgrade/vs2005/default.mspx you can find what exam you’ll have to take to be upgraded. In my case it is exam 70-551 (at least this is the first I’m going to take).

So how do I prepare?

This is the exam I’m preparing for:

Exam 70-551: UPGRADE: MCAD Skills to MCPD Web Developer by Using the Microsoft .NET Framework

Thanks to Alex Thissen, http://www.alexthissen.nl/blogs/main/archive/2006/12/31/prepping-for-exam-70-551.aspx I know a little more what to expect than what Microsoft describes on its website. Thanks Alex!

Anyway, as a .NET software developer I already have a good common knowledge of most of the subjects beeing questioned. But still there are some additional subjects, classes, interfaces, etc…which are vague to me. So by walking through the exam preparation guide I’ll be getting a glance at what to expect: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/exams/70-551.mspx

Did you b.t.w. know that it it possible to get a second shot for free, in case you’d miss the first one?

Go to http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/offers/secondshot/default.mspx, sign up, and receive a second shot code by email. The second shot offer has been extended through June 30, 2008!

Hope this is usefull! At least it is for me I’m off for a holiday! See ya!

Gr.

Robbert