Re: Suggestion on instructor-led online or in-class courses
Date: Mon, 20 Apr 2009 05:00:31 +0200
Message-ID: <8580d4110904192000r59492645wabfb9ea0dfdf8542_at_mail.gmail.com>
I agree with Tim's recommendation to read the small print, but I have a feeling this has changed somewhat. The reason for that is that I remember having one co-worker take the 10g beta exam. He got the certification eventually. It took a long time and not until months after taking it would he even know if he passed it. So while it being a bargain, the amount of questions to answer combined with the effect of not knowing if you passed until Oracle decided which questions they would keep and count made it an experience he wasn't pleased with. His final conclusion after having his certification arrive was "never again".
Unless you just enjoy answering certification questions or really need to save the money for the real test, then I don't think this is a bargain. You save money, but you pay with frustration and patience. On interesting effect of how they do this is that those taking the beta exam will not have their certification before anyone else, rather those who take the production version early will have it long before the beta exam takers gets their certifications.
Mathias
On Mon, Apr 20, 2009 at 1:19 AM, Tim Gorman <tim_at_evdbt.com> wrote:
> Watch out for the beta exams. I took one for Oracle8i way back when and
> it cost something like $25 or $50 (I forget exactly which). A bargain, says
> I. It was over 200 questions, and they were asking for feedback on the
> questions. Feeling altruistic, I gave lots of feedback, and passed the exam
> easily. Did my bit for the "Oracle community" and got a bargain on
> certification, says I.
>
> Then I waited for my certificate. Finally, after a few months of waiting,
> I called the OCP folks to find out that passing the beta exam does not mean
> getting certification. I asked the person why I paid $25 (or $50, I forget)
> and then spent 2 hours providing copious feedback to four times as many
> questions as the normal exam, and the person replied, "You paid so you can
> take the beta exam". I kid you not. Oracle actually thought people would
> want to pay to provide beta feedback, for no other benefit.
>
> So, I took it again at full price and chalked it up to a learning
> experience.
>
> Read the small print.
>
>
>
>
> Saad Khan wrote:
>
> Does anyone have any updates on 11g certification?
>
> On Tue, Apr 14, 2009 at 11:37 PM, Jeremy Schneider <
> jeremy.schneider_at_ardentperf.com> wrote:
>
>> Sorry, that's right... my mistake. :) FYI, it's not strictly required
>> that you take the course through Oracle University - and maybe someone
>> else will offer it a little cheaper... but that is really a rip.
>>
>> http://www.oracle.com/global/be/education/certification/dba10g_onecoursereq.html
>>
>> Beta exams are cheaper than the regular ones; I don't know if there are
>> equivalent "beta classes" -- also the classes are often offered at
>> events like Collaborate and Open World although I'm not sure if they are
>> cheaper either.
>>
>> -J
>>
>>
>> Jack van Zanen wrote:
>> > I believe in the grand scheme of corporate greed it is now (since
>> > oracle 9) required to have completed at least one oracle course.
>> >
>> > Just knowing your stuff is just not good enough.
>>
>> --
>> Jeremy Schneider
>> Chicago, IL
>> http://www.ardentperf.com
>>
>> --
>> http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l
>>
>>
>>
> -- http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l
-- http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-lReceived on Sun Apr 19 2009 - 22:00:31 CDT