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Passed SCJP!!

 
Greenhorn
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I was very pleased to pass the SCJP with an 88.
I knew no Java, so I prepared for a good part of a year.
I just realised that no one else has put a cutsie id name also. Oh well!
The first topic was 8 problems on threads with the first two being the most difficult.At this point I needed oxygen. Yet, the test got easier as
it progressed.
The K+B book was fabulous. I read it twice and took the chapters tests about 3 times. By the third time I was getting 90% on chapter tests. The funny thing is that I would always get different problems wrong I also wrote out notes and flash cards on topics that were hard to memorize.
I had difficulty finishing the K+B mock exams in two hours at first.Could only do 50 problems, yet got 75% on first one. I learned how to save time by doing a few things:
Get in your head that you can be both quick and accurate. I like to rethink all of the problems sometimes 2 or three times. Three times is a waste!!!
Skip as few problems as possible, preferably none. It takes time to go back. If you must skip, put an answer anyway. It burns time to go back and refocus, especially for fellow block heads!
Long problems many times have an obvious compile or run time error.I ran away from them too quickly on early practice tests.
Do as much as you can in your head. Sometimes I had to write down variable values or cross off choices, but it takes extra time, when you look away from the screen. Doing this, I was able to go thru real exam in 90 minutes and then check nearly every problem.

I bought Sun's three mock exams for $75. I thought this would give me the best chance of passing. They were perhaps a little harder than the real exam. On one I only got 54 because I left out 12 problems due to speed and yelling children These exams really helped me, seeing problems from different angles, yet it seems that everyone else did well without them.
Does this exam have a 40-50% failure rate or are some of you folks in the Mensa society? I supposed people with poor scores didn't know about Java Ranch or don't want to post.
I go by any combination of the names Ken and Blockhead.
 
Ranch Hand
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COngrats !!!
 
author
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Congrats!
Stick around, change your display name, and help answer a few questions!
-Bert
 
Consider Paul's rocket mass heater.
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