I am SCJP and SCBCD. I am preparing to SCEA part 1 until July. In my opinion, the SCJA exam is easy and isn't so deep. The questions about UML are ridiculous. The questions about programming are superficial. If you are familiar with Java technologies you will get good grades. Good luck.
Vagner
SCJA, SCJP, SCBCD & SCEA (Part I)
Dave Wood
bronco
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Originally posted by Vagner Freitas: Hi All,
I am SCJP and SCBCD. I am preparing to SCEA part 1 until July. In my opinion, the SCJA exam is easy and isn't so deep. The questions about UML are ridiculous. The questions about programming are superficial. If you are familiar with Java technologies you will get good grades. Good luck.
Vagner
I'm not sure how many times we can stress that this exam is NOT INTENDED for people like you. These "ridiculous" and "superficial" questions are intended for people with very little Java/OO experience who likely don't know enough to pass the SCJP. The exam is intended to test whether you have a basic understanding of various Java-related technologies.
Co-Author of <a href="http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/jswing2" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Java Swing</a><br />Co-Creator of <a href="http://www.sun.com/training/catalog/courses/CX-310-055.xml" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">SCJP 5.0</a> and <a href="http://www.sun.com/training/certification/java/associate_beta.xml" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">SCJA</a> exams
So chill out you guys, if you're already an SCJP then this exam is not for you
I am not going to take the exam. Thanks Bert.
Mahesh Kumaraguru
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Hi Dave, Bert,
I am SCJP Aug-2001. I have 9 years total IT software experience of which first 5 years was in Cobol-Mainframe legacy technologies & 4 years till date is Java based technologies / J2EE EAI - like "putting old wine into new bottle" - I am putting new web frontends to legacy backends / applications ).
When I saw the Sun SCJA announcement on 1-Jun-2005, I saw thru the exam announcement / objectives and it gave me an impression of a different kind. The line that caught my attention is "Project or program managers working with Java technology". There was no mention that SCJA is below SCJP in level of difficulty. I saw it as Sun Certified Junior Architect and registered for it. Now I am confused reading ur postings My karma says - because I registered for the exam, I should attempt it ( similar to "as I am born a human, I should live life properly till natural death" ), but your posts discourage me from writing the exam, my dharma says - Do not participate in a competition which is below your capability ( Similar to "should not get into a combat with an unarmed opponent" ) and I am already armed with my experiences and I cannot shed that. Also dharma says - Do not waste anything ( similar to "do not throw edible food into trash, there are millions of humans in this world starving to death in poor countries" ) - I do not want to waste the free coupon when there are so many interested participants who could not register. These equal and opposite forces have put me in an unstable equilibrium - Should I write the exam Should I not. [ June 30, 2005: Message edited by: Mahesh Kumaraguru ]
Sorry, but I didn't have intention to depreciate this exam. I intended to say people don't worry about it. It wasn't clear for me what skills should the candidates have. I'm a 'Program manager working with Java technology', I'm not a Java Programmer. If there had been the advise 'if you're already an SCJP then this exam is not for you.' on the SCJA webpage, I wouldn't have taken the exam.
Vagner
Rudy Harianto
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Dave, Bert,
is there any way for us who have registered for the exam to give it to someone else? i think it's better than just cancle the exam.
I would suggest that since you have registered, then you should take the exam. You may be overqualified, but there is a survey (I believe) that asks about your level of experience before you take the exam, so this will be taken into consideration.
Thanks Andrew for helping me sort out my dilema. I have requested Sun to permit me to transfer/donate the free SCJA coupon to any other aspirant who could not register for the exam. If they do not permit me to transfer the free coupon, I shall go ahead and write the exam. But I am somehow left with the feeling I have taken away a child's toy ( a new to Java candidate's SCJA oppurtunity ).
Nicholas Cheung
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I have requested Sun to permit me to transfer/donate the free SCJA coupon to any other aspirant who could not register for the exam. If they do not permit me to transfer the free coupon, I shall go ahead and write the exam.
Honestly, transfering the chance to others seem difficult, if not impossible. It is because it is difficult for SUN to find another candiate to register for the exam. It is not worth to reopen the registration for, say, 10 vouchers, because people will then complaint again for a short notice of registration close. If you suggest some people to take it, it requires the interaction with Prometric staffs. Both incurred high administration costs.
But I am somehow left with the feeling I have taken away a child's toy ( a new to Java candidate's SCJA oppurtunity ).[/QB]
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I am not going to take the exam. Thanks Bert.
My karma says - because I registered for the exam, I should attempt it ( similar to "as I am born a human, I should live life properly till natural death" 
), but your posts discourage me from writing the exam, my dharma says - Do not participate in a competition which is below your capability ( Similar to "should not get into a combat with an unarmed opponent" 
- Should I write the exam 
( a new to Java candidate's SCJA oppurtunity 
).
