I gave my certification exam yesterday and scored a 100% .Feeling ecstatic and thought like sharing my experience.
Although , I started my preparation 1 year back but due to tight work schedule wasn't able to continue . Few weeks back I resumed my preparation with commitment that I will at least give this exam .
Preparation : I used K&B as key study material and kept Khalid for reference . Instead of mugging details I used eclipse editor to practice and burn key concepts, especially in case of threading , overriding and collections , this process helped a lot. I practiced primarily mock tests accompanying K&B book which is more than enough . Once I scored around 70% in my mocks I felt confident and registered for the exam.
Exam day : Nearest examination center was out of town . I reviewed my notes during journey and at the exam center. I knew every details count and could help me score an extra point.
Oracle exam was easier than mock tests . However, first few questions felt tricky but once you get into the groove its all goes fine . There was enough time to complete the
test and for revision . After second review I pressed finish test as a happy man .
Advice : I would recommend aspirants to be really comfortable with
overriding concepts which are rigorously tested. Also, not every answer is compilation or exception error
Materials except K&B are not 100% accurate and hence take them with a pinch of salt . At last, be confident about your preparation and threshold of 61% is not hard to beat .
Best of luck and Thanks Kathy Sierra & Bert Bates .
Adarsh Agarwal