Passed SCEA part I with 95%

[Dave Cronin]

I managed to pass the SCEA part I exam today with a score of 95%. That was a higher mark than I expected, because I found some of the scenario questions somewhat unusual, and without obvious answers. I relied on elimination for some of them.
I found the following study guides useful:
* Mark Cade's SCEA Study Guide, which is closely related to the syllabus. This is all worth reading, but it is not enough on its own.
* Applied Java Patterns, which is a useful alternative viewpoint on patterns.
* Mastering EJB by Ed Roman, a thorough introduction.
* Advanced Java Development for Enterprise Applications by Berg. Not all of this is worth reading, but it is good for general J2EE architecture and security topics.
* SCEA Whizlabs mock exam, which is very useful for highlighting areas I didn't understand.
* Jaworski mock exam, which is a nice mock.
* www.javacoding.net mock exam, very good value as its free with good explanations, but watch out for errors.
The various discussions on JavaRanch and its links to various resources are also very helpful, so thank you all very much as well.

[sailaja parepalli]

Hats Off Dave.
Wonderful Score!
I am also planning to take the exam in near future. Thanks Much for the material and mock tests information needed for preparation.
Hope You are having a Great Time!
--
Best,
Sailu

[Dave Cronin]

The score was more than I expected, so I was pleased. Although some questions were easy, some of the scenarios didn't have obvious answers. It was just a question of picking answers that were more likely to be right. Overall tt takes a fair amount of more general computing knowledge than other Sun Java certs.
I am going to try for the UML 486 exam now.
I have SCJP, SCWCD, and SCEA part 1 now.
Good luck for anyone else going for the exam.

[James Ward]

Congrats, that is a very good score.
All the best for Part 2.

[Francis Siu]

Good job~~
Part II and III are waiting for you

[Luciano Queiroz]

How much of UML do we need to know for the SCEA exam?
You said you'll go for the IBM 486 exam. Do you think it will enrich you with essential knowledge for the SCEA parts 2 and 3?
What is the validity of SCEA part 1? I mean, after you pass part 1, what is the maximum limit of time for you to go for parts 1 and 2?
I'm studing for SCEA, but by now, I'm concentrating principally in EJB and J2EE. Sometimes I think it may be better if I tried the IBM 486 first.
I'd like to know your opinion about this.
Thanks!

[Dave Cronin]

I think the study guide by Cade and Roberts is a good indication of the UML that comes up in the exam. It is probably worth reading and re-reading this book for all the objectives.
Another tip for scenario-based questions, it's worth reading articles about J2EE architecture case studies to become familiar with all kinds of scenarios.
The objectives for the IBM OOAD UML exam emphasises OO analysis and design more than SCEA does. I suppose it would probably also help with SCEA part II, but the IBM UML exam covers additional topics which are also useful for real software development projects. So they are both worth doing.
The page at http://suned.sun.com/US/catalog/courses/CX-310-300A.html
says there is no time limit for Part II. However, Sun also say that the certification is now only valid for two years. So I don't really know the answer to how much time you get for Part II.
Doing the IBM OOAD with UML first might be worth doing if you know the objectives well, but if you know EJB and J2EE well, the SCEA may be easier first. The mock tests from Whizlabs are useful to see how much to study. I still need to learn more about OOAD.

[Ben Butler]

Thanks Dave, BTW, that is a really
nice score. Best of luck on the next
parts and keep posting your thoughts/experience.
Ben

[Ashik Uzzaman]

congrats, it a score.

[Dave Cronin]

It does feel like a nice score, I was really surprised when I discovered I got only two questions wrong. The exam objectives cover a wide range of topics, which makes studying for this exam a longer process. However, I suppose much of the knowledge required would also be gained working on J2EE projects. The questions therefore don't cover each topic really in-depth, so overall the exam is not too hard. I even managed to complete it with 30 minutes to spare.
So if you feel like attempting the exam, just give it a try.

[Ajith Kallambella]

Hearty congratulations on your success!
Moving this thread to Sun Certification Results forum...

[John Lee]

Congratulations!

[Fisher Daniel]

Congratulations to you...
daniel