SJCP exam, a real exam?

[Ashish Jain]

hi,
I just cleared SJCP yesterday, score was enough only to pass the exam.
First of all thanx to this grp moderators who are helping people reaching their goals.
Well coming to point, I would like to share my thoughts abt this exam. What I feel this exam is becoming is like test with lot of Java puzzles, let's see how much you can solve!!!
This test is supposed to test a person's programming abilities in Java language rather than to test abilities in solving unknown java hidden puzzles. Now each programming language has it's conventions, deep fundas. Now to write a good comercial program, do a person need to have abilities to solve puzzles or need to have knowledge in notrequired hidden facts abt language.
What i felt thru all those mock exams and real exam i gave, I was quite disappointed with my score (as i have 4 yrs programming experience). It doesn't matter how much you have programed, what it matters how many mock exams you have done. Mock exams make a person prepare for exam ARTIFICIALLY, not in real sense.
I would like to have comments from moderators and persons who have given this exam.

[Marcus Green]

The programmers exam should not be taken as a measure of how good a java programmer you are. It is an indication of your knowlege of the basics of the Java Programming language. Good mock exams give you an idea of the topics that will be covered and the style of questions but you still need to know the basics of the language. Many people do not pass first time but few let the world know. This indicates that passing is not trivial.
I believe it is good that they keep to this basic objective. The only way to show you are a good Java programmer is to create code and it would be difficult to test this in any exam.
I think the Architect Exam looks like a good way to indicate greater depth of knowlege, but as I said, creating programs is the final true test.
Marcus

[Sarada Bhasker]

My experience is once you finish the exam, you should analyse your answers whether it is right or wrong. So along with getting trained for the exam you will learn a lot of things. I used to spend nearly 3 hrs with each paper and I have found it really really useful

[Ashish Jain]

Hi Marcus/Sarada
My point is, there can be very good questions to test ur prgramming skills in java language. But now to pass JCP, anybody should know cheat codes of language rather than programmng ability.
It's something like you know how car engine works without knowing driving and you r going for driving test. For a good driver, knowledge of driving is must rather than knowledge of internal combustion engine.

[chetan nain]

java is a 100% V8, turbo charged, 22000 rpm powerhouse

[Marcus Green]

I am not aware of any "cheat codes" to pass the exam. Some "real" questions will always leak out, but the question bank is large enough so that it is easier to learn the language than memorize answers. You need to understand the language to pass the exam.
Marcus

[Lee Reedy]

Ashish,
If you had scored 98% would you feel this way?

[Ashish Jain]

hi Mr. Lee,
It's not 'coz of my score, noway.
I was just trying to gather few new suggestions from JCPs to make this exam more better and more towards objectives.
I think this thread is going off-track.

[William Brogden]

The exam is exactly directed to the objectives. Perhaps you are trying to make the Programmers exam into something it isn't.
Getting a poor grade does not mean you are a bad Java programmer, but getting a good grade means you have a good grasp of the fundamentals as outlined in the objectives.
Bill