Java 7 candidates: OCA, OCP and K&B 6 - take 2

[Bert Bates]

Hi Guys,

If you're pursuing the OCP for Java 7 certification, and if you're not already certified, you now have to pass your OCA exam before you can attempt the OCP exam.

If you're studying for the OCA, our book (K&B 6), should give you pretty good coverage. If you study the following chapters from K&B 6 you should be in pretty good shape for the OCA:

chaps: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
chap 6 - the String and StringBuilder sections
chap 7 - the hashCode() and equals() sections, and only the ArrayList class.
chap 10

The chapters (and sections) listed above ARE NOT a perfect overview of everything you might encounter on the real exam, but I'd say they represent a 95% overlap. We'll be nailing down that last 5% over the next several weeks.

In terms of the OCP - we have some MONSTER additions to make to K&B 7 to cover that exam - we're working on it!

hth,

Bert

[Arvind Darwin]

Thanks Bert.
Looking forward to K&B 7.

[I Chandra]

Hi Bert,


Can you please clarify this post? I think there is no change for OCPJP 6 exam - there is no prerequisite of OCA.Oracle website doesn't mention anything about it.
It looks like this requirement is only for OCPJP 7.

Thank you

Chandra

[ayush raj]

Even I agree with I Chandra . Please clarify your point . Its creating confusion among us who were planning to take the OCPJP-6 exam .

Thanks

Ayush

[Bert Bates]

Hi Guys,

Sorry for the confusion! Yes, this thread concerns ONLY those candidates who are working for Java 7 certifications. If you're working towards the Java 6 (or Java 5 if that's still around) certifications, then this thread does NOT apply to you!

I will say though - the Java 7 certifications are MUCH tougher than the Java 6, so the Java 7 certifications will probably end up meaning more out in the world.

hth,

Bert

[I Chandra]

Thank you very much for clarifying Bert.

Chandra

[Mark Buckler]

Hi, Bert,

I hope that the plan for K&B 7 will includ highlightibng the changes and additions from SE6 for those of us that are already certified in SE6 and just going to take the upgrade exam. I know some of the upgrades are distinct and obvious like JDBC, etc., but I am concerned as to changes on old topics that could be easily overlooked.

Really looking forward to the new book and thanks!

Mark Buckler

[Devika Panchasara]

hello everyone,
here is one more girl who is looking forward to be certified programmer. and i am also new to this forum and first time posting something.so i don't know how to write properly so my apologies if i do anything stupid.

i am working in java since 2 years and I was waiting for this OCA 7 for a long time. It feels so cool to get certified in latest version, and soon after i was scared because no proper material.

but thn i read posting of " BERT" that scjp 6 book will do. and without wasting time i brought tht book and started reading. it definitely help me to b confident about exam.

thank you for guidence,

[Phil Freihofner]

Thank you, Bert. I am also working from K&B 6, and am grateful for the guidelines for OCA 7. I'm thinking I will just go for that rather than SCJP 6.

Am looking forward to your upcoming info about the "remaining 5%," and am assuming by subscribing to this thread, I will be notified when that info is posted.

[Sudipta Deb]

Thanks for the post. I think this is really helpful. I have the exam in next week. I am also following the book K&B. Hopefully I will also able to crack the exam.

[Alex Pupyshev]

Sudipta Deb wrote:Thanks for the post. I think this is really helpful. I have the exam in next week. I am also following the book K&B. Hopefully I will also able to crack the exam.

Don't forget to share your experience in detail, please. Good luck !

[charlsy chuks]

Hi Bert

I took the Sun Certified Associate exam 310-019. I have a copy of your book K&B 6 and I eagerly await K&B 7.
Would you advise me to acquire OCP Java SE6 and then upgrade to OCP Java SE 7? I guess the exam sylabus for OCP JAva SE 2
has not changed much from SCJP 6 or has it?

I just need a material to prepare well and your book has proven to be good. So which should I focus on-OCP Java SE 6 + OCP Java SE 7 upgrade
OR OCA Java SE 7?


Thanks


Charles

[tro vial]

hi all
i am new in the forum.
read a few topics where that books is mentioned, yet never found any reference on a book with that title in online bookstores.

any references to where could i find it?

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

tro vial wrote:hi all
i am new in the forum.
read a few topics where that books is mentioned, yet never found any reference on a book with that title in online bookstores.

any references to where could i find it?

K&B is shorthand for "Kathy Sierra and Bert Bates." It usually refers to the K&B study guide but there is also a K&B mock exam book.

[Girish Bal]

Hi All,

I have SCJP 1.4. So what exam should I take to get OCPJP 7? Is there an upgrade exam?

[Girish Bal]

Girish Bal wrote:Hi All,

I have SCJP 1.4. So what exam should I take to get OCPJP 7? Is there an upgrade exam?

OK, I got it here

[Khushbu Vasani]

Hi,

Can anyone tell me the latest scjp version? how different is OCPJP from scjp? Basically i am finding it really confusing which is the certification one should do at programmer's level?
I already have books for scjp exam 310-065.

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

Khushbu Vasani wrote:Hi,

Can anyone tell me the latest scjp version? how different is OCPJP from scjp? Basically i am finding it really confusing which is the certification one should do at programmer's level?
I already have books for scjp exam 310-065.

Welcome to CodeRanch!

The SCJP was renamed to OCPJP. The latest non beta version is 6. There is a beta out of 7 but it ends soon. Sometime after that, it will go live. The exams are very different as Bert notes above. Some of the content was moved to the OCPJPA (which you have to take before OCPJP 7) and much new content was added.

[Jack Moore Iii]

So, basically if you've been preparing for the SCJP6, going ahead and taking that test will just waste your money completely because you will never be able to upgrade to the version 7 without starting at the beginning? Was it always like this with Java certifications, defuncting the previous one? Just seems like there should be a larger gap for upgrading if there is no decent material to study for 7 with as of yet...

[Hinda Hanjan]

Jack Moore Iii wrote:So, basically if you've been preparing for the SCJP6, going ahead and taking that test will just waste your money completely because you will never be able to upgrade to the version 7 without starting at the beginning? Was it always like this with Java certifications, defuncting the previous one? Just seems like there should be a larger gap for upgrading if there is no decent material to study for 7 with as of yet...

That's not true. Take a look at Oracle's site. OCPJP7 from scratch provides all the topics covered. Upgrading to v7 also provides topics covered but the list is much smaller than if you were directly attempting v7 exam. Some topics do overlap between the two paths, but that is to be expected.

Edit: I myself will be going the upgrade route as I have yet to get a Programming cert. I already have OCAJP6 so I will be going for OCPJP6 and then if there is a need, upgrading to OCPJP7 later.

[Bert Bates]

Another way of looking at this is that the OCP 7 is, for all intents and purposes, a perfect superset of the SCJP 6. So if you study for the SCJP 6, none of that time will be wasted when you go to upgrade or take the OCP 7.

[Hinda Hanjan]

Does that also apply to OCP6?

[Krishna Srinivasan]

HI Bert,

Any idea when OCP 7 exam will be released?

[Marco Farrugia]

Hi Bert,

Can you please guide us on how to prepare for OCP SE7 like you did in your first post? Which chapters shall we go through from K&B book, and what other topics shall we look for ourselves? Any other tips you can give us would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Bert Bates]

OCP 7 is MUCH bigger than what's in K&B 6! K&B 6 is NOT sufficient for the new OCP 7 exam. (We're working on K&B 7 right now.)

At a high level, if you start with K&B 6 - or any good book or resource for the SCJP 6 exam - you need to add:

- NIO
- java.util.concurrent
- JDBC
- project coin stuff
- (I can't recall if these things are in coin, but: try w/ resources and auto-close )
- resource bundles
- DAO, Singleton, Factory patterns

That should pretty much cover it - I might be off a tiny bit but I'd say that's more than 95% of it.

hth,

Bert

[James Bragg]

Bert,

I loved K&B 6, it was my primary resource for certification. Currently, my users group is planning to begin to prepare for OCP 7 certification, in the next couple of months... Can you tell me the likelihood of your K&B 7 book would be available in the next 3 months or so??

Thanks!!

James..

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

James Bragg wrote:Can you tell me the likelihood of your K&B 7 book would be available in the next 3 months or so??

Not Bert, but Amazon says it will be released in November. While book publishing dates do change, they rarely become significantly earlier.

[Antriksh Verma]

Please give elaborate syllabus for OCA 7 .

Dear Bert Bates , Have you nailed the left 5% of syllabus in OCA 7 , and please suggest if there's any specific book , so that we may not have to follow many books ,

Instant response will be Highly appreciated. Thanks !!

[Marco Farrugia]

Bert Bates wrote:OCP 7 is MUCH bigger than what's in K&B 6! K&B 6 is NOT sufficient for the new OCP 7 exam. (We're working on K&B 7 right now.)

At a high level, if you start with K&B 6 - or any good book or resource for the SCJP 6 exam - you need to add:

- NIO
- java.util.concurrent
- JDBC
- project coin stuff
- (I can't recall if these things are in coin, but: try w/ resources and auto-close )
- resource bundles
- DAO, Singleton, Factory patterns

That should pretty much cover it - I might be off a tiny bit but I'd say that's more than 95% of it.

hth,

Bert

Hi Bert,

Thanks for your reply. Shall I study all of chapter 6 from K&B, including StringBuilder and StringBuffer?

Thanks
Marco

[Shamsudeen Akanbi]

Hi Bert, nice feedbacks, really enjoying the responses. Prepare the book asap i just cant wait. K&b 6 was just too much.

[Anamika Sheoran]

Hey...

Is K&B 7 is in the stores or still awaited...??

[Rakesh Roy]

Hi guys,

I'm newbie, Worked on Mainframes previously, now migrating to JAVA.

I have Java Complete Ref 8E(Oracle Press). Is that book sufficient to clear OCAJP. Because the book covers all the contents mentioned on the Oracle Website.

Please help out.

Regards.
liverpool9903

[Ed Mandera]

Anamika Sheoran wrote:Hey...

Is K&B 7 is in the stores or still awaited...??

Amazon is now listing the publication date as February 4, 2013:

http://www.amazon.com/Programmer-Study-Guide-1Z0-803-Certification/dp/0071772006/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pdT1_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=7S0RJ9CS4ML6&coliid=I2FK1CONPJK67N

Ed

[Ed Mandera]

Anamika Sheoran wrote:Hey...

Is K&B 7 is in the stores or still awaited...??

Amazon is now listing the publication date as February 4, 2013:

http://www.amazon.com/Programmer-Study-Guide-1Z0-803-Certification/dp/0071772006/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pdT1_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=7S0RJ9CS4ML6&coliid=I2FK1CONPJK67N

Ed

[Simon Flynn]

Rakesh Roy wrote:Hi guys,

I'm newbie, Worked on Mainframes previously, now migrating to JAVA.

I have Java Complete Ref 8E(Oracle Press). Is that book sufficient to clear OCAJP. Because the book covers all the contents mentioned on the Oracle Website.

Please help out.

Regards.
liverpool9903

That book can only be used as an general introductory material. i highly recommend this as a preparation for the exam:
http://www.amazon.com/Certified-Associate-Programmer-Practice-ebook/dp/B007SA1GNU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345861328&sr=8-1&keywords=ocajp

[Anandan Narayanaswamy]

Koooooool,

Got certified today in "Java SE 7 Programmer I" with 88%. Next targeting for "Java SE 7 Programmer II" ;-)

Thanks to this forum and Bert for putting the exam preparation topics.

Anandan.

[Marco Farrugia]

Do you know to which detail do we need to learn the classes from the java.io.file.attribute classes? Oracle exam topics list does not specify enough detail

[Kunal Dodeja]

Hi Bert,

If I refer K&B 6 AND Java Complete Reference EIGHTH EDITION which includes newer SE7 features, then will it be sufficient for OCPJP Exam.....

This is because, many of us can't wait for K&B 7 to come...

[Michael Krimgen]

Hello,

Does anyone know if there is a book which is for people who are already certified for OCJP 6 and what to ake the upgrade exam for version 7?

I do not yet have any book for version 7, but I believe that it might be quite tricky to use a book which is meant for the full version 7 exam
and filter on new feature myself.

Thanks!

[Sachin... Patil]

Just I have cleared OCJP6 exam with 85%. I would like thank to K & B. K & B's books are very useful for exam. Thank you so much.