Customer Reviews

MCAD/MCSD Self-Paced Training Kit: Microsoft .NET Core Requirements, Exams 70-305/70-315, 70-306/70-316, 70-310/70-320, and 70-300: Microsoft(r) .Net Core Requirements, Exams 70-305/70-315, 70-306/70-316, 70-310/70-320, and 70-300

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Three things struck me about this set as soon as I received it and started working through the material. First, these books can be used for both learning and preparing for the certification exams. Second, if you buy the set from Amazon and you intend to take the exams, your cost will be a fraction of the published cost. This is because of the four 15% off exam fee vouchers that are included in the set. In the end, you will get almost 75% off the published price! Be careful when you buy this set as a used set from someone as the vouchers have discount codes that can only be utilized once. Third, these same books can be used whether you are interested in the VB.NET track or VC#.NET track.

This set is best suited for basic and intermediate level users of the .NET technologies. The four books in the set are focused on helping you learn - windows based programming, web based programming, XML web services and server components, and solution architectures. Each book takes a lesson style approach by splitting each chapter into multiple lessons. Each lesson focuses on teaching a unique skill and can be worked through individually. But I found that you need to stay with the sequence of lessons in order to get the maximum benefit.

I am new to taking Microsoft certifications so I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the way the material is presented. Each lesson has an estimated time of completion which I found to be a bit too optimistic but not too far off. The relevant concepts are explained first and these are followed by step by step instructions on how to perform a specific task. Example code related to the task being described is included. At the end of each chapter (not lesson), there is a lab section that contains several exercises for the reader to perform to ensure proper learning. The completed labs are on the CD-ROM that comes with the set. This is very helpful in identifying by comparison anything wrong that you might have done on these exercises.

The CD-ROM that comes with the set has the entire set in electronic form, completed labs, practice files, and exam questions. The set also comes with a DVD that has a 60 day trial version of Visual Studio.NET 2003 Professional. The paper is very thin and these are paperbacks and not hardcover editions. I personally like the thinner paper as it is easier to carry the individual books around.

The prerequisites for using this set are a knowledge of controls & events, SQL, and other basic programming concepts. I think this set is aimed at users that are at a beginner or intermediate level. One advanced user I talked to wasn't as impressed with this set as I was.

The only downside to the set that I found was the intermingling of VB.NET and VC#.NET code throughout the books. I found this very annoying as I am interested in only the VB.NET portions. But I guess this could be a positive if you haven't decided which path to take or are planning on mixing the exams that you take.

The best part about these books is that there are so many practice questions for each exam! After researching other preparatory material online, I found that most vendors are not including that many practice questions. So getting these many questions (550 total in the set) for such a low price made it really worthwhile for me.

I would recommend getting the training guides by Mike Gunderloy (Que Certification series) that I am finding to be the best tools for exam preparation. But it doesn't hurt to get this Microsoft set considering the exam fee discount reduces the price of the set and the number of questions included is great!

Overall, don't hesitate to get this set if you are sure that you are going to take the exams. But use the set as a secondary and not a primary preparation tool. Good luck learning .NET and passing the exams!

This kit is a great way to reinforce what you THINK you know and to learn new things. I'm not concerned like some of the other reviewers that the materials are not great for test cramming--these books helped give me confidence to pass the tests because I know the stuff cold! And I've passed the two Core C# tests, each the first time! Thanks Microsoft Press!

I have QUE books for actual hands-on studying at home. But I wanted books for a quick on-the-go studying. I'm satisfied with the sets for the following reasons:
1) each book is light enough for me to carry in my backpack everyday.
2) Content may not be in-depth but is decent enough.
3) Exam questions are much better than QUE books. This is arguable However I just passed 70-315 and I can tell you that many of the questions were awefully familar thanks to the practice questions that came with the set.

No discount code in my set but I bought the voucher from online companies that offers 10+ % discount.

This books disappoints because the coverage is not in-depth enough. When you take sample exams, there are a lot of uncovered topics. I found Que's books to be much better preparation for the MCAD exams.

(This review is a variation of my review for the individual 70-315 "redbook")

Microsoft approaches certification exams the same way that the Educational Testing Service approaches SAT, GMAT and GRE college entrance exams.

ETS discourages people from using SAT preparation classes and books and, rather, encourages people to just work on their verbal and quantitative skills. They suggest that doing so is enough to do well on the exams. We all know better.

Microsoft takes the approach that, if you have a good mastery of the subject being tested then that is all you need to pass the certs. The Microsoft Self-Paced Training Kits (known as the "redbooks") do a reasonable job of teaching you the concepts of ASP.NET (and WinForms and the VB.NET/C# language and other tested topics), but they do a poor job of preparing you for the certs.

It's true that, if you review vocabulary words a lot and practice intermediate algebra and 10th grade geometry problems in the weeks preceding your SATs you may improve your score by 3 or 4%. But if you use that time to review sample test questions and analyze the structure and logic behind SAT questions using Princeton Review or Kaplan etc., then you will improve your score by considerably more than a few percentage points. The same goes for Microsoft certs. If you master the topic being tested (in this case, Web apps, ASP.NET), you may still pass the exam or, at least, slightly increase your score. But knowing the topic is not enough. You must know the exam, as well. This thinking goes against Microsoft's view of their own certification exams. Microsoft's thinking and point-of-view is reflected in their "redbooks."

Therefore, if all you want is to learn ASP.NET using either of the dialects of the VB.NET/C# language, then this book is OK (if a bit pricey compared to other "cert prep" books). But if you are looking for certification preparation (as opposed to just learning the topic), then a combination of one of the cert prep products such as TestKing or Transcender along with a book like Kalani (ISBN: 0789728222) is a much better approach. These tools will help you pass the exam. Kalani, in particualr, will help you master the topic AS WELL AS prepare you for the exam. TestKing and/or Transcender will give you practice with close-to-actual exam questions. No, they don't repeat real questions but they do give you examples of the TYPES of question to expect and give you practice with the nuances, languages and tricks that are part of the cert exam questions.

You can't pass the certs without understanding the topics (and I would never hire anyone who passed the exam by memorizing questions -- believe me, I can tell). But knowing the topics alone is usually not enough. The "redbooks" teach the concepts and prepare you for using the ASP.NET tools, but the "redbooks" do not prepare you for the exams.

If the books were cheaper (or if you can share with 2 or 3 friends), and your goal was just to learn how to program (but not necessarily pass a cert) then I would recommend this book for learning the topic. For cert preparation, however, use something else.
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NOTES:
(1) I gave the entire set 3 stars even though I gave the individual 70-315 book only 2 stars because if you buy the entire set, not only is the discount price below that of buying all 4 books separately, but also because the test vouchers inside reduce the price even more (if you use all 4). The reduced price makes it more of a bargain. Also, the 70-300 exam book was closer to the actual exam than the other three books.

(2) When you buy the boxed set, the volumes are softbound (paperback). When you buy the books individually, they are hardcover.

(3) For "server" certs, the equivalent to the Microsoft "redbooks" are the "bluebooks." For the 70-229 exam (T-SQL and SQL Server), the "bluebook" is ISBN: 0735619603. 7-229 can be used as the elective on the MCAD or as the required "server" cert on the MCSD exam. In addition to the 4 books in the above Self-training kit, you will need the 70-229 "bluebook" (unless you go for one of the other server certs, such as Biztalk Server or Commerce Server). The 70-229 "bluebook" is closer to the cert exam than the "redbooks" are to their respective exams.

This set is a great deal when it comes with the vouchers, but still an OK deal otherwise. The books for the Windows, Web, and Web Services exams are good and they were able, with no other material, to allow me to pass those three exams. The book for the Solution Architecture exam (70-300), however, is useful only as a paperweight. That book is so poorly written, I couldn't even finish half of it! Fortunately, Exam Cram 2 has an excellent book for that exam. Not only is this set cheaper than buying the three good books separately, but the paperback editions in the set are lighter and smaller as well.

I have just received a set today, but have not started with it yet, so I can't comment much. All I can be sure is that I had verified the paperback version with the hardback version selling in one of my local bookstore. The total page numbers are exactly the same although the thickness differs. To further verify, I randomly pick a few pages to compare, the contents are exactly the same and of course corresponded with the page number.

As the old saying goes: Never judge a book by its cover (and thickness)!

Sorry Microsoft, Although that I like Microsoft Products and Technologies as much as I like the sun in our country but these Training Kit is useless. I'm MCT for MCSD.NET and never liked it. you can think of it as just titles for subject so why we will get it?
Michael Youssef
Microsoft.NET Architect/Trainer

It is nice to have everything in one box ...great package..

I am not going to review the content of the individual books as that is better handled in the individual book reviews. However, I think it is important to point out that Amazon is selling a "condensed" version of the .NET core requirements training kit.

If you have seen the .NET Core Requirements set in bookstores, you remember an impressive desktop collection of hardcover books. The hardcover set takes close to a foot of real estate on your bookshelf. I was disappointed when I received this set because it is priced the same, yet is the "Paperback" version which takes about 5 inches of shelf space.

How can this be if the books contents are the same? I checked the contents of "Developing Web Applications. . ." and it seemes that the contents are identical to the hardback, but I cannot vouch for the contents of the other books. Microsoft achieves this condednsed version by using the thinnest possible paper I suppose.

Anyway, I kinda feel [cheated] because the Hardcover boxed set and the paperback edition have the same list price. That amazon is sending you a condensed version is not clear and you may think you are saving 30%, but you are getting only half the quality....

Weigh this information with the quality of the content (from other reviews) before deciding to buy this set from Amazon.