If you want a new Microsoft certification on your CV or resume, then you need to:
- Know all of the topics that will be tested, and
- Take the exam.
But how can you get a bit more certainty that you know the required topics? One good way is to take a Practice Test. In this article, let’s have a look at the top 10 reasons to do this.
Reason 1 – To reinforce what you have learned
Suppose you have done a video course on Udemy, or read a few Learning Paths from Microsoft. How can you be certain that you have retained the important information? After all, watching videos or reading is not usually sufficient for the exam.
Well, hopefully you may have already done quizzes and practice activities. However, having a more formal practice test will definitely help you reinforce your prior learning. You can reflect on the principles you have been taught, and apply them to new scenarios, improving your retention and confidence.
Reason 2 – To identify knowledge gaps
There are usually at least 40 different topics that you need to know for an exam. It may be that you have forgotten some topics that you have learned earlier on, or ones which may have been a bit more esoteric.
If you do a practice test, then you can identify not just topics that you are strong on, but also where you need a bit more help. You can then go back to your previous learning for more help.
Reason 3 – Learn more, from a different perspective
A good practice test will not just tell you if you are right or wrong. They will also give an explanation as to why one answer is right, but equally important, why the incorrect answers aren’t quite right.
They may also give hyperlinks back to Microsoft’s official documentation. If you want to learn more about a particular topic, or want to put the explanation into context, then you can use those links to learn more.
Reason 4 – Become used to Exam-Style Questions…and Traps
There can be quite a difference between the language used in quizzes and those in the official exams. A practice test can be a bridge between the two, allowing you to become used to a more formal style of question.
Some of the wording can be a bit tricky. If you aren’t used to questions asking you what is NOT possible, then you may inadvertently answer the wrong question. Also, some questions will offer similar sounding answers, needing you to understand the sometimes subtle difference between similar concepts.
Reason 5 – Practice in Multiple modes
Depending on your Practice Test provider, you can use different modes when answering questions. You could use a Study Mode, allowing you to get explanations after every question, or Certification Mode, which more closely mimics the test environment.
Reason 6 – Track your progress and increase your confidence
You can also take the Practice Test multiple times, going through all the 100+ questions in the test. While doing so, you should see your results improve. While the knowledge that you know more about the topics should give you reassurance, the increase in the number of questions that you get right should give you more confidence when it comes to the official exam.
After your first full-length practice test, take note of your lowest-scoring topics, and rewatch specific course lectures or revisit Microsoft Learn modules focused on those areas.
When I start a new topic, if the exam has 120 questions, firstly I do an exam with 30 questions. Then I do another one, but I ask for questions that had not been asked. In this way, in 4 exams I have done all 120 questions. After that, I start again. Alternatively, you can concentrate on a single domain (set of topics).
What Practice Exam provider do I personally use?
I use MeasureUp.com as my Practice Exam provider. The reasons for this include:
- They have the range of practice exams that I want,
- I find their questions as being at a suitable level and complexity to help me prepare for the official exam,
- They are someone that I can trust.
But what other reasons are there for using MeasureUp.com?
Reason 7 – Simulate the Real Exam Experience
A lot of providers only offer multiple-choice questions. MeasureUp’s Practice Tests offer other choice of questions, such as:
- reordering a sequence of actions,
- choosing from a selection and then re-ordering,
- case studies, where you have background information, a scenario and requirements, and
- select the right location on a screen.
This can get you more comfortable with the experience you will find in the official exam.
Reason 8 – Use a Practice Exam which is not a Brain Dump
When you take a Microsoft Certification Exam, you need to agree to their Candidate Agreement. This includes your agreement in not doing the following:
Seeking or obtaining unauthorized access to any exam or any of the following elements of an exam: tasks, questions, answers, computations, diagrams, drawings, worksheets or other content or exam-related information (this includes using braindump material or unauthorized publication of exam questions with or without answers);
There are a lot of providers who use braindumps or unauthorized exam questions. Some of these providers state that they use braindumps; others don’t say where their questions come from, and don’t engage in conversations about the source.
MeasureUp.com, who is a Gold Microsoft Partner, does not use braindumps – period. You can use their Practice Exams with confidence that you are not seeing unauthorized exam questions and answers.
Reason 9 – Win a digital badge
When you complete a Udemy premium course, you get a Certification of Completion, which you can then post on social media. However, all that says is that you have watched several hours of videos.
When you do MeasureUp practice exams in Certification mode, and obtain 90% or more twice, then MeasureUp will give you a digital badge, which you can then post on social media like X, Facebook or LinkedIn. (Note: this digital badge is available in most, but not all, of MeasureUp practice exams.)
This badge means that you have demonstrated your knowledge of these topics, not just that you watched several videos. This can be useful for your CV or resume, even if you decide not to take the final exam.
Reason 10 – A money back guarantee
Unlike a lot of providers, MeasureUp offer a money back guarantee. If:
- you do well enough in your Practice Test to win a digital badge (get 90% at least twice in Certification mode),
- take the corresponding exam within 90 days of the date of purchase of the Practice Test, and
- fail the exam
then MeasureUp will refund the amount that you paid for your Practice Test.
Conclusion and more…
In conclusion, there are multiple reasons why you should take a Practice Test (several times) before taking the Microsoft exam. It can make you more confident in answering the questions, and more used to the style of questions.
But how can you save 15% or more on Measureup.com? And what is the difference between a Practice Test and an assessment? Find out in this article.