Hello, I don't know if there is a thread already on this subject, but I'm going to go ahead and make one anyways. It can be deleted later if needed. Anyways, has anyone here taken any of the Oracle Certification exams? I'm about to graduate from high school and I have a slight amount of knowledge and practical usage of Java and I was wondering how I should go about studying and understanding the rest of the material on the Level 1 Programming Exam. I already know where to find the exact material which is here:
http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/extra/certification/javase-7-programmer1.html
Actually going about studying it seems a little daunting. I just want to converse with people that have experience of taking the exam or regular industry experience in Java development. All advice is appreciated. Thanks!
I took the exam many, many years ago, but back when it was the Sun Java Certification Exam. When I took it, there were Java certification books you could buy and use to study. But now I am sure there are lots of online resources you can use to study for the exam—most may even be free, Google is your friend. From what I remember, there were many detailed questions about threading and inheritance/polymorphism in Java. The subtleties of these questions are what could easily trip you up.
But I do have a question; do you get to take this exam for free through your high school? From what I remember, it was pretty pricy to take it. It did not matter to me, since my company paid for it, but paying for it on your own is a different story.
Unless you plan to go directly into the workforce after high school, plan to try to work part time while in college, or are planning on majoring in something not computer related in college, I don’t think it is worth taking the exam, unless it is free.
A degree in Computer Science will carry far more weight in getting a software development job than Java Certification, even for Java positions. Now, if you plan on majoring in Chemistry or Biology, and want to keep your options open for a post college job, taking the Java Certification Exam, might be worth it—especially if it is free.
Yes, the exam is being payed for by my high school. Our school is making a big push for students to get involved in IT related fields, so they are letting students take the exam for free if they're interested.
My plans after high school are majoring in Computer Science and minoring in Computer Engineering. Since what you said makes sense, taking the free exam is probably the most rewarding even though I plan on studying in computer related fields. Maybe I can pick up some freelancing jobs that involve Java Development or work as a part-time developer... by the way, is there such thing as part-time developers/programmers?
I'm going to check out some quick study materials since the test is actually this Thursday. Hopefully, I can get some good general review and mend some weak spots in my Java knowledge and work on practicality.
Hey, if you don't mind me asking, did you pass the exam? Thanks!
I did pass the exam, but when I took it Java 1.3 was the latest and greatest version of Java and you were probably three or four years old. Java has changed a lot since then. So much has been added to the language, there is a lot more to learn, and it is harder to know what they may ask. If you did well on your exams and projects, you probably stand a good chance of passing. Just to reiterate what I said before, a lot of the questions will be straightforward, but some will have subtleties that will challenge your knowledge of threading, inheritance, and nested/inner classes. The test is multiple choice, many of the answers are very similar, and you can easily make a mistake.
You are definitely on the right track. Computer Science is the way to go, once you finish your degree the world will be your oyster. You can throw a dart at a map and get a high paying job wherever it lands—unless, of course, it lands in the ocean! Just remember that Computer Science is really just a specialized Math degree. You will do a lot of programming as a Computer Science major, but the programming is a surrogate for learning concepts and not an end onto itself. Someone who scores very high on the Java Certification Exam will probably know far more about Java than most Computer Science graduates. However, the Computer Science graduate will actually know what is happening behind the scenes when you create an ArrayList, LinkedList, HashMap, or TreeSet. And he will know the run times of each, how to calculate the run times, and when and where to best use each.
With regards to your other question about working part time while in school, you certainly can work part time while in school. But I would actually recommend doing summer internships. It is a great way to get experience, and it will help you get a job after graduation. I actually did summer internships every year from the time I graduated high school, until I finished college. And those internships are what got me my first job. It may be too late to get an internship at this point, but you never know there still may be some available, especially for someone who knows how to program. Ask your guidance counselor or employment advisor—if your school has one. If you do not find one for this summer, start looking for one next January and February. That’s when most companies look to fill their summer internships.