How to Succeed In OCP Exams

Hi, 13th May 2001 10:34 hrs Chennai

I am sure this topic would be of great interest and useful to many who are *****ious to take OCP 8,8i,9i.

There has been always lot of Queries and help threads how to prepare,Reg Materials,in each paper topic wise break up of mark,Dump,URL's etc in this site.

I am going to tell you for all this a good solution which has helped me to pass my OCP's in a very Short time.

I)Download from URL's
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1)Oracle Certified Professional Program Tracks

http://www.oracle.com/education/cert...ocptracks.html

Download the Oracle8,8i DBA Candidate Guide (.pdf) from the above link.

2)Total Marks and % of pass marks etc alloted for each exam

What is 9i OCP Beta and Regular Exams
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The Main eligibilty to take OCP 9i beta is that you should have previously completed OCP 8i( for OCP 8 DBA's have to take a Upgrade exam from 8 to 8i)

The beta exams are give for a very small time of period and to very few candidates who register themself on the Particular day oracle Announces.The time to register for the same is already over for 9i OCP New features for Administrators i.e Nothing but Upgrade exam from 8i to 9i.

Read this Link for More info

http://www.oracle.com/education/cert...l?o9ibeta.html

After a 2 to 3 months of OCP beta exams are over Regular 9i OCP DBA tracks will commence.

The actual Number of exam for 9i OCP DBA track is only 4 then the Previous version of 5 Exams.To see the 9i OCP DBA track objective read

http://www.oracle.com/education/cert...dba9i_tcc.html

Oracle Latest information on Oracle 9i Tracks
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http://www.oracle.com/education/cert...ertlevels.html

http://www.oracle.com/education/cert...dba9i_ocp.html

For 8i Track
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http://www.oracle.com/education/cert...ba8i_exam.html

For 8 track
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http://www.oracle.com/education/cert...dba8_exam.html

Note:The Oracle8 Core Exams are scheduled to retire on March 31, 2002. read this Link on the same

http://www.oracle.com/education/cert...?o8retire.html

3)Free practice test

http://www.oracle.com/education/cert....html?sts.html

Click on the free sample test track as per your requirement

II)Collection of Materials
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I have seen many running around different kinds of books,crams,QB books etc and finally get confused too much and wasting lot of time and energy which could have utilised for exams.

I will list materials which is enough and which can ensure a 100% success in OCP.

1)The best and 100% guranteed is Oracle official OCP Student guide which is especially and specifically designed to cover all the topics as per exams conducted.

Note:This OCP student guide is Given to those who take OCP DBA class from Oracle Corporation .Not availbale in Book stores

2)Oracle 8i OCP DBA Study Guide SYBEX publication.A single book covers 2 Exams with several hundread model exams.The CD which comes along with this help you to prepare on simulated exams.Practice several times till the exam date.(With CD-ROM).If you have the official curriculam as said above dont read the topics from this book.Use only CD for model exams.-Very useful

3)Optional==>Oracle8i Certified Professional DBA Certification Exam Guide (With CD-ROM)-Oracle Release

4)Oracle8i Certified Professional DBA Practice Exams
by Jason S. Couchman-Covering 120 Questions and answers for each Paper (720 Question and answers in total) with Solution-Oracle release.Very good.Oracle Press release.

5)Oracle Documentation-(optional)-This is must if you are not able to manage with official OCP curriculum as mentioned in the point 1.This will be very elobarate.Covers all OCP points but time consuming.This documentation comes along with Oracle software.

6)Read the exam topics at least three times thoroguly before exam date.

III)How to prepare
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1)The first and formost is you have to be Mentally confident (Prepared) you are going to clear all the exams in a well defined time period.Make a Program of it in Writing.

2)Avoid too much of leads(Materials) links(URL's) which tells you about OCP.

3)Try to cover all the topics for each exam.I find many requesting in certification forum the break up for topic wise for each paper.My suggestion would be to avoid that and concentrate all the topics.The break up may lead you to concentrate more on 8 Q topics and less on 2 Q topics.

4)Dont mug it up theoratically.Try to practically work on the areas you are doubtful.

For Eg:you would not have used a parameter in init.ora if you come across like that in topics for a exam try to use the same and see the effects.

A certification is of no use if you are not practicall.This brings the certificate value down.

IV)On the Exam hall
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1)Try reading the Question accurately.The words will sometimes tricky and mislead you.Once you are sure on the Question

2)Read all the anwers carefully .You eliminate the wrong anwers and zero on the correct answer.The most mistakes happen by looking at the first Anwer is itself as correct and moving to next.If you could have still seen the other answers you would have found more best answer to the same question.

3)While you are not confident if it requires more time please mark it for later review and move ahead.The purpose is first to anwer all Questions which you are 100% confident and save time on the Questions you are not confident.

4)At the end review all the marked Questions and give a solution.

5)At the end of it you can have enough time to review the whole exam once more.For doubtful or not sure questions give the best answer you feel.

6)Never leave a Question unanswered.There is no negative Marking.Give a try.

V)Duration and other deatils of Exams
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Normally all the exams in OCP track are 90 Minutes except beta exams which takes 180 Minutes.The Number of Questions asked and passing % will vary from each paper and also according to different OCP tracks.

The Questions are Normally Objective type(Radio-Buttons),Choose more more then one choice(Check-box).This where what i have faced in the exams.

VI)Who can take Exams
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Any one can take OCP Exams.Here an Exp of Min 6 months to 1 year in this field really helps .If you are a fresher and really intended to take OCP Exams please be clear atleast in Oracle Architecture and work more time for the exams practically on the system.

VII)Discounts for the OCP Exams
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I have seen several persons writing OCP Exams not utilising the discounts.This is purely due to lack of information.

1)If you are an OTN member you are eligible for 20% discount on all Exams.To become an OTN member its absolutely free of cost.Visit this URL for the same.

http://otn.oracle.com/admin/account/membership.html

2)If you take a course with Oracle Corp you are eligible for 43% discount on all Exams in India i am not sure what in other countries.

3)If you have attended iDevelo2001 conference conducted by Oracle at various places all around the world and if you filled up the OCP coupon at OTN stall by filling up a form you can avail 30% discount with a aknowledgement coupon returned to you.

4)If you also take course on OCP tracks at Oracle Alliance Education partners institutes you can avail 44% discount on all exams for which coupons are given.

Except for 1 you have to produce coupns at Exam (Sylvan Prometric) centre where you take up OCP Exams.For OTN memebers you can tell your OTN member id.

VIII)Dumps
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After reading the above i am sure there wont be much requirement running around for Dumps.Rather minutely concentrate on all the points in the topics.

IX)Order of Exams
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If you have good experience in SQL-PLSQL take that exam as Number one.Else take it as the last one.You should be knowing SQL-PLSQL to be a Good DBA.

Take the Network Admin as the second one which is very easy and will be a moral booster to march ahead for the other exams.

Then take DBA,B&R and Tuning.

You have to really spend more time on Tuning with real practice .If its going to be Oracle 8 Tuning the pass % is 79%.In oracle 8i its 67%(Check it up).

X)Discussion in the forums
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If you have any kinds doubts while preparing for the exams mark it down and feel free to clarify the same from http://www.dbasupport.com .

XI)FAQ
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Q:I have taken the Administration test and I didn't find it an easy exam at all. I haven been reading and taking the selfteast software exam many times scoring in the upper 90%, but when the time came to take the exame I found it confusing. There were few questions where you have to pick more than one correct answer like select 2 or 3 . I used the OTN discount thanks to you, I'm going to re-take it is there other discounts for the 2nd timer?

Ans:The solution is even if you take second time the exam no problem you can utilise the discount of OTN membership.(20%).

As far as the OCP discount coupon given by Oracle for those take course from Oracle or authorized centres are entitled 43%(or 42%) for one time exam.I dont think you can go for the same discount for the second time.For second time you can utilise 20% discount.

As far as the exam is concerned if you practice or read very well from the OCP manuals as i have told you, you will feel 100% confident and sure success.

Cheers

Padmam

[Edited by padmam on 12-10-2001 at 01:53 AM]