MCSA: SQL Server

J

JP_

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Hi Guys

Can anyone recommend a decent place to study MCSA: SQL Server part time. I am based in East London and found CTU in PE which is close enough for me to drive to weekly for 2 or 3 night classes per week but i read some bad reviews about CTU (albeit not the PE one). Any info or personal experiences would be great thanks.
 
Do you know any SQL or are you just starting?
 
Yeah only use CTU to book your exams. otherwise they are terrible.

If you can travel to Jozi then:
Torque-IT
it-academy


If you have internet you can do the following:
Udemy courses.
Microsofts E-Learning.

If you can do self training:
Then download the TSQL and AdventureWorks databases, as they base most the training on those 2 db's.
As for the books, im sure you can find a source for:
20461
20462
 
ArchieChoke said:
Yeah only use CTU to book your exams. otherwise they are terrible.

If you can travel to Jozi then:
Torque-IT
it-academy


If you have internet you can do the following:
Udemy courses.
Microsofts E-Learning.

If you can do self training:
Then download the TSQL and AdventureWorks databases, as they base most the training on those 2 db's.
As for the books, im sure you can find a source for:
20461
20462
Click to expand...

Perfect thanks for the info i will do some investigating.
 
I am actually busy studying this right now too. I'm going to take the test at home with their online porctored exam.
For the 2016 Certs, its so new there is no study material right now. Im gonna do the 2012 route, then just do the individual 2016 upgrades at a later stage.

For 2012 i'm using the following:
Book: https://www.amazon.com/Training-70-461-Querying-Microsoft-Server/dp/0735666059
Lynda.com Videos - These are good for very basic T-SQL, like extreme basics.
CBT Nuggets - Haven't started with them
Microsoft virtual academy - https://mva.microsoft.com/en-US/tra...tabases-jump-start-8241?l=WFbhCtJy_7204984382
MSDN - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-gb/sql/t-sql/statements/statements


I would also love a bit of insight from people who have written it on info, will these study materials be sufficient?
 
poffle said:
I am actually busy studying this right now too. I'm going to take the test at home with their online porctored exam.
For the 2016 Certs, its so new there is no study material right now. Im gonna do the 2012 route, then just do the individual 2016 upgrades at a later stage.

For 2012 i'm using the following:
Book: https://www.amazon.com/Training-70-461-Querying-Microsoft-Server/dp/0735666059
Lynda.com Videos - These are good for very basic T-SQL, like extreme basics.
CBT Nuggets - Haven't started with them
Microsoft virtual academy - https://mva.microsoft.com/en-US/tra...tabases-jump-start-8241?l=WFbhCtJy_7204984382
MSDN - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-gb/sql/t-sql/statements/statements


I would also love a bit of insight from people who have written it on info, will these study materials be sufficient?
Click to expand...
Wrote mine begging of year. Can't comment on the books you are looking at but perhaps I could give a heads up.

They tend to give you a set of scripts to select from, which you use to build your query as the answer. They love to ask questions around, date functions,sub queries,pivot all, commit/rollbacks, triggers.

They administering is tricky questions, like client has x problem with table, do you partition, create file, re-index,create a separate file group. Kinda like use case questions.
 
ArchieChoke said:
Wrote mine begging of year. Can't comment on the books you are looking at but perhaps I could give a heads up.

They tend to give you a set of scripts to select from, which you use to build your query as the answer. They love to ask questions around, date functions,sub queries,pivot all, commit/rollbacks, triggers.

They administering is tricky questions, like client has x problem with table, do you partition, create file, re-index,create a separate file group. Kinda like use case questions.
Click to expand...

Ah okay, i read from a few sources too that the questions are all like that. Lots of XML questions too? Guess i have to go learn all the things i dont use everyday :P

Did you do in-class training or self study material?

Forgot to mention, only talking about 70-461 here (querying T-SQL).
 
poffle said:
Ah okay, i read from a few sources too that the questions are all like that. Lots of XML questions too? Guess i have to go learn all the things i dont use everyday

Did you do in-class training or self study material?

Forgot to mention, only talking about 70-461 here (querying T-SQL).
Click to expand...

Not a ton load of them but a few here and there. Luckily I didn't get the import using cmd and import spec(omg). Well yeah don't stress too heavy on creating views, or your selects where from etc etc. More on the stuff you don't do regularly,ie,pivots, stored procedures ( input parameters,local variables, printf functions,return functions,rollback and commit,date functions, sub-queires ),triggers, schema, re-index, non cluster vs clustered. Yeah I didn't do well at all, 1/4 of the questions was things I learnt in a course and never got to find a case where to use them at work. Take note though they change the questions so I could set you on wrong path.

Both,class and self study there-after.yeah we are, I chickend out on the administering as I was crushed I didn't make it through the querying part.
 
Last edited:
Eish, Okay cool thanks for the insights man, appreciate it.

Now im more nervous than before :p
 
poffle said:
I am actually busy studying this right now too. I'm going to take the test at home with their online porctored exam.
For the 2016 Certs, its so new there is no study material right now. Im gonna do the 2012 route, then just do the individual 2016 upgrades at a later stage.

For 2012 i'm using the following:
Book: https://www.amazon.com/Training-70-461-Querying-Microsoft-Server/dp/0735666059
Lynda.com Videos - These are good for very basic T-SQL, like extreme basics.
CBT Nuggets - Haven't started with them
Microsoft virtual academy - https://mva.microsoft.com/en-US/tra...tabases-jump-start-8241?l=WFbhCtJy_7204984382
MSDN - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-gb/sql/t-sql/statements/statements


I would also love a bit of insight from people who have written it on info, will these study materials be sufficient?
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info much appreciated.
 
You can also go to www.sqlservercentral.com and read the stairway series for some additional insight. And I think there is some course material as well on edx.org (you can do a "audit" for free, edx.org certificates has a cost)
 
JP_ said:
Nice thanks. The MCSA SQL course with all 3 modules is only R7500. I was quoted over 20k excluding exams lol.
Click to expand...
Awsum np,yeah just use ms site to book exams always R800 cheaper than booking at a exam center.
 
JonJavelin said:
I bought another course from iCollege over the weekend - excellent quality and even better price! I see they also offer a money-back guarantee - won't be needing to make use of it though
Click to expand...
Awsum, which one did you get?
 
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