Where To Do Your MCSA Course - Options

By: Jason Kendall Click author's name for more of his/her articles

The Microsoft MCSA (Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator) course is perfect for anyone looking to get into network support. Whether you want to get started in the industry or are experienced already but want to formalise that with a good qualification, it's possible to achieve your goals with the right training. Each of these levels requires a specific course, so ensure you're being offered the best one before getting going. Identify an organisation that's eager to understand you, and what you'd like to do, and will supply you with enough facts to make your decision.

A key training program should have accredited exam preparation packages. Because most examination boards in IT tend to be American, you need to become familiar with their phraseology. You can't practice properly by merely going through the right questions - it's essential that you can cope with them in the proper exam format. Clearly, it's essential to be confident that you're completely ready for your commercial exam prior to doing it. Going over 'mock' exams helps build your confidence and saves you time and money on wasted exam attempts.

Each programme of learning really needs to work up to a widely recognised exam as an end-result - and not some unimportant 'in-house' printed certificate to hang in your hallway. If the accreditation doesn't feature a conglomerate such as Microsoft, Cisco, CompTIA or Adobe, then you may discover it won't be commercially viable - because no-one will recognise it.

A subtle way that course providers make a big mark-up is by charging for exams up-front and then including an 'Exam Guarantee'. This looks like a great idea for the student, but let's just examine it more closely:

In this day and age, we tend to be a tad more knowledgeable about sales gimmicks - and generally we grasp that it is actually an additional cost to us - it's not because they're so generous they want to give something away! Should you seriously need to qualify first 'go', you must pay for each exam as you go, give it the priority it deserves and be ready for the task.

Why should you pay your training course provider at the start of the course for examinations? Go for the best offer at the appropriate time, rather than pay marked up fees - and do it locally - instead of miles away at the college's beck and call. Why tie up your cash (or borrow more than you need) for examination fees when there's absolutely nothing that says you have to? Big margins are netted by organisations charging all their exam fees up-front - and banking on the fact that many won't be taken. It's worth noting that exam re-takes with training companies with an 'Exam Guarantee' are monitored with tight restrictions. They will insist that you take pre-tests first till you've proven conclusively that you can pass.

Average exam fees were 112 pounds or thereabouts twelve months or so ago through UK VUE or Prometric centres. So don't be talked into shelling out hundreds or thousands of pounds more to have 'an Exam Guarantee', when any student knows that what's really needed is consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software.

Many training companies only give basic 9am till 6pm support (maybe a little earlier or later on certain days); not many go late into the evening (after 8-9pm) or cover weekends properly. Avoid study programmes that only provide support to trainees through a call-centre messaging service when it's outside of usual working hours. Colleges will give you every excuse in the book why you don't need this. But, no matter how they put it - you want to be supported when you need the help - not at times when they find it cheaper to provide it.

The most successful trainers incorporate three or four individual support centres around the globe in several time-zones. An online system provides an interactive interface to provide a seamless experience, at any time you choose, help is at hand, avoiding all the delays and problems. Find a company that gives this level of learning support. Only true 24x7 round-the-clock live support provides the necessary backup.