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[edit section] All About the Microsoft MCTS 70-526 .NET Development Exam

The Microsoft MCSE 70-526 .NET Development exam is one of the many MCTS track exams that cover various aspects of programming and software development on Microsoft Windows platforms. Since it is an MCTS exam, passing the exam will establish a candidate as a MCTS-certified individual and will also demonstrate the candidate’s knowledge of .NET development in Windows.

[edit section] Difficulty and Scope

The Microsoft MCST 70-526 exam covers .NET development in Windows, meaning that a working knowledge of the .NET framework 2.0 is required to be successful on the exam. The exam covers both front-end and back-end development, including GUI and forms, menus, components, and XML. It heavily covers the various data handling features within the .NET framework and in particular covers how data is relayed to various database programs and servers, XML parsing, and the like. It also covers controls, usability and accessibility features, and application deployment. Since it is a development exam, you need to be able to implement and use the various components and controls discussed in the syllabus – in other words, it is a very difficult exam, and programming experience is essential.

[edit section] When and why to take the MCSE 70-526 exam

Since the MCTS can be achieved by taking many different much easier exams, we do not recommend taking the 70-526 solely to achieve MCTS status. Instead, take the MCTS 70-526 only if you are planning to actually pursue a career in software development or database programming. The difficulty and skill set required to succeed on this exam far outweighs the amount of study time a layperson would have to commit to succeeding on the 70-526, which is why it is an exam for technology specialists. So, only take this exam if you do have the appropriate background for the certification.

[edit section] I’m going to take the 70-526! Now what?

First, you will need to determine if it is really feasible for you to take the certification exam. Not everyone has the time to set aside to study for this exam, and it wouldn’t be a stretch to suggest that you should have at least 120 hours available to prepare for this exam, although anywhere from 90 to 200 hours would be a reasonable estimate of time required to prepare. For this reason, we would highly suggest that you have at least a month or two available to really prepare for the exam. Next, once you have set the time aside, you should probably schedule a date to take the exam with VUE or Prometric. Finally, use ProProfs resources in addition to your own study materials to prepare for the exam. We wish you the best of luck in your studies!

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