MCSA - Web Applications

Gear Review

Re-evaluating My Technical Certification Path

*Why I'm pivoting my study goals to adapt to new career interests*

$460

Exam Fees

6

Months Timeline

2

Exams Required

Section I

Certification Strategy

I'm thrilled I waited to dive into my technical studies, as I just learned that Microsoft has introduced a new MCSA certification for Web Applications. This certification aligns more closely with my work, offering a streamlined alternative to the MCSD by eliminating the 70-487 Azure/Web Services Exam. The focus is now on two key areas:

 

• →70-480 — HTML5, JavaScript, and CSS3
• →70-486 — ASP.NET MVC

I had already purchased the necessary books last year and planned to pursue the MCSD after completing the MCSA in SQL Server 2012/2014. However, life has a way of getting busy, and I had to shift my priorities. Now that I'm ready to resume my technical studies, I'm excited to go for this new MCSA Certification. While the certification itself isn't my primary goal, it serves as a useful way to focus my studies.

Budget and Timeline

I’m budgeting around $460 for exam fees and estimating about six months of training time. If I stay on track, I should be able to achieve the MCSA Certification by November/December 2017.

Certification Tip — Treat formal exams as a roadmap for your learning rather than the end-all-be-all goal; they are excellent tools to keep your study sessions focused and structured.

Phase	Metric	Goal
Budget	Exam Fees	$460
Timeline	Study Duration	6 Months
Target	Completion	Late 2017

Section II

Update: December 17, 2017 — Cancellation

As life often goes, I've had to push this plan back and may consider pursuing the certification in 2018 or 2019. My interests in Python and R are calling to me, and I might shift my focus in that direction for now.

Stay tuned for my next deep dive into Python and data science studies.