Hi Mike,

Thank you so much for the wisdom that you have shared with me. Actually, my work is requiring me to get some kind of certification for me to learn quickly and meet their expectation accordingly. If you were going to ask me, getting certified is not my goal, but to learn and be able to effectively deliver the demands that my work is expecting of me. I would probably take Craig's suggestion of getting MCST and MCPD certification. It looked like the MCSD is for top-level and advanced developer.

Thanks,
Sam

>>I am planning to prepare for the Exam 70-305 and I need to know the books I need to get to take this exam. There are three Microsoft Press books that they have listed with this exam; one is the MS ADO.NET Step by Step, 2nd is Developing Web Applications ... and the third is the MS .NET Core Requirements. Do I also need to enrol in the E-Learning courses? Please help. Thanks, Sam
>
>
>First of all, best of luck getting your certification!
>
>I am not going to recommend specific books but advise you to be suspicious of a regimen which consists of three books published by, and profitable to, the company that gives the test.
>
>Here's my core view of this topic. Certification is an outcome, not an objective. Those who really know their stuff can pass a test without breathing hard. It may not even have been a goal. Unfortunately, this kind of deep learning seldom comes from book learning alone. If one approaches it from the POV of wanting a certificate to put up on the wall or on a resume, that's a danger sign. There are plenty of heavily certified folks around who can't park a bicycle straight.
>
>If you want this enough to invest yourself in gaining deep knowledge of developing .NET web apps, you will pass the test with flying colors.