MCSD and VFP ... from a whitepaper I'm working on......
Benefits of the Program
There are many benefits, tangible and intangible, to you in becoming an MCSD.
A primary benefit is that becoming an MCSD demonstrates to your colleagues, superiors, and/or customers that you have the core skills to develop and implement custom solutions with Microsoft tools and technologies.

Tangible Benefits
Microsoft recognizes certified professionals by giving great benefits to those who earn MCSD status. These benefits make your life as a developer easier and have a direct cash value. These benefits are:

· A rebate or discount on a Microsoft Developer Network subscription. The terms of fulfillment will vary by your location, but earning MCSD status earns you a $200 rebate or discount on an MSDN Professional subscription and $500 on an MSDN Universal subscription. An MSDN subscription grants you access to Microsoft operating systems, development platforms, and public betas. For further information, please go to http://msdn.microsoft.com.Access to technical and product information directly from Microsoft through a secured area of the MCP website. This is a great benefit to have as it can give you a leg up on your competition when researching tools or technologies for a proposal.
· Access to exclusive discounts. These discounts vary, but they generally are for tools and products that you probably use on a regular basis.
· MCSD logo, certificate, transcript, wallet card, and lapel pin. Microsoft makes it easy for you to prove your status. In fact, one might say that MS makes it easy for you to flaunt your status. The lapel pin is a neat little accessory to wear to technical conferences, sales calls, or just around the office to annoy your co-workers.
· Invitations to Microsoft conferences, technical training sessions, and special events. It’s hard to keep up with all of the events going on in an area. As an MCSD, you’ll be invited to these events, sometimes with a fee discount; sometimes free.
· Free access to MCP Magazine Online secure content. There is a lot of secure content on the MCP Magazine Online website related to your work as a professional. One of the neatest things available at MCP Magazine Online is the salary survey (by the way, the survey is not secure content). This survey is very in-depth and broken down in a way that allows you to better understand what are reasonable salaries and billing rates.

Intangible Benefits
All hyperbole aside, certification often translates to more money. The July 1999 salary survey conducted by MCP Magazine showed that over 60% of respondents reported an increase in salary because of certificationstatus and, of those, almost a quarter had salary increases over 15%.

Other interesting facts: A 1998 Gartner Group survey revealed that certified employees are paid an average of 20% more in companies with MCP’s. 30% of the companies surveyed pay a bonus to certified employees. Certification is a factor in promotions for 66% of companies surveyed.

If you work towards and achieve MCSD status, you are demonstrating to your employer or customers a commitment to your craft. Professionals in other endeavors certify as a requirement to work in their professions. Certified public accountants are an example. While certification is not required to be a Visual FoxPro developer, it is a value-added proposition for a potential or current employer or customer.

You may know VFP cold and you probably a first rate programmer. However, with the abundance of IT professionals out there, you need some way to stand out from the competition. The MCSD credential allows you to establish yourself at the top of your profession, and secure your position as a highly motivated expert.

Many technical positions are advertised with the clause “MCSD certification a plus”. Employers recognize the value of certification, finding that certified employees are more qualified and perform better on the job. Having MCSD status may be that extra edge that lands you that new systems project; that sought-after promotion, or a nice cash bonus at the end of the year. If you are an independent consultant or developer, having MCSD on your curriculum vitae is not going to lose you potential clients, and might be the extra edge that makes a new client choose you over a competitor who lacks certification..