severoon's Journal: Java Certification Exams

Well, I've finally decided to do it. I'm going in for the Java Certification Exams. They're up to five tests at the moment: the Programmer, the Developer, the Web Component, the Business Component, and the Enterprise Architect. I'm planning on doing them in this order: Programmer (have to, it's a prerequisite for all the others), Developer, Business Component, and then maybe I'll do the Web Component and down the road I'll consider the Enterprise Architect, depending. Basically, the tests break down as follows.

The Programmer exam certifies you know the basic Java language. The Developer exams (there are two parts, a programming exercise done at home--no time limit--and an essay to prove you actually wrote the code) prove you can actually use the language and basic J2EE to do something useful. The Web Component exam tests your knowledge of web app front-ends...JSPs and all that. The Business Component exam certifies you know J2EE, and especially EJBs, in depth. Finally, the Enterprise Architect ties it all together and proves you can design an entire system from basic requirements that ties all these technologies together into a cohesive whole.

I'm generally on the path toward doing architecture in my career, but I don't feel any special need to conquer that test in the next year or two timeframe. I can see myself being certified on all the others by 2005, though. This is shaping up to be a year of tests for me, it seems, as I'm also thinking about taking the GRE and Comp Sci subject tests for grad school. Basically just keeping another option open, depending on how this economy recovery continues, I might find myself in grad school in fall 2005--who knows?

In any case, if you've taken any tests mentioned herein and have any helpful suggestions, please feel free to comment and pass on the knowledge.