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Rating: 17 votes, 4.76 average.

GOOD DECISIONS: PMP & PREPLOGIC

Posted 06-23-2009 at 10:06 PM by pereb
Updated 03-01-2010 at 02:14 PM by pereb (more relevant links)

Last month I wrote about the crossroads I was at in my career. Well, I decided it was time to take some action. Since I’m new to certifications, I talked to some friends in the field and did some looking around online, and decided to pick up PMP video training from PREPLOGIC.COM (here: http://www.preplogic.com/products/vi...s.aspx?eid=391). I love it. I bought the PMP practice exam from PrepLogic, too but I’ve really just started looking at that.

I looked into two project management certification routes, the PMP and Project+ from CompTIA. I’m familiar with CompTIA, but it seems that the PMP is simply what is in demand right now. The required background for the PMP is much more demanding than for Project+, but I definitely have enough experience and hands-on training in project management to feel comfortable. So I chose the PMP.

Anyway, I watched a sample of the video on PrepLogic.com before I bought it, and since I liked what I saw I picked it up. I’ve had it about three weeks now, and I love it so far. I’ve been working late a lot, and by time I get home I just want to veg out on the couch and watch tv, not study for my PMP certification. So I’ve just been taking about an hour at a time a couple nights each week to watch the PrepLogic PMP video, and got through it all at my own pace. I had a little trouble getting started because the license key that came with the discs didn’t work, but I called PrepLogic’s customer service and they got everything taken care of really quickly. Since then, everything’s been perfect. I’ve used video training for other things in the past, and the instructors always fall on the extreme sides of the spectrum: they either use so much jargon that you have no idea what they’re talking about, or they dumb it down and talk to you like an idiot. The guy in the PrepLogic PMP video manages to find a pretty good balance between the two.

Bottom line: I’m really happy with PrepLogic’s video training. I hope the practice exam is just as good. I’ve also been using the free PrepLogic study guide and another free one I got from cramsession.com, and reading around on message boards for tips.

I wish PrepLogic had more training for Linux. They have a few things for the LPIC1 and LPIC2 exams, but I guess I'll have to go somewhere else for anything more than that. Maybe that will be next. I’m an enthusiast, but it might be good for me to get some official training. I’d love to hear thoughts on those LPIC certs. Many folks out there have them? Are they worth the time, if they’re not essential for my job?
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Comments

  1. Old Comment
    I agree, I've been very happy with Preplogic. I bought their unlimited access program back in January for my ccna. Top notch stuff. The preplogic sales guys are nice, very informed. A little pushy at times but I guess everyone has quotas. I had a little trouble with my DVDs not getting to me so I called them up. The preplogic customer service was the best part of it all. I expected to have to pay to have them reshipped or at least to have to put up a fight. But they handled everything was tons of professionalism. I think my rep's name was Scott. Very nice guy. I'm 6 months in and very happy with Preplogic so far. Glad you had a similar experience.

    I used Preplogic for my CCNA and for the first two exams of my Microsoft MCSE (70-290 & 70-291). All three training programs from these guys was solid. Can't say anything about their PMP training though. Haven't tried it. Used CBT nuggets for my A+. No good there. Looks like the filmed their stuff in their mom's garage.
    Posted 06-24-2009 at 08:16 PM by pomo56 pomo56 is offline
  2. Old Comment

    Preplogic and CCNA

    Yeah, I agree with you about them. I used Preplogic for my Net+ and CCNA last year. You're right about the video training being really good and you should check out their practice exams too. The Preplogic tests are a little harder than the real test but that pushed me to study even more, so I really knew what I was doing and aced the real test. Other than being a little harder the practice test was pretty much just like the real one. I'm going to go back to Preplogic again for Vmware pretty soon.

    To answer your question... Do you plan on working with Linux in your job or just for personal use? If it's for a job then I say definitely go for it.
    Posted 07-22-2009 at 03:13 PM by tscra tscra is offline
    Updated 09-17-2009 at 09:17 AM by tscra
  3. Old Comment
    I agree with the guy above me. If it's relevant for your job, go for the Linux certifications. If it's not relevant, then you should probably focus on certs that you actually need. Good choice with PrepLogic, too. I used PrepLogic's videos and practice tests for my MCSE and I'd definitely use them again.
    Posted 07-31-2009 at 11:20 AM by bucks367 bucks367 is offline
  4. Old Comment

    Preplogic.com is excellent training

    Our company has used Preplogic.com for Microsoft training for over 3 years now. Most recently we purchased three of their Unlimited Access licenses, two of them for two of my guys. The thing I like best about PrepLogic is their video training.

    If you haven't see it, it really is great. We previously used CBT Nuggets but the gripe with them is that I felt like I was watching my family's vacations movies. It's decent enough content but it's just terrible to watch. The training from Preplogic.com is expertly developed and feels like a top notch quality presentation. Plus the stuff from PrepLogic is done with well known instructors. Many of these guys have written books so they know what they're talking about. These two things make the experience of Preplogic training worth our patronage.

    Bottom line is right now we're only hiring people who have kept up with their training. The luxury of this recession economy is that we get to choose who we want and only hire the best. As for our current employees, Preplogic has helped us keep those guys sharp as well. We just want the best. It's how we've made it the past 18 months in a recession without having to fire anyone. You either come to us with the skills we want or we don't hire you.

    So if you're looking for a job, get certified and we recommend Preplogic.
    Posted 08-27-2009 at 06:46 PM by BigEd BigEd is offline
  5. Old Comment

    VMWare Preplogic Training

    As I said above, I am now using Preplogic to prepare for my VMware certification. Once again I'm very pleased with the quality of the training and the overall product. I've been on the Preplogic unlimited access plan. The only downside to the plan is you can only switch exams every 2 weeks or so, therefore I could see how someone studying for a lot of exams at the same time might find it a little frustrating. But overall Preplogic's program is the most convenient one that I have found because the audio training can be downloaded to your IPod and you can study wherever you go. Also the price of Preplogic's unlimited access program is tough to beat if you're planning on going for more than just 1 certification.

    One other thing that is great about Preplogic is that they don't just teach to the exam. That's a big difference from a lot of companies that just show you actual live exam questions (which may or may not be up to date) and expect you to memorize the answers. Preplogic actually makes sure you know the material. If you don't know the material, you shouldn't bother getting certified, because your employer will find you out pretty quickly. This is why it's so important to select a good certification training company and for me Preplogic is the way to go.
    Posted 09-11-2009 at 07:39 AM by tscra tscra is offline
    Updated 09-17-2009 at 09:17 AM by tscra
  6. Old Comment

    Anyone use Preplogic for A+?

    It's nice to hear good things in general about Preplogic but does anyone have experience using their A+ program? I'm just starting down the cert road and I'm looking to obtain my A+ and Preplogic looks to be a good certification company but I would just like the opportunity to speak with someone who has actually done Preplogic's A+ program before I spend money on it. I made a blog entry about Preplogic. I don't know which products to buy if I do use them, can anyone tell me if the Preplogic mega guides are any good? Please comment if you can tell me more about the A+ program.
    Posted 09-16-2009 at 08:22 AM by lnarea lnarea is offline
    Updated 09-17-2009 at 02:26 PM by lnarea
  7. Old Comment

    Bought Preplogic A+

    Just wanted to update. I did go ahead and order Preplogic's video training course for A+. I still hadn't found anyone who had done it yet but the reviews on Preplogic's other products were great so I decided to give it a try. I'll keep everyone updated on how it goes. Hoping to start with A+ and move into CCNA and up from there. I'm tired of being a level 1 help desk lol.
    Posted 09-18-2009 at 07:49 AM by lnarea lnarea is offline
  8. Old Comment

    So far so good with Preplogic

    I went ahead and gave Preplogic a try, thanks to some of the good things I read about them here. I ordered last week and it took a few days to get the materials. I was able to play around with the practice exams while I was waiting and finally everything got here on friday night. This allowed me to get started over the weekend. I won't have as much time to play with it during the week but Preplogic does make it easy to do portable training so I'm thankful for that.

    The Preplogic A+ program has been really helpful for me so far. It's really a no-brainer when I compared this training regimen to going to my local college or reading a huge book. The training instructor in the video is a real pro. He's not a teacher, he's a real industry expert, apparently that's the norm for Preplogic videos. Now the downside is the video is long but I'll take that over a big study book any day I guess. I can bookmark the video. I didn't realize that at first and it took me forever to find my spot again. So my biggest tip here is be sure to bookmark!

    The instructor teaches you using real-world situations and teaches shortcuts that IT pros use. It's great that the Preplogic instruction is focused, so it teaches techniques needed to be successful in the real world, rather than just reading out of some textbook.


    Now the Preplogic mega guide is going to be a good resource for me when I'm away from the computer. This will be nice during the day whenever I have a few minutes to spare. I'm planning on also listening to the "quiz me" audio Preplogic training in my car.

    I've feel like I'm learning some new tricks with Preplogic. It's a good first step and I feel good about taking it.
    Posted 09-21-2009 at 08:46 AM by lnarea lnarea is offline
  9. Old Comment
    Thanks for all of the responses. I haven't had much time to blog lately between studying and work but I'm getting really close here. I think I'll be ready to sit for the PMP by Christmas. That's my goal anyway. I just wanted to say that at this phase in my training I'm really making good use of the Preplogic PMP practice exam. It's got over 400 questions. I was really impressed with how comprehensive it is. I read somewhere that the Preplogic practice exams are actually just a little harder than the real exams. I hope this is true because I'm doing pretty well on the practice tests at this point. Will keep you guys updated on whether or not I achieve my goal of being PMP by the holidays.
    Posted 11-04-2009 at 01:09 PM by pereb pereb is offline
    Updated 12-03-2009 at 02:44 PM by pereb
  10. Old Comment
    Good luck on your PMP!
    Posted 11-12-2009 at 01:48 PM by lnarea lnarea is offline
  11. Old Comment
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by lnarea View Comment
    Good luck on your PMP!
    Hey thanks. I was just going to post a new blog entry and I noticed this comment. Still studying hard. At this point it's mostly just testing once or so a week with the Preplogic practice exams then tracking my progress.
    Posted 11-17-2009 at 12:27 PM by pereb pereb is offline
  12. Old Comment
    The only issue with PMP and the PrepLogic unlimited access program is that you have to be in IT to get value. If you're just looking to get the PMP you'll be better off buying just the PMP video training and practice exams from PrepLogic for a few hundred rather than getting the whole program which includes mostly IT training. On the other hand, if you are in IT and want to build up your skill set, then the PrepLogic unlimited program is perfect. It gives you all the IT stuff and the PMP. My boss just recently got it for himself for that reason. If you're looking for a better review of the program: PrepLogic Review. Here's the most important part. Don't take anyone's word for it. Don't read some review online and buy anything. You need to experience things for yourself. If you think this makes sense for you, you need to talk to them yourself and make sure it's going to work before you buy. That holds true for everything you buy. Good luck.
    Posted 02-05-2010 at 01:57 PM by jaymarting jaymarting is offline
  13. Old Comment
    I might be interested in eventually getting my PMP so thanks for this thread. I am actually about to take my A+ exam but am looking down the road a little bit and seeing where a good future path would be. It looks like there is a lot of good info from preplogic for getting ready for the tests and stuff. I am just so ready to take a step up in my career and have realized that I need IT certifications to do so. It looks like Preplogic has a lot of good material like mega guides and stuff. One of my friends showed me the stuff he got through their unlimited access program and I was pretty amazed. I agree with the original post that PMP is what is in demand so that's why I'm interested in going that route. I hear about it more and more around the "rumor mill" so to say. Anyway, we'll see how much time I have to actually keep going with this certification stuff once I really get down to it. It gets hard to juggle everything all at once, as I'm sure everyone knows. I'll check back sometime in the near future to get some more advice and share my thoughts.
    Posted 05-18-2010 at 01:03 PM by gbaxtin gbaxtin is offline
  14. Old Comment
    Hey all - so I decided to jump back into some of my old threads tonight and realized that I left this one hangin! So, just so everyone knows, I passed my PMP! Without going into full detail, PrepLogic was awesome through the whole thing. I really like their material, I must say. Many of the other videos out there (and other training materials) are just really boring stuff that is hard to stick with, but the learn-smart videos (i think that's what they're called) were actually pretty interesting. I think everyone has a different study style, mine is definitely not keen on sitting down at a desk and studying right off paper. I need interactivity. After all, that is the new way to study, right? Ha ha. Not to go off topic, but I think I've kinda got the certification bug now and I'm gonna go for some other certs. I can't really perfectly document it, but I could definitely see a difference in how potential employers looked at my resume after I had my cert on there. It got me more interviews, and for the interviews that I did get, it got me further into them until I finally found a great position that fit me well. For all of you out there wondering if having a cert (no matter which one) on your resume makes you stand out, it really does make a difference. This PMP process has been fun, and I'm ready for more.

    Gbax: when are you considering sitting for your PMP?
    Posted 05-20-2010 at 10:31 PM by pereb pereb is offline
  15. Old Comment
    Pereb:
    I'm looking at a couple months time at least. It will take me a while cuz I am pretty busy with my full time job, but I know that I have seen tons of posts and stuff saying that it's imperative to get certified, so I'm trying to make it a priority. Sorry it took me so long to get back to you, by the way. I know there are a bunch of good solutions out there for people who are busy with life, per say, and also trying to get certified, but seriously, I am struggling just to keep my head above water. I'm not the most financially stable right now either, but from what I hear PrepLogic is pretty good from a money standpoint, so that's good to see. That will probably be my best option for exam prep. At least that's what I'm thinkin' right now.

    You mentioned in your post that you have the bug. What other certs are you going for you think?
    Posted 05-24-2010 at 05:32 PM by gbaxtin gbaxtin is offline
  16. Old Comment
    So I wanted to jump back in here and give an update on my situation. I have now successfully passed my A+ and Net+ and am most likely going for my CCNA next. You guys were talking about having the certification bug. I am right there with you, no doubt. I'm actually thinking about springing for Preplogic's unlimited access thing, which would let me just go crazy and get all the certs I need over the next 2 years. I have to check and see how much it is first though. I have liked these guys enough for the A+ and Net+ training that I would probably pay a pretty penny for the program and for unlimited access to all their training. That way I can just relax and take things at my own pace, and not have to worry about nickel and diming all the different resources one step at a time. I am not the most financially sound, but they were pretty reasonable for the times I have used them in the past. Beyond CCNA, what would you guys recommend for where to go from there? I know I am getting ahead of myself, but I'm excited about it and if I don't plan really far ahead it will just die on the vine. I'll always have a decision NOT to study, or not to take the couple hours on a Saturday to go take the test. If I am faced with a financial decision every time I have to get a new cert, I think I would fall off the wagon pretty quickly. PMP might actually be an interesting side road to take now that I have my A+ and Net+. I just need more money, lol. I think the best way for me to get that right now is to try and rack up some certifications. I have seen a lot of forums and blogs talking about how certs don't help you with your salary and job hunting, etc, but I totally disagree. I am all about these certs cuz I have seen it work for myself AND my friends. No doubt about it. I am very much on the team that says certs work and they help you build an amazing career, or advance one that is already good.
    Posted 05-27-2010 at 05:35 PM by lnarea lnarea is offline
  17. Old Comment
    I used Preplogic for their audio training product cuz I heard from a friend that he really liked it and it was much better than the boot camps or throw back paper traditional style that he was used to. I have been in IT for a lot of years and am looking at getting my PMP, which is how I found this thread. I was asking on another forum what people thought about the audio training from Preplogic and got a semi good response. I guess I'll try again: besides the comments already posted, overall, what does everyone think of Preplogic's PMP products specifically? I have done a lot of research on the PMP page and all their different products, but I'm trying to get a balanced opinion other than what their sales guys have to say. Anyone used their PMP study guides extensively? I'm looking at, again, getting some audio training because I travel a lot and also go the gym a lot. I liked some of their other training resources and stuff. What does everyone think?
    Posted 05-27-2010 at 08:09 PM by salmon913 salmon913 is offline
  18. Old Comment
    I'll pipe up and give them 2 thumbs up.I stumbled across Preplogic a few years ago after one of my friends recommended them and I have had good experiences. I used them to get my PMP and all the training resources I used were really good. I kinda pieced everything up separately and bought stuff a little at a time. At first I just picked up some of the Quiz Me Series stuff to kinda see where I stood, and then I used that to guide what other products I bought to determine how much I really needed to study and prepare. About half way through I got into some money trouble with some extenuating circumstances, so I had to slow down, but I jumped back into the game as fast as I could. I just have to say that being a girl in the IT industry can sometimes be tough. It is so male dominated that sometimes I think it slows a woman's career down, but I persevered. I just decided at one point that no matter what happened, or who told me that I couldn't do something, that I was gonna prove them all wrong. It didn't matter what I had to do.

    Anyway, sorry, got a little off track there. Overall PrepLogic was great for me and it made me feel extremely prepared for each and every test I took in my certification journey. I see above that a couple of the comments have been about whether or not certs actually help you resume, and I can certainly say from personal experience on my end that they have been an absolutely amazing boost to my career AND salary. Again, being a woman, I think it actually affects my salary sometimes, too but I personally saw a lift in my salary from my employer almost immediately after I informed him that I was now certified. I know that that is probably not the case with everyone, and everybody is entitled to their own opinion, but hey, that's what forums are all about, right, opinions and discussion?
    Posted 05-27-2010 at 08:20 PM by Tancredi Tancredi is offline
  19. Old Comment
    Gbax: thanks for opening up the conversation up above. It is great to jump in here and see other fellow IT'ers jumping on the certification wagon. Really, at the end of the day, I think the real answer to whether or not certifications actually helps directly increase your salary or get you a promotion or that new job, doesn't even matter really. I mean, don't get me wrong, I have an opinion, but still. To answer your question, I am actually seriously thinking about going for the full MCITP. It is like the hottest thing right now and Microsoft is not going anywhere any time soon, that's for sure. Preplogic actually has a little guide out that I read that says you only have to take 5 exams to get fully MCITP certified. I know, that's still a lot, but I'm ready for it. Plus, I'm a vet now! Old hat, ya know!! (ha ha).

    Salmon: I wanted to jump in and answer your PMP question cuz I think I match the description of someone you were looking for pretty well. I definitely used the PrepLogic products for my PMP study and found them to be excellent. I already wrote a whole long post about my experience, so I won't regurgitate it all, but the products I used were great. Michael Solomon is the guy who does the video training and I found him really easy to follow.
    Posted 05-31-2010 at 03:43 PM by pereb pereb is offline
  20. Old Comment
    Thanks pereb. I had the chance to call over there and talked to a guy who sounded pretty knowledgeable. It looks like their stuff is gonna give me a pretty good handle on the PMBOK. I don't travel a lot, or go to the gym (don't tell my mom), ha ha, so the video stuff should be great for me. I am still looking over all my options but it looks like the PMP study guide is gonna work pretty well.
    Posted 06-03-2010 at 10:13 AM by salmon913 salmon913 is offline
 

  



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