Base SAS E-learning vs. Prep guide

[drpartonslab]

I'm preparing for the Base Programming Specialist exam. I'm currently going through SAS Programming 1 and 2 E-learning courses, and wondering if it's wise to also purchase the Prep Guide. The content of e-learning courses and the prep guide look pretty much the same. Both contain practice programming scenarios, activities and quiz for each lesson. Could someone who have used both tools give opinion? Thank you in advance for your help.

[SASJedi]

The Programming 1 & 2 courses cover all of the topics you will need to succeed for the Base Programming Specialist certification. The courses are more scenario-focused, with a "storyline" that ties the topics together. The certification guides are more topical, and also cover all of the topics required for the certification. I've used both and I like both. If you are using eLearning, be sure to do all of the practices - all levels.

I personally found the practice cert exam helpful. When I felt I was ready to take the exam, I went back through the eLearning courses, just re-taking all of the end-of-section quizzes. If I didn't score 100%, I did the eLearning for that section again. I took the practice exam to verify I was ready, and went into the actual exam feeling pretty confident of my abilities. It went well, too.

Wishing you all the best pursuing your SAS certification!
Mark

[SASJedi]

And I just wanted to add - the practice exam is now FREE - so there's no longer any obstacle between you and this valuable resource 🙂 

[Panagiotis]

That's a tough question. I think it' a case by case basis. I can't explicitly tell you either way. What I can do is explain what I did prior to taking the certification and learning SAS.

First, taking the programming 1 and 2 courses. I took the courses and did EVERY practice in the course, including the challenges. I did them using the solutions/hints in the PDF. Then I went back and solved them on my own (and Google). 

Next, when taking the courses I also did all the quizzes. If I had an incorrect answer I specifically made sure I knew WHY I was wrong, not just memorize the correct answer.

The last thing I did was purchase the prep guide. It just made me feel better to run through some additional practices prior to taking the test. I probably would of been fine without it, but in the end learning more can never hurt.

There are also case studies to the courses, and they are free. Feel free to try them, I think they will help. You can find them here: 

Programming 1 Case Study

Programming 2 Case Study

Hope that helps. Sorry I can't give you a specific answer.

- Peter