Creative1977 wrote:

 

So?

Oh, did you need an answer?

I am not planning to do it.    

I gave up certifications for lent.

Dart board method.

Don't you think that august would be too early, Zeno?

It usually takes Adobe about 6 months for ACE exams after the release of the software (as far as I remember CS4 exams started appearing in febr/march 2009). Unless they changed it now and will start releasing exams earlier?

I wouldn't worry about the exams. They come out one by one and it takes even up to 8-9 months after the software release, so we may expect Photoshop CS5 exams around september/october maybe even later.

Some of the questions that you will find on an ACE exam are NOT in Help. A great deal of info can be found at Adobe website. I love TV.Adobe.com

Some questions are about obscure shortcuts. You need to know every aspect of the app, even the parts you don't use! (I almost got killed on the questions about the Device Central -- I just don't use it.) For Photoshop, you need to know the print AND web features, animation, color management, export options, etc. etc. Some questions are very easy, but others are worded in such a way that makes you want to tear your hair out.

In regards to the post asked about certifications becoming "invalid" -- 90 days after the new exam is released, you can no longer "proclaim" yourself an ACE, until you pass the new exam.

I have been using Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat and InDesign since their initial relase. (I fell in love with Illustrator 88!) I've been taking the ACE exams since the inception of Adobe Certification program. I've failed a few, but I don't think I've ever taken an exam more than twice. I would suggest that you read the exam bulletin (posted on their web site) very carefully, and study every topic listed in depth.

Good luck!

An Adobe Certified Instructor (since 1994...?)

I will take it as soon as it's available!

I did it, I'm a PS CS5 ACE.

Hi Creative1977,

Sorry for the late reply, I have just seen you post...And to clarify a confusing situation, I  have posted about my success using my wife's account (Mariuca) -  that was actually me.

I have tried both Pass4Sure and uCertify's prep engines and decided to buy uCertify's.

My conclusion in uCertify's prep engine

• It  definitely helps with familiarising yourself with the exam format and  it can be very fun to use, but
  
• Many of the actual questions are badly  formulated,
• The grammar is appaling to say the least,
  
• Some questions  have more than one correct answer and
  
• Some are answered completely wrong!

Useful but very frustrating because of the above mentioned issues.

Study materials

1.  I learnt a lot from the "Classroom in Book" (for CS3). That was the  foundation and I highly recommend it for beginners and  intermediate users.

2. Then I bout the official CS3 User's Guide from Ebay. I don't think they  provide the printed User Guide at all since CS4, but you can find all  that information in program's Help. I went through the manual  thoroughly  from cover to cover and I recommend that to anyone wishing  to get into the depths of Photoshop.

3. uCertify's prep engine helped me to familiarise with the exam format and to find out which areas I had to improve on.

4. I didn't use that for the exam, but I think that "Real World  Photoshop" books might also help, here's an an extract about the  blending modes (an area where I found the User's Guide doesn't provide  proper information for the end user, it seems to address rather to  programmers):

http://www.peachpit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1332852

5. The tutorials from www.lynda.com where also a great help, especially Chris Orwig's:

http://www.lynda.com/authors/Chris-Orwig

Good luck!