Microsoft Moves to Pass/Fail Scoring System
1/16/2002 -- MCP Magazine has been given official word that Microsoft will no longer give test-takers an overall score on exams, opting instead for a simple pass/fail system.
Anne Marie McSweeney, Microsoft’s director of certification skills and assessment, said in an interview with MCP Magazine editors that the new grading method started in December 2001 and will include all future exams.
Even though the pass/fail system was introduced last year, most members of the certification community weren’t aware of the change. Microsoft didn’t make a general announcement about the revamped scoring, originally releasing the information in a FAQ section on its Web site.
“People will notice it most with 70-218,” McSweeney said. 70-218 (Managing a Windows 2000 Network Environment) is a core test for the new MCSA credential, which Microsoft expects to be very popular.
Microsoft decided to drop scoring, according to McSweeney, because, “scores are misleading. People put too much credence into what the scores mean.”
McSweeney added that giving an overall score, “introduces a mysterious element and gives odd perceptions ... At the end of the day,” McSweeney continued, beta testers said that, “pass/fail was what they cared about.”
Aware that Microsoft could appear to be imposing its will on the MCP community, McSweeney said, “We don’t want to look arrogant. The onus is on us to present our case” to the public and explain Redmond’s rationale for the change.
This is the second recent change Microsoft has made to how it notifies test-takers of their scores. For years, the company gave not only a total score, but section-by-section scores so testers could identify areas of weakness. More recently, Microsoft dropped section scoring in favor of an overall score and pass/fail bar. -- MCPMag.com
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There are 101  user Comments for “Microsoft Moves to Pass/Fail Scoring System”
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| 1/16/02: Mohammad Adnan Zakria Manager IT from 80-C, Model Town Lahore Pakistan says: |
Good Decision By Microsoft |
| 1/16/02: Tyler from Paris says: |
Bad move. Scores are useful. Take a look at Oracle exams... total score and section-by-section scores. Employers do check your online MCSE transcript on the official Microsoft MCP secure page, but you can't show them your 900plus scores. I passed 70-228 and 70-229 (SQL2K exams) with high 900plus scores (1st time), 70-210 with 920, etc. I think it's not fair, some guys pass 70-210 with 560... very low score, I should have the right to show-off my 900plus scores on those difficult exams. |
| 1/16/02: Tyler from Paris says: |
(I'm talking about scores printed on the official transcript, not on those VUE score reports) |
| 1/16/02: Greg from Utah says: |
Great move my Microsoft. Wish others would do the same. |
| 1/17/02: Abebayehu Yilma from Ethiopia says: |
Candidate should be graded by their scores not simply by pass/fail.Scoring helps the exam taker to know his position. |
| 1/17/02: Eren says: |
I don't understand one thing: When I fail an exam,I try to comment reasons. If I don't know the score, how can I understand these reasons??How can I determine my new study plan? -*-*-*-*-* I have taken Microsoft, Cisco, Comptia, HP, Spectrum exams. No best point of exam-view for vendors I believe. For example, Cisco exam report really better but you need to memorize lots of thinks,questions are not educational I believe, for example commands [like that: a)running-config b)running_config??who cares!] Microsoft questions really perfect but exam reports are bad even getting worse!! |
| 1/17/02: D. Weikle from Wilmington, NC says: |
"Pass" or "fail" is what you see at the end of the exam, of course, but I take delight in picking up my score sheet and noting the fact that I have passed--not by the skin of my teeth--but by a very wide margin. I have gotten perfect scores on several Novell test (which I understand were some of the hardest ones). Are we trying to remove some of the incentive to study really hard and really know your material before being tested? Or are we trying to hide a whole bunch of 'paper MCSEs' in with the real ones who really know it from expereince or really worked at learning it? PR, I think. I think I just lost my incentive to test on the MCSE thing. Over $600 for what? "Pass, Pass, Pass, Pass . . . " It may as well say "Paid, Paid, Paid . . . " Why really study with this incentive program? If all you have is an MCSE, how will you differentiate yourself from the pack now? D. Weikle CNE-5, CNE-IW, CNE-3 |
| 1/17/02: Anonymous says: |
Come on! What is the point in not allowing the test taker to see his or her score. What's next? Hiding the skills needed to pass an unnamed test? At least it will help those who barely knew enough to pass brag about how they would have scored a thousand on a graded test. I'm sure there's also going to be a high demand for MCSE's who achieved a "PASS" on the security exam. Candidate Name: Microsoft Score: Fail. |
| 1/17/02: Anonymous says: |
Good! This will save employers money on any incentive programs for high score. Now employers can focus those savings on buying more MS products. Mmmmmm? Wonder why everyone badmouths M$? |
| 1/17/02: Anonymous says: |
While passing the exams is probably the most important thing for some, others use their high scores as tools of the trade in the IT profession. When someone graduates from high school, colleges are more likely to take one seriously when they see a 4.0 GPA, same goes for getting a job holding a cert. If the company doesn't check your cert scores, they get what they deserve. Not the brightest move by Uncle Bill and his amigos. |
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