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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| 1/23/02: Mark from Newcastle says: |
Microsoft picks questions from a random pool - some hard, some easy - some based on real life, some on obscure TechNet articles. An individual who gets 1000 on one set of questions should not get a High Distinction or a smiley stamp or anything else - they were good enough, so they get a PASS. The scores cannot be compared between tests because everyone gets different questions. Even more so because the style of tests vary over time. With adaptive testing for example, grades of 1000 don't exist. Differences in ability can be shown in the workplace - and they should be, because beyond Passing, these grades are not a fair way to differentiate talent. |
| 1/23/02: Judy from San Jose, CA says: |
Microsoft has access to the scores--we ought to have access to our own scores as well. If they want to display "pass-fail" on the transcript for employers, that's fine. But it's like our medical records -- the doctors use the data, but we have a right to know what it is. When I hear "borderline" or "high", I want to know how that compares to present, previous results and how it compares to peers. Bill needs to rethink this strategy. |
| 1/23/02: photoman from California says: |
Doesn't matter to me any longer. I'm an MCSE from NT4, but I am now persuing my Linux Certification. Bye, Bye Microsoft - I don't need your games anymore! |
| 1/23/02: reddoc1 from IL says: |
When I was in college, the pass-fail graded classses were always known to students as the easy "filler" classes needed to make credits outside your major. As an example, "Rocks For Jocks" (Basic Geology) was taken by athletes and others for an easy science credit. As someone who just spent $$$ and a considerable amount of time investing in an MCSE class, I feel like the rug got pulled out from under me! What's the incentive to study for these exams? I worked my ass off to score an 875 (out of 900) on the Net+ exam, but I'm suddenly feeling like the M$ cert isn't worth it! They devalued it so that no matter what I score, I'll only look like another paper MCSE. I'm very disappointed in microsoft. This isn't part of the bargain I signed up for in taking their classes. Had I known the scoring was pass-fail, I wouldn't have coughed up $$ for a class! And completely off topic, what's the idea behind the MCSA? Is this the MCSE "lite"? This cert is a joke! Cut the requirements of an MCSE in half and "dumb" it down further?!?!? |
| 1/24/02: Lancea from Wellington says: |
I don't think I've ever sat an exam where I didn't get a mark, so why does MS have to be different. My scores have ranged from almost- pass to pass-mark to 980. The marks are always useful in (a) determining how much more study I need (and I do a lot more for safety); (b) making me feel good (or bad). The mark is useful in much the same way as degrees have different levels of achievement. |
| 1/24/02: D. Baird from Pennsylvania says: |
My first time at this web site, but one thought about these tests. What other profession has all this testing going on. The doctors, lawyers etc. Not on your life they don't. What happened to the old resume. Please let our profession not have to jump through hoops and tests to get jobs. Don't think how to shut others out but how to keep our IT professional on a par with other professions. Someday you will be old and may still need a job and won't want that test. Get your degrees in the school and let software vendors get their bugs out of their products and forget about being testing professionals. Please don't buy (literally) into this testing stuff. Once they are manditory the price will go up and up. Please think about what I'm telling you. |
| 1/24/02: Anonymous says: |
I think you should be able to see what sections you need to work on if you don't pass. Otherwise you don't know where to focus your efforts. |
| 1/24/02: Mr. Boots says: |
It doesnt make a difference if you score a 1000 or a 540- if you have never touched Win2k professional and you score a 1000 because you studied a lot what does that make you? To each person who is using brain dumps, practice tests and other materials that may be considered unethical, I challenge use to this- pass a test without one. Brain Dumps need to go. That is why we have paper MCSEs These tests are designed for you to have hands on experience. I achieved my MCSA on Tuesday Jan 22nd. The 70-218 test requires hands on experience |
| 1/24/02: Mr. Boots says: |
It doesnt make a difference if you score a 1000 or a 540- if you have never touched Win2k professional and you score a 1000 because you studied a lot what does that make you? To each person who is using brain dumps, practice tests and other materials that may be considered unethical, I challenge use to this- pass a test without one. Brain Dumps need to go. That is why we have paper MCSEs These tests are designed for you to have hands on experience. I achieved my MCSA on Tuesday Jan 22nd. The 70-218 test requires hands on experience |
| 1/24/02: Mr. Boots from ddd says: |
It doesnt make a difference if you score a 1000 or a 540- if you have never touched Win2k professional and you score a 1000 because you studied a lot what does that make you? To each person who is using brain dumps, practice tests and other materials that may be considered unethical, I challenge use to this- pass a test without one. Brain Dumps need to go. That is why we have paper MCSEs These tests are designed for you to have hands on experience. I achieved my MCSA on Tuesday Jan 22nd. The 70-218 test requires hands on experience |
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