Tips on taking the CLD-R recertification exam

[MrJimSmith]

Hey folks, I managed to pass my CLD-R recertification exam a couple of weeks ago, and thought I'd post some tips since I know a few of you are probably due to take the test soon. Here is a list of things you might want to know:

• Your CLD certification is "active" for two years after you take the exam.
• After two years, your CLD is considered "suspended" and your name is removed from the list of CLD's on the NI website until you take the recertification exam.
• If you don't pass the CLD-R within one year after you become "suspended", your certification becomes "inactive" and you have to retake both the CLAD exam and the original 4 hour CLD programming test. Needless to say, it behoves you to get the CLD-R done before that happens.
• Once you pass the CLD-R exam, your certification is reinstated and you are put back on the "active" list of CLD's for another two years.
• The CLD-R exam is a 40 question multiple choice test that is given at any Pearson-Vue test center.
• 90% of the questions are identical to the questions on the two practice exams with minor tweaks.
• You can find the details and links to the preparation materials and practice exams here: http://www.ni.com/white-paper/9605/en
• There are a few questions related to architecture and general software engineering principles and a few from the CLAD test. As near as I could tell, most of them came right out of the CORE 1, 2, 3 courses, so if you have the course materials from those, it's a good idea to review them.
• You can use the certificates they handed out at the NI Developers Day for a discount, but the minimum cost to take the test using the discount is $50.
• The test usually costs $200, but it's been discounted (I think until the end of the year, but don't quote me on that) to $99.

Kind regards,

Jim Smith

[HelenC]

Re: 90% of the questions are identical to the questions on the two practice exams with minor tweaks.

I took the CLD-R today and although I passed I got some questions wrong because I rushed them thinking that they were identical to ones on the exam papers and must have missed the minor 'tweaks'. I highly recommend fully checking the images and words for these 'tweaks'.

At the end of the exam you are able to view the incorrect questions and I was initially going "What?" thinking that there had been a mistake.

[ZarArt]

Hello Helen, I am studying for the CLD-R. I have found some topics to be a little bit confusing, so I am revisiting those topics. However, it is too extensive to go over  complementary topics in a short time. Does the CLD-R is very close to the practice exam? I am aware there will be some tweaks, but for now I am focusing in studying the topics from the practice exam.