MCSD route for predominantly WinForms developer

Question

Hello.

I have worked as an in-house software developer for the last 6 years and have predominantly used Visual Studio C# WinForms, but also have a little experience with ASP.NET, Web Services and JavaScript. All self-taught.

The company I work for are willing to pay for certification and I am interested in pursuing an MCSD route, but I have questions/concerns regarding suitability and I'd appreciate any feedback.

I am interested in expanding my knowledge of web development, as technology continues to improve and expand in this area, but I also want to consolidate (and fill the gaps in) my existing knowledge and skills. To that end, I am looking at the MCSD Web Applications option:

Exam 70-483 Programming in C#
This looks like a perfect choice for me to consolidate my existing knowledge

Exam 70-486 Developing ASP.NET MVC Web Applications
The content for this exam looks very interesting and in line with my learning goals, however, the 'Who should take this exam' section states: 

"This exam is intended for developers with a minimum of three to five years of experience developing Microsoft ASP.NET web applications, including two or more years developing MVC-based solutions."

I do not have anything like this much experience in web development. Does this mean I should not undertake this course/exam?

Exam 70-487 Developing Microsoft Azure and Web Services
Again, content looks great but the target candidate is not in line with my experience.

In a nutshell, the first exam looks ideal for me, but the other two look prohibitive due to the level of experience suggested as prerequisite. If these are not suitable, what other certification options can I consider in order to obtain an MCSD?

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

Don't worry too much about the "two or more years experience". You can perfectly well pass these exams just by studying the materials and doing some preactice labs, especially if you are already an experienced developer using other technologies such as Winforms.

Go to the exam description page and look at the "Skills Measured" section. This will tell you the topics that are covered by the exam. If you are able to look them up in the manuals and understand them, then you should be quite capable of preparing the exam, even if you don't have any professional experience developing production MVC applications.

Answer 2

Thank you, Alberto.