Microsoft raising exam prices
It had to happen sooner or later, Microsoft is going to raise the retail price of certain Microsoft IT Certification from 1 July 2011 (if you’re India, the rise will happen 1 August 2011). Microsoft IT Academies will continue to enjoy discounted exam prices.
Given that the price of Microsoft exams were last raised in 2001, this announcement some would argue is well overdue. However, turning back the clock to 2005 (when I took my first MS exam) the benefits were a lot more tangible: a physical welcome pack with a lovely certificate, wallet card and lapel badge. At £88 (15,000 YEN as it was for me) this was an absolute bargain! But then the benefits were reduced. The first benefit to go was the lapel badges. Apparently the argument was that quite a few broke in transit and it was costing more to send replacement. Then they took away the wallet cards – here it was a case of “no one uses them”. I don’t know about you, but I always have to reach out to my wallet card whenever I have to access the MCT Readiness Site (amongst other things). The final benefit to go was the free shipping of physical certificates.
So with the current pricing of MS Certification this is what you get:
A Transcript which will eventually “expire” your certifications aligned to current MS technology (MCTS/MCITP)
The ability to pay for the delivery of physical certificates – $15 for the first and $1 for each subsequent certificate to a maximum of 6 certificates ($20)
It may seem like with the increased prices and a lot less benefits, the MCP programme will falter. Actually, the value of certification should go beyond a lot more than some trinkets and validate a candidate’s proficiency in technology or job role. Hence the programme will continue to grow strong – it’s the power of certification. It just doesn’t half hurt looking at veteran MCPs lapel badges and thinking if only I started a couple of years earlier!
For more information about the increase, visit the Microsoft FAQ:
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/cert-pricing-FAQ.aspx
