Contributed by Dan Harrell, project leader for Documentation Development’s certification guides

I’m sure you are eagerly following Christine Kjellberg and Stacey Hamilton’s journey to become certified 9.2 base SAS programmers? Tracking their adventure is more fun than reality TV. Who needs “Survivor” or “Big Brother” when we have Christine’s and Stacey’s march to Tribal Council?

So, how is it going with Christine and Stacey? Lots of reading and studying I’m sure.

I asked several SAS employees who have passed the Base Certification exam for some tips to pass on to Stacey and Christine. Here are their comments:

Chris Laurey
“I studied for the certification exam by using the Base SAS Certification Prep Guide. This book was VERY useful, because it had topics by chapter and practice questions. I got the certification about 4 or 5 years ago now. I recommend this book to anyone who is studying for the exam. The biggest piece of advice I have is to work practice questions. I think that this is most helpful.”

Terri Laurey (Terri is Chris’ wife, and yes, the couple who studies and passes the SAS Certification exam together STAYS together.)
Terri passed the Base exam in May 2005 and the Advanced exam in November 2005

"For the Base exam – at that time I took it, there was a SPEL program that was designed specifically to teach you stuff for the exam. There was a practice exam at the end. It was a full e-course and not the list of Base programming classes and the separate exam. I’m not sure if they have it now – But, from what I see I think the equivalent for today would be:
• SAS Programming Introduction: Basic Concepts
• SAS Programming 1: Essentials
• SAS Programming 2: Data Manipulation Techniques
• SAS Certification Practice Exam: Base Programming for SAS 9

Tips for the Base exam:
• On the exam READ CAREFULLY! The exam tests your attention to detail.
• Always remember the semicolon “;”. It will always be your best friend.
• As in any multiple choice – the best technique is process of elimination. Even if you know the right answer, cross out the ones that are completely wrong and work your way from
there. This is a general standardized test taking technique.
• Don’t assume that because you program in SAS everyday that you can pass the exam. I have met several individuals who program in SAS all the time, but did not pass the Base
exam on the first try. The reason is that the exam also tests your knowledge of very specific components and what you do from day to day does not cover the full scope of SAS.
• Don’t rush on the exam. You have plenty of time on the Base exam.”

Michael Harvey
Michael passed the Base Certification exam in July 2008

“The online review material and practice exams helped quite a bit. The thing that helped me the most was taking the Certification Review training class. We not only reviewed the material, we were taught an effective strategy for taking the test. I approached the exam with a lot of confidence after taking the review.

Take the recommended classroom training if you have the time – it helps to be able to discuss the material with experts. Otherwise it’s like taking the SAT or GRE: prepare, get a good night’s sleep the night before you take the exam, and pace your responses so that you have time to review them before the clock runs out.”

Lisa Davenport
Here are some tips and insight from the writer of the Base SAS Certification Guide

“When using the Base SAS Certification Prep Guide, study at your computer while running your SAS application. This will allow you to do the following:

• Work through the examples as you go through each chapter
• Compare your output to the output shown in the book
• Do the sample exercises on the CD for each chapter
• Get hands-on practice reading the SAS Log and debugging programs."

Lisa has many other great suggestions:

• Two heads are better than one, so consider finding a study buddy or creating a study group. Try to get together on a regular basis to work together debugging programs and
understanding difficult concepts.
• Make a study plan and schedule weekly goals for how much you want to have covered each week (e.g. number of pages or chapters in the Prep Guide). If practical, include your
study buddy or group in the schedule.
• Bookmark places in the Prep Guide where you may need more practice or have questions.
• Look at all your exam preparation options and decide if want to use tools other than the Prep Guide to prepare for
the exam.
• Familiarize yourself with the exam. This will help you feel prepared, boost your self confidence, and get rid of any unknowns about what to expect on test day. Visit The SAS Global
Certification Program Web site.

Stacey and Christine, I hope these tips will help you in your studies and preparation for taking the Base SAS Certification exam. Good luck, we are all cheering for you!