Microsoft Certified Master: The Very Beginningest Days of September

Here’s what I hear about registration for the Master program you’ve been chatting with Per about: the registration tool is set to open up on September 2. I will poast a little something when I see the tool is live… but if you’re on pins and needles you might keep an eye on the Master page yourself.

The other news is that we are considering the first sessions of each track to be program betas, and those sessions will be half-off the normal price of the program. So if you are interested in Master but felt the cost was prohibitive, you can participate in one of the first groups or classes (we call them rotations) to certify, and do it for half of what it will cost in the future. If you've been paying attention you know the cost is upwards of $20,000US. There isn’t anything different about these first sessions, but it IS our first run of everything in the final, formal Master program; hence the beta* rotations. The first tracks (at 50% off) are:

  • Exchange Server 2007: October 6-25, 2008
  • SQL Server 2008: October 13 – November 1, 2008
  • Windows Server 2008: November 3-22, 2008

There are other, later rotations, of course; they're posted here in strange fonts. Now, something I don't know is how you'll specify which rotation you want when you sign up. The Master team told me "Qualified candidates are placed in the first available rotation and have the opportunity to request a future rotation based on their schedule needs” so that sounds like they plunk you in to the first available session if you qualify. I've asked if you'll be able to specify JUST the beta rotation or JUST a certain other date during registration. Will let you know what I hear! 

As you know, you have to have all your pre-requisites ready to go before you register. You can review those and find application information on our site and in the Live Meeting recording from last month. Then go ask your mom if you can sign up. 

* I have been getting about 10 e-mails a day with the subject line Master Beta. Is it just me?