Practice Makes Perfect
How I was able to pass the PCEP exam and how you can too!
I recently passed the PCEP — Certified Entry-level Python Programmer Certification Exam. This is a certification offered by the Python Institute. It is a professional credential that measures one’s ability to perform coding tasks related to the essentials of programming in the Python Language.
According to the Python Institute’s website, to pass the exam a person must be familiar with computer programming concepts like “datatypes, containers, functions, conditions, loops, as well as Python programming language syntax, semantics, and the runtime environment.”
It might seem overwhelming, but trust me you can earn this certification!
I want to share some tips with you that allowed me to pass the exam, and that I am sure will help you obtain a passing score as well.
1) Research the PCEP Certification exam before you take it
You can do your research in many places, but one site I particularly like for researching is YouTube. On YouTube, you can find many examples of people speaking about their experiences with taking this test.
Here is one of my favorites by a channel named Gen Z Developers…
One of my teammates named Chelsa Mooney also recommended another video, This one was made by a user named Jonathan Karr…
The nice thing about watching these videos before taking the test is that they give you insight into how the test is administered. You will know how many questions are on the test, what is the time limit of the test, and also what type of questions you should expect to see. Researching ahead of time helps you be better prepared, and it is something I definitely recommend.
2) Take the PCEP training course offered by the Python Institute
After doing research on the exam, the next thing I did was take the PCEP training course offered by the Python Institute. As I mentioned before, the exam will contain programming concepts such as datatypes, containers, functions, conditions, loops, as well as Python programming language syntax, semantics, and the runtime environment. These are a lot of concepts to remember! But thankfully Python Institute offers a training course that covers all these topics!
I know what you’re thinking… “That sounds nice, but I don’t want to pay for another course!”
Well, the best part about this course is that it is absolutely free!
I highly recommend that you take this course even if you are already familiar with Python. The course is a comprehensive guide; and will help you brush up on topics you might have forgotten about.
3) Practice Practice Practice
The very last step I took in preparing for this exam was to take several practice exams. In fact, I took a total of 6 practice exams before taking the actual test.
The resource I used was a book called “PCEP Certified Entry-Level Python Programmer Practice Tests” by Emil Frlez.
Each time I took the test I made sure to time myself. This way I could make sure I was within the time limits of the test. I gradually saw my scores go up each time I took a new practice test. It was a very good indicator that let me know when I was ready for the real exam.
Doing these three things helped me attain my Python Certification. If you are taking the test soon I wish you the best of luck! I know you will succeed as well!
If you have taken this exam in the past, let me know some of your tips in the comments below!
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