A new just got accepted to MIT this year. I like to see those who are slamming this achievement accomplish that, at any age.

It does not take much to accomplish the MCP credential. There are tons of ‘PAPER’ MCP’s, MCSE’s, MCSD’s or MC+anything for that matter.

There are tons of exam prep materials that folks are just buying (or getting for free – braindumps and the4 like) and memorizing answers and then sitting for the exams, As an MCT I see students who attend classes and actually bring this stuff to the class and ask me my opinion of it.

My response is, like insider information is illegal and can get you arrested, this stuff is insider information you cannot get arrested for, unless you are the one publishing it and get caught.

So give her credit for the accomplishment but this does not mean she knows what she is doing, but we all could be wrong here.

I just wish MS would go to a lab performance evaluation process like CISCO and have the same job experience requirement.

The only good certification coming from MS now is the new MCA (Microsoft Certified Architect). It is the only one that is close to CISCO. I t requires architecture experience, it requires writing a thesis, it is a 6 moth process, it requires a in-person physical panel/board review and lastly you have to be doing this job and part of the review is a visit to your employer Lastly, you have to be selected for this credential via application. You cannot just register for some exam at Sylvan or Prometric.

And who cares about Linux+, Unix, LPI (level 1-3) and the like, they all have braindumps, testking, realexams and the like for purchase. So you really do not need to know anything to pass these exams, you just need a good memory. As I teach classes for these certification and these rock-head students continue to bring these things into class, I ask them, why even bother taking the class if you are just memorizing these things.

Several students have told me that their employers pay for the training, so it’s just the certificate of completion they want / need from the class, they know they will pass the exam using the cheat sheets and showing that you have received training makes you look like you accomplished something.

So age does not matter, anyone can pass virtually any test with cheat sheets and cheat methods.

That honor goes to Indian neighbor Mridul Seth who got an MCP at age 8. No wonder outsourcing to that region is so popular.

This is all to say I’m not a bit surprised that a 10-year-old girl from Pakistan has become one of the youngest Microsoft MCPs ever. Gaining her credentials at 9, Arfa Karim met Bill Gates last week and apparently wants to be just like him, studying at Harvard (just don’t drop out, Arfa!) and working for a software company. However, Arfa isn’t the youngest MCP of all time.