Date:         Mon, 22 May 2000 08:51:06 -0700
Reply-To:     dave_h <hapeman@JUNO.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         dave_h <hapeman@JUNO.COM>
Organization: http://www.remarq.com: The World's Usenet/Discussions Start Here
Subject:      Re: SAS certification vs. MCSE vs. coca vending machine

Greetings,
      I would like to add my opinion.  First of I am do not
have any of the certifications from SAS.  The major reason
why is the cost.  At $150 per exam, I'll wait til one of my
employers wants to foot the bill.
      I have been a CQE and a CRE of the ASQ.  And I am
currently a Master SAS Programmer of Brainbench, which is
free.
      My opinion is that SAS is such a broad topic, that a
test could not accurately be the sole judge.  The exams I
have taken are set to cover the broad sectrum of the
subject.  To do well, one must know the areas that the exam
makers deem important to their specified depth.  For
example, on the Brainbench exam there werew several
questions about proc tabulate.  I rarely use proc
tabulate.  Also there were questions about how to read a
text file.  I read input from Oracle databases, not text
files.
      One of these days, I'll break down and pay for the
exams probably.  I would recommend that anyone starting out
in the business, take the exams.  They won't hurt you, and
in some peoples eyes may help you.
      As far as your second statement, I disagree that with
your idea that good statisticians are good SAS programmers,
but not the reverse.  The two things have a great deal that
are not in common.  Most statisticians know only enough SAS
to accomplish their particular specialized analysis.  They
would be lost if they were taken from their comfort zone.
A good SAS programmer without a Statistical background, can
program anything.  However, they could not interpret what
the numbers mean though.  The ideal person I think you
would like is a hybrid.  What you want is someone who has a
masters degree in Statistics, and has gone beyond that to
learn proc sql, macros, SAS/graph, Advanced data step
tools, SAS connect to databases, etc.
     If I have been preaching to the chior, I apologize.  i
look forward to continuing this discussion.

     Dave


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