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Oracle's Java certifications are highly regarded in the IT Industry and provide recognition to a Java developer worldwide. It helps you to find a better job, get a better salary, and even a better raise or bonus at your current job.

That's why thousands of Java developers try to become certified every year, but success is not easy in this exam.

Oracle's Java Certification has a tough passing percentage, close to 65% for both OCAJP (the Oracle Certified Associate Java Programmer) and OCPJP (the Oracle Certified Professional Java Programmer).

You need in-depth knowledge of the Java language and API to succeed in the exam.

As a note, preparing for OCPJP is not very different from OCAJP, though you have to use resources that are focused only on OCPJP. You also need to cover more topics and more in-depth because OCPJP 8 is certainly a tough nut to crack.

In order to prepare well and get a high score, here are some tips which will help you to become a Oracle certified Java professional. These tips have helped me in the past to score more than 90% on the certifications.

So, without wasting any more time, here are my five tips to prepare well for the OCAJP and OCPJP exams.

1. Code Every Day

There is no substitute for coding. You must code daily to develop a coding sense, which will help you to read the code given in the real exam.

In the case of OCPJP, it becomes even more important because attention to detail is required to understand each coding question before you select options.

2. Join a Good Course

In my opinion, online courses are one of the best ways to learn new technology in a short period of time, and that also holds true for preparing for a certification exam like Oracle's Java certification or Spring Professional certification.

They are the second-best way, just next to a personal instructor or classroom training. You learn actively from experienced professionals who have gone through that path and know exactly where the breakers are and where the road is bumpy.

When I prepared for my Java certification some 10 years ago, books were the only way, particularly the Khalid Mughal book, but now you have a lot more books and courses to help you out.

3. Read a Good Study Book

There is no better companion than a good study book if you are preparing for Java certifications.

They cover all the exam topics, give practice questions at the end of the chapter, and share a lot of exam-specific tips that you don't find in any normal Java book.

There are a lot of study guides available in the market, but if you are preparing for OCAJP 7 or OCAJP 8 you can take a look at these resources to find a good study guide.

4. Choose a Good Exam Simulator

After choosing a good book or study guide, the next thing you need is a good exam simulator. This is a must if you want to score high but not required if you just aim for passing the exam.

The exam simulators will help you to develop the speed and accuracy required to complete all questions in 2.5 hours.

I suggest that you keep doing mock tests until you score 80% on a consistent basis before going for the real exam.

Here are some of my recommendations for exam simulators:

Whizlab's Exam Simulator\ There are the best in the market, tried and tested by many developers including myself.
Enthuware's Practice Test\ That's again the second best in my opinion, also very cheap, you can just get it under $10. It's also tried and tested by many certified Java developers
David Mayer's Practice Test\ If you need to go the extra mile with your preparation, I suggest you solve the 450+ problems from David Mayer's Test.
Java Certification: OCA (1Z0--808) Exam Simulation\ 260+ multiple-choice questions with an explanation to assess Oracle Certified Associate, Java SE 8 Programmer I preparation
Java Certification --- OCA (1Z0--808) Topic-wise Tests\ Multiple choice questions covering all the exam objectives of Oracle Certified Associate, Java SE 8 Programmer I

Btw, if you are buying Whizlab's simulator then you can also use the coupon code "JAVACOMBO2" to get a 25% discount.

Since they provide lifetime access to their simulator, I suggest you buy both OCAJP and OCPJP simulators together and take advantage of this coupon code.

5. Regularly Participate in Forums

You have to keep yourself motivated and up to date on the exam and other details. With that in mind, there is nothing better than participating in forums like CodeRanch or Oracle's official Java Certification forum.

You can ask questions, clear doubts, and become familiar with other candidates who are preparing for exams.

You may be able to find some buddies as well who can prepare with you for exams.

6. Solve As Many Practice Questions As Possible

Practice makes you perfect, so solve as many you can. You will slowly develop the speed and accuracy needed for the exam.

There are many such free exams available and Google is your friend. You can find a lot of them to get started with.

Here is a list of some of the freely available practice questions for OCAJP 8 and OCPJP 8 exams:

These are just the samples of free certification questions you will find on the internet. If you need more, you can do a Google search or can also look following resources.

Other Useful resources for Java 8 certifications:

Here are some of the useful resources for preparing OCAJP8 (1Z0--808) and OCAPJP8 (1Z0--809) examination.

Some resources are free and you have to buy others, but given the actual exam cost is 245 USD or 10,100 INR, it is worth spending some more money to prepare well. It's better than taking a retake of the exam.

Closing Notes

Thanks, You made it to the end of the article ... Good luck with your Java Certification exam! It's certainly not going to be easy, but by following this roadmap and tips, you are one step closer to becoming a certified Java developer.

P.S. --- If you need some FREE resources, you can check out this list of free OCAJP 8 and OCPJP 8 mock exams to start your preparation.

How to become an Oracle Certified Java Professional