*** From the Archives ***
This article is from December 23, 2010, and is no longer current.
Guide to the InDesign CS5 ACE Exam eBook Available
The InDesign Secrets Guide to the InDesign CS5 ACE Exam eBook (PDF, 155 pp, $9.95) is the most thorough resource available for anyone interested in becoming an Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) in InDesign. More than a simple study guide, it offers you a comprehensive plan for preparing for and passing the exam.
The Guide breaks down every one of the dozens InDesign CS5 testing objectives (as published by Adobe) and shows exactly what you need to practice and study, including Laying out a Document, Working with Text, Working with Tables, Managing Graphics, Understanding Color and Transparency, Creating and Working with Long Documents, Building Interactive Documents, Importing and Export for Cross-Media, and Managing Prepress and Printing.
Objectives are illustrated with screenshots from InDesign and are hyperlinked to the relevant information in InDesign?s online help, so you can get immediate answers to your questions.
Each chapter ends with sample test questions (and their answers) to help you gauge your progress as you go.
Mike’s additional chapters detail the testing process, self-assessment, personalized study plans, study tips, test-taking strategies, and recertification objectives. With The InDesign Secrets Guide to the InDesign CS5 ACE Exam you can accelerate and focus your preparation so you walk into the testing center with confidence, and walk out an ACE.
If you’d like a preview, you can download a free Sample Chapter (chapter 6 on Managing Graphics) to see how Mike breaks down the test objectives into clear, concise, and generously illustrated explanations. The Sample Chapter also includes the full Table of Contents so you can see the scope of what’s covered.
The InDesign Secrets Guide to the InDesign CS5 ACE Exam is only $9.95 for 155 pages of goodness. You can download it immediately after purchase.
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Awesome work Mike!
Thanks!
Way to go Mike!
Chapter one would have been exciting :(. Personally I’m thinking about getting an ACE certificate for having some “special” skills you need for a working visa in the USA. For a working visa a “higher education” (university) is usually neccessary. Normal eduction like in my case (apprenticeship as a graphic designer) works too, but the higher the better. Maybe ACE certificates would count as “higher education”? Do you think a ACE certificate could improve my chances?
Kind regards and happy holidays
Andreas Galster
Thanks, Marijan and Fritz :)
And everlasting thanks to David, Anne-Marie, and Pariah. The ebook wouldn’t exist without those folks.
Andreas-
Chapter 1 isn’t the sample chapter, because it’s an introduction to the ACE. The sample is more representative of the bulk of the book.
Just bought myself my own little christmas gift :). Looking great on the iPad!!! Anyone also reading the book and wants to follow Mike’s suggestion of learning for the ACE together?
What a cop out. Let people take the exam on their own merit, lets not gift it to them. This really cheapens the exam guys…
@Jack: Um, what are you talking about? Gift it to them? Take it on their own merit? My guess is that you haven’t even looked at this book.
This book is a study guide, which means it helps you study for the exam — explains what you need to know (based on Adobe’s own published set of objectives), offers some practice questions, provides links and testing suggestions… Even the administrator of the ACE exam program at Adobe says he wishes there were more of these kinds of things available for different programs. So I’m really not sure where you’re coming from.
Just to build on David’s comment…
The point of the ebook is not to give away the answers to the test. I am the sole author of the book, and I don’t even know what the specific test questions are, so I couldn’t give away the answers even if I wanted to.
I wrote the book to give people the means to systematically improve their knowledge of InDesign and the testing process, and thereby give them the best chance of passing. While it is structured around the specific ACE objectives, the book is really about the journey of becoming an InDesign expert, putting in the hours, doing the work, and having some fun along the way.
As I say in the book, there is no shortcut. Passing the test will make you Adobe Certified. But only experience, knowledge, and effort will make you an expert.
I agree with David and Mike. This eBook is really awesome and it’s complete guide for studying and preparing for ACE exam. It also allows you to check your current knowledge on critical exam objectives. I don’t have anything else to say but to recommend it to everyone, and not just people that want to become ACE. :-)
Hi Mike
Do you know of a similar book you’d recommend for Photoshop CS5?
I’m looking to recommend one to my students and would benefit from a couple of recommendations. I can do this on my own, but would value anyone’s input as a starting point.
Cheers
Tom
I’m having a difficult time finding out the dates for the InDesign CS5 Recertification exam.
Contacting Adobe has been fruitless. Does anyone have that information?
I don’t kn0w why Adobe doesn’t send a notice to all those who have successfully passed the previous ACE tests.
Thanks in advance.
Tom-
I do know a very similar book I’d recommend for anyone looking to get certified in Photoshop. Or at least I will when I get finished writing it :)
Yes it’s true, I’m currently working on a guide to the Photoshop CS5 ACE exam. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for quite a while, and now that the InDesign CS5 ACE book is out, I have the time to do it. As soon as there’s more news on the Photoshop guide, I’ll write it up in a blog post.
dfking-
That date is quite elusive. AFAIK, no one has definitive info other than the fact that Adobe says you have 90 days after the recertification test is published in which to pass it to retain your status as an ACE. Given that Steve Werner blogged about the recertification test’s availability in early October, I was advising people to take the text before the end of the year, just to be sure. I’ve also read the deadline was January 5th, but I’m not 100% sure.
Arg you’re killing me, Mike ;(. I’m so hoping for a ACE e-book for Illustrator. There aren’t even prep guides for CS5 normal exams out there yet, though! I guess if you’re not doing one I have to ask Mordy Golding to make one but I doubt he’ll do it considering his antipathy against the ACE exam haha.
Anne-Marie,
Is there a way you could find out the InDesign CS5 re-certification deadline. I have heard dates as far as 2-28-2011. I’ve also heard Testrac system affected the CS5 certifications showing up on the website.
Thanks in advance,
dfk
I am looking to become certified in InDesign. I am confused as to whether I will be taking the CS4 or CS5 exam. I am a newbie at certification so if I jump in and pass an old test, would I then have to re-certify immediately? How does that work?
Thanks!
Peggy
Peggy-
You can take the CS4 exam, but you’d only be able to advertise yourself as an ACE in CS4. To be an ACE in CS5, you’d also have to pass the full CS5 exam. If you pass the full CS5 exam, you can maintain your ACE status by just taking a recertification exam when the next round of tests is published (usually every 18 months or so). The benefits of the recertification exams are
1) cheaper: $50 vs. $150 for the full exam
2) convenient: you can take them online
3) shorter: since you’ve already demonstrated your expertise by passing the full exam, you only need to answer a smaller set of questions on the new features in that version.
Hope this helps.
I’m pretty sure that I read that CS5 recertification had to take place by 31st December 2010 as I just scraped in on the 30th, but could be wrong.
Just found the email from 28th October 2010: “To receive certification credit for a CS5 recertification exam a candidate must be ACE certified for the CS4 version of that product. For example – to receive certification credit for the Photoshop CS5 recertification exam you must be a Photoshop CS4 ACE. The available recertification exams should be taken by the end of December to remain current.”
Thanks Mike! I do want to start at CS5. I just didn’t know if it was out yet. Last time I checked, it wasn’t. I look forward to buying the InDesign eBook and getting started! Thanks again.
@Christopher (and others): The key issue here is what does it mean to “remain current.” If you don’t take your recertification exam within 90 days of it being released, don’t stress it. Technically, at that point, you’re supposed to start telling people “I’m certified in InDesign CS4” instead of just “I’m certified in InDesign.”
Then, you can take the recertification exam at any time and (assuming you pass) start telling people “I’m certified in InDesign” again.
We have confirmed this with Adobe: You can take the recertification exam even after 90 days if you “lapse.” Get the ebook! Study up! There’s still time! :)
One more question: I know everyone is different, but how long should it take to study for a full ACE exam? Is there an average?
Just what I was looking for!
Went to buy and at checkout the price is 10% more in Canadian dollars.
Ah… The Canadian dollar has been higher that the the US for awhile – whaaaaaa?
^
My math bad – only a bit more .
And my adobe user group discount code doesn’t work, either.
Marsha, thanks for the heads up. I’ve added this ebook to the IDUG member discount list. It should work now.
I called eSellerate, our ecommerce provider, with your USD/CAD exchange rate question. They said the fees you see for non-US dollar amounts will always be a little higher than the published exchange rate because their provider charges them a fee for the exchange rate service. He suggested you leave it at USD and let your bank do the exchange rate calculations, it might be more favorable for you (though he said most banks also tack on a fee when doing currency exchanges.)
Thanks, Anne-Marie!
Ordered and downloaded (step one of becoming an ACE)
So excited …
Guess I have to open the file (step two;) …
This has been very helpful!! I look forward to the photoshop one, any news on a date for it?
Pages 102-103 and pages 115-116 are identical, meaning there are no practice questions for the cross-media section.
I would like the missing pages, please!!!!
Will you be updating to reflect CS6? I know that Adobe hasn’t released an exam yet, or a guide – but just curious if I should get this and update myself for CS6, or if this was in the works? Thanks!
Is the “Guide to the InDesign CS5 ACE Exam eBook” still available? Has it been updated?
Hi Marie- The ebook has not been updated, but there’s a fairly recent article in issue 89 on preparing for the ACA exam, which I think could also help you get ready for the ACE. https://creativepro.com/issues/issue-89-teaching-indesign
Thank you very much.
Hi Great work all! I have my ACE exam tomorrow, wish I postponed it before the cut off (48hrs) so I could review this ebook! I read the sample and found it very useful. The eSellerate website link doesn’t seem to be working, can you check it out.
https://creativepro.com/pass-the-adobe-indesign-ace-exam-with-help-from-new-indesignsecrets-ebook.php