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FCPX Certification a SCAM
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Agreed across the board. But what of the bizarre description of the course by Apple? An understanding of ow the OS works and some knowledge of video editing terms? Something is definitely awry here. And as Bill has mentioned below, you should NOT be able to pass a certification course with a month of editing experience and a 3 day course. You should not be allowed to register for the course (or at least have any expectation of passing). That’s like taking a senior class as a freshman after going to school for a month.
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Neil,
It might be a scam if you pursue certification as simply something to list on your resume in order to get more money or impress your employer.
I however, don’t have an employer. And nobody on the planet except me cares a whit if I’m FCP X certified.
But I do.
It was a personal benchmark that let me test what I *thought* I knew against an objective set of standards. And while I was studying for certification, I discovered and repaired a LOT of holes in my general X knowledge – processes or concepts that I’d simply not encountered in my daily work, but that I found fascinating and potentially important to know.
IMO, too much of education these days is about getting a piece of paper – and not enough of it is about engaging in the actual structured quest for knowledge.
My X certification is valuable. To ME. For that reason. And that’s the only thing I’m interested in.
YMMV.
Know someone who teaches video editing in elementary school, high school or college? Tell them to check out http://www.StartEditingNow.com – video editing curriculum complete with licensed practice content.
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A piece of the certification process is “what keyboard combo does this” – but the more interesting part to me was when they gave me a screenshot of the interface and said, basically, “mark an X where you need to click to accomplish (Function).”
No matter how smart or intuitive you might be, you either know where to click or you don’t.
You’ve either used the program enough to know. Or you haven’t.
It’s one of the types of things that makes the certification valid. You are NOT going to be certified unless you really know how to work the program at a pretty deep level. Period.
And isn’t that what Certification in something is supposed to be? Depth, breath, and clarity of knowledge?
Know someone who teaches video editing in elementary school, high school or college? Tell them to check out http://www.StartEditingNow.com – video editing curriculum complete with licensed practice content.
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Yes, the test is not a cakewalk. Which doesn’t mean it’s right to call it a scam. (It would be a scam if certification was a slam dunk and the training cost an arm and a leg.)
Several years ago I went into the FCP 7 exam very confident – having aced the practice exam and having used versions of FCP for years. But…I walked out of the room chastened with a 79 (and a fraction). The kind of type of thing that tripped me up was looking at a UI (as mentioned by Bill) and being asked where precisely to click to accomplish an operation. But what really tripped me up was that I went in thinking I was more accomplished than I was …that really “knew” the answer, even though it took two or three clicks to prove that I did.
Ultimately got the 7 cert…and later the X cert – with a lot more preparation than I would have thought reasonable for someone who used the application daily. I’m glad I made the effort and it did deepen my understanding… but whether it is for others is up to them to decide.
Not a scam, however.
Russ
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It’s not a scam. It’s just not an easy test. At this point I’ve accumulated five ProApps certifications (X level 1&2, FCP 10.1, Logic Pro X, and Motion 5), and they all took incredible amounts of work to pass.
I’ve never taken the 3-day courses for FCPX, but instead utilized Lynda.com (FCPX Essential Training, FCPX Narrative Editing, FCPX Documentary Editing, FCPX Color Correction) and all of Ripple Training’s existing courses for the Level 1 exam. I used the application daily for a full year ahead of the exam, and studied flash cards for a solid 5 hours the night before. I was terrified of the exam, having worked in the field for a few years, and having heard horror stories of MC and FCP7 certs. It ended up being pretty painless, and I came in a week later to take the Level 2 exam without issue.
For the Motion 5 exam I flew back to DigiTrain in Dallas, TX(even though I’d moved to LA) and took the three day course. It was a fantastic learning experience, but I went in with a solid background in Motion 5, having completed all of Ripple Training’s courses. Getting to bounce ideas off of the instructor helped me gain a lot of skills with Behaviors and Parameter Behaviors I wouldn’t have gained from static video training.
For Logic Pro X I stayed in Los Angeles and took the 3 day course at Logic Pro Help. David Nahmani (the author of the certification training book) taught the course, and it was brutal. I don’t come from an music background, but I had used ProTools for mixing quite a few years. The first day of the course David told us, if you don’t study, you will not pass this exam, and he was right. Out of the twelve people in our class, only two passed. I studied for about five hours a night during that course, and ended up passing by 1% point. I went in there in the exact boat you did for the FCPX exam. I was totally green, and the exam was extremely difficult, but it was doable.
Taking the three day course in no way guarantees that you’ll pass the exam, but it is possible if you really, really, really try. Realistically, you’re going to need either some luck (pretty sure that 1% on Logic was from a lucky guess), or some experience. Either way, you’ll need a pretty decent amount of determination.
I know with some of the AATCs they’ll let you come back whenever to take the exam. You don’t have to take it on the third day of class. While that wouldn’t have worked for you because of travel, it is an option if you have a local AATC. Like any difficult exam, you’ll need to put in some time outside of class. If I hadn’t studied so much for Logic, I probably wouldn’t have come close to passing. Like somewhere between 40-50% is my guess.
In the end, I don’t think any of the Apple ProApps exams are scams. They’re all doable, you just have either go in with experience, or put some serious study time into it after class each night.
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NickZimmerman.net
Certified in FCPX, Logic Pro X, & Motion 5
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I believe they got rid of the shortcut questions at the 10.1 exam and beyond. When I took that one the instructor mentioned how they got rid of them because Apple felt you shouldn’t be punished for customizing your keyboard. I remember a lot of them on the Level 1 & 2 exams, as well as Motion 5. I don’t think the current FCPX or Logic Pro X exams have any of them.
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NickZimmerman.net
Certified in FCPX, Logic Pro X, & Motion 5
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Hi everyone,
I appreciate the replies here. When I wrote my original post I was and am still bummed that I did not pass the exam. I used the word scam because there is at the very least a misrepresentation from apple of the requirements regarding taking the training and getting certified. The only 2 things that are said are that a basic working knowledge of Mac OS and a basic knowledge of FCPX. Being very new to this I naturally thought that both Apple and the instructor would do everything to make sure that when a person takes the course that they would be prepared for the exam, not for failure. And again, no one in the class passed the exam.I absolutely agree that a solid working knowledge of FCPX is absolutely vital and there are many great comments of what is needed to pass the exam. My problem is that the communication of the requirements were not clear to pass the exam. Through this learning experience I have a much deeper understanding of what is needed to begin having a solid understanding, flow and use of FCPX.
Regarding taking the exam at a later time… No, you cannot take the exam at a later time without incurring another $250.00 fee for each test, even if you do not take it at the end of training. So, to take the course if you do not pass the test or if you want to take it later you have to go to a training center that is Apple approved and pay the $250.00 each time that you take the exam.
On a really good note… The book that is used for the training is exceptional! Lynda.com is exceptional also and I have both. I am now in a place where there is a TON of tools and knowledge that are simmering just beneath my subconscious mind just waiting to come out in right timing and as I progress with learning FCPX.
The challenge for me in the beginning when I started learning was what editing platform to go with. Once I determined that I am choosing X to go with I naturally am learning some very valuable lessons, at times painfully along the way.
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Just get Apple’s pro training series for the latest version of FCP X. That’s the course. Learn at your own speed.
Yes they advertise these marathon 3 day crash courses with completely false expectations. Plus you will be in class with folks at all different levels. Much like all classes in any subject. There are 10 chapters. Take a day for each chapter plus a day to practice those lessons on your own media.
I would say maybe 2 hours a day and give your brain a rest.
At this rate, it would take at least 40 days to absorb all this. At which point, you’re a certifiable beginner. But a much better educated beginner than 99% of people using the program.
I passed the FCP 6 certification exam on my first attempt and still considered myself an advanced beginner on a non-professional level. Just as a test of the test, I listed myself as a certified FCP 6 Pro in the Burbank area. I think there were only 5 other editors listed on Apple’s PRO site in that region. I got 0 responses based on the listing. The only people that care about FCP certification are educational institutions. And as Bill pointed out some personal pride that you passed the test.
I think it would be a lot more educational to require people to pass the test in order to get into a class with a FCP X PRO to discuss editing technique.
For beginners I think they need to combine ripple training style with a numbered list of steps to reproduce the use of a feature that was demoed. That way you can watch to get the feel of its purpose and application but not have to remember each step.
Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.
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isn’t possibly the point maybe that FCPX, by virtue of where apple landed it, has people trying to get in line to sell rubes ripple vitamin water?
are there periodic regulars here trying to sell somebody something in terms of workflow or training?
*edit* I don’t want to over do it – but are there maybe quite a few more carnies generally flocking around X as opposed to the other edit systems?
https://vimeo.com/user1590967/videos http://www.ogallchoir.net promo producer/editor.grading/motion graphics
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[Craig Alan] “completely false expectations”
That’s the key phrase on the entire thread.
After starting the thread with a sympathetic but neutral, “tell me more” perspective, I’m now steamed on Eric’s behalf. The question for me has shifted from “What might you have done to pass the test?” to, “At what point do we declare that the training center has flunked?” — because that’s about where I’m at now.
And do note, I’m not laying this on Apple. Just the training center…but as I’ve thought about it for the last couple of days, I think Eric is on to something.
I reject the word “scam” though. Some of you geezers may recall that I had at one point banned it from the forum because it was being so abused in re: FCPX. X is/was not a scam because there was a price paid and a product delivered exactly as described in videos that had been available for months.
There was no scam in this case either. Money was taken and services were provided: three days of training given by a skilled, engaged, engaging instructor. No scam.
I’m a little more comfortable with the word “deceptive,” and VERY comfortable with the word “misleading.” They surely know that it takes more than basic knowledge of OS X and video terms + these 3 days to pass the test, but that’s exactly the impression they gave.
This thread has featured a lot of great insight into the current state of testing, the very high skill level it takes to pass one, and the general value of certifications — but ZERO reconciliation with the training center’s message that a basic familiarity of OS X and some general video terms is enough background knowledge for taking the class at all.
THEY set the expectation that somebody going through three days of training with no more background than that has a reasonable expectation of passing a very difficult test.
Which is simply not true. You know it. I know it. Eric’s “mistake” was taking the word of the people who wanted to take his money.
I’m not saying that everyone who works in that center is operating in bad faith. Probably just a couple, maybe even just one: whoever approved that description for dissemination into the world.
I also find it galling to see such a high price for retests. That’s money they’re basically pulling out of thin air. In fact, if the results of Eric’s class are typical, the center may not be making most of their money from training at all. They may be making most of it from retests that they didn’t warn the high likelihood of.
That is, a translation of this transaction might be, “We led you a little astray on the prerequisites, we didn’t prepare you well enough to pass the test, and we’re going to take some more of your money now.”
I’m not saying that everybody should pass on the first round. As I mentioned, I understand that tests are designed to ensure that this doesn’t happen, and I support that.
But I support honesty, too. Unless somebody can tell me, nope, Eric is wrong, that’s not at all what what they said the requirements are, then I give Eric’s position the nod: the training center said something that isn’t true — that basic OS X + video terms + 3 days of training = probably passing — even though they knew it wasn’t true.
They owe our community as a whole more respect than that. TELL people how hard the class will be, how hard the test will be, and how likely it is that they’ll be to need to retest.
They KNOW the percentage of people who pass on the first try, but they’ve made an explicit choice not to tell people. My guess why: they imagined what would happen if they were honest, and felt they couldn’t take the risk.
Look, when you choose a school for your kid, you can find the graduation rate. It’s easy. Good schools BRAG about graduation rates. They WANT you to know. Yet these guys don’t?
Let’s say that they WERE willing to say what the first-try completion rate was. What level of failure is it reasonable to YOU as a customer to accept? Would you find it acceptable if they told you that 30% of people fail on the first try? 5%? 50% What’s the number you’d find acceptable?
If the number they were to advertise is anything like what Eric described for HIS class (ZERO), people would go nuts. “Seriously? Are you insane? How can you try to tell me that you’re good at your jobs?”
Or the potential applicant might say, “Okay, I’ll roll the dice that I’m smarter than average, but maybe I’ll add a retest to my budget.”
But they’d KNOW the pass/fail percentage before they spent any money, and would evaluate accordingly.
So, no way would I say “scam” in the sense of criminal fraud, but I’m definitely ready to say, “You are operating in bad faith, but it won’t take much to do better, so DO BETTER.”
I have no doubt that people will disagree with me, but if you’re going to take me on for what I’m actually saying, I insist that you start where Eric started, which is where I’m now starting, with the testing center’s impression that the basic knowledge of OS X and some video terms is enough to give you more than a puncher’s chance of passing.
Is that true? The consensus on this thread is no, of course not. It’s not even close. You need MUCH more than basic OS X knowledge, MUCH more than some video terms, AND much more than 3 days of classes.
Yet the training center didn’t say that, and didn’t give ANY expectation of the likelihood that a retest would be in order….SO:
— They don’t know what it actually takes for their students to succeed: Incompetent
— They know what it takes, but they’re not telling: Bad faith.
Sorry this turned rant-y, but I really am steamed. So talk me down. Just try it. I dare ya. I DOUBLE DOG dare ya. LOL
No kidding though. How are they doing right by Eric and the rest of us, whether they know the truth and aren’t telling it, or whether they just don’t know?
[You’ll note at the top that I edited this. Edited to make it shorter and milder. Yeah really.]
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