If you are preparing for a career in information technology you know how expensive the various training and software tools are that you need to learn and get certified. This is especially the case when it comes to Microsoft, where taking a certification exam costs over $100 and software such as Visual Studio 2008 costs$650. The costs can add up to thousands of dollars for training — or you can get it all for free if you’re a student and use Microsoft’s DreamSpark program!
Microsoft DreamSpark for Students
Here’s how it works. Last year Microsoft started a program called DreamSpark that allows a students to get access to free professional level Microsoft development tools and also take a free certification test which normally costs $125 per take. Microsoft wants to give students the opportunity to use real world tools and get real world training while doing their normal academic studies. Many computer science students are aware that what you learn in school is sometimes abstract and not always directly applicable in the work force, but if you have industry certification and use industry software development tools as a compliment to your college education it can give you a real leg up when it comes to landing a job.
To sign up for DreamSpark, just visit http://www.dreamspark.com and you go through a verification process to determine that you are truly a student (this is open to students only, not faculty or alumni). After that you’ll be able to download the following software for FREE:
- Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition
- Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition
- XNA Game Studio 2.0
- 12-month free Academic membership in the XNA Creators Club
- Expression Web
- Expression Blend
- Expression Design
- Expression Media
- SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition
- Windows Server, Standard Edition
This program is open to students worldwide, and also covers some high schools as well as colleges. All you need to do is verify yourself as a student via either DreamSpark or JourneyEd and then you’re access to the software and other DreamSpark program benefits are open to you.
