ACA before ACE?

[jacqso]

Is ACA certification still offered and recognized as valuable?  Debating whether to complete ACA then go on to ACE, just for the experience if it is still an option.  Thanks!

[jane-e]

Yes, ACA is still an option, and it is easier. The ACA is to show a basic skill level.

The ACE (Expert) is tricky and the questions are sometimes obscure.

[jacqso]

I can't find any practice exams for the ACA.  I am on Lynda.com and see prep videos, but no practice exams.  Do they exist?

Do you know the success rates for the ACE?  How helpful are the study materials through Adobe's resources?

Thank you for the info!

[jane-e]

What software?

[jacqso]

looking at photoshop and indesign

[jane-e]

For InDesign I would go with Cari Jansen​'s book:

Learn Adobe InDesign CC for Print and Digital Media Publication: Adobe Certified Associate Exam Preparation (Adobe Certified Associate (ACA))

• Series: Adobe Certified Associate (ACA)
• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Adobe Press; 1 edition (February 21, 2016)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0134397800
• ISBN-13: 978-0134397801

Amazon.com: Cari Jansen: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle

For Photoshop:

Learn Adobe Photoshop CC for Visual Communication: Adobe Certified Associate Exam Preparation (Adobe Certified Associate (ACA))

• Series: Adobe Certified Associate (ACA)
• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Adobe Press; 1 edition (February 11, 2016)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10:0134397770
• ISBN-13:978-0134397771

Learn Adobe Photoshop CC for Visual Communication: Adobe Certified Associate Exam Preparation (Adobe...

Tagging Cari Jansen​, who is an ACP on this forum.

[jacqso]

Thank you.  If I am going to spend that much, I wonder if it would be better to just buy the ACE prep materials and work toward that. 

[jane-e]

How long have you been using InDesign and Photoshop? Are you beginner-ish or an expert-ish?

There are bulletins for the ACE exams, but you basically have to read the help manuals and just know the programs. They are multiple choice.

I have heard the ACAs have simulations. The ACEs do not.

[jacqso]

more advanced in ps, pretty new to indesign. the whole 'tricky' description of the ACE exam has me concerned.  any idea where to look for those simulations for ACA?  my employer would place value even on the ACA certification, so it is hard to ignore that.

[jane-e]

jacqso  wrote

any idea where to look for those simulations for ACA? 

Go to the place in the thread where I said "Study guides here" and posted four links.

Take the PS one first since you know it best. Good luck and report back!

[jane-e]

Study guides here:

ACA Learning Products :: Adobe Certified Associate Certification :: Certiport

Adobe Education Exchange

ACA Exam Study Guide: Print & Digital Media Publications Using Adobe InDesign CC | Adobe Education E...

ACA Exam Study Guide: Visual Design Using Adobe Photoshop CC | Adobe Education Exchange

[Nancy OShea]

jacqso  wrote

Is ACA certification still offered and recognized as valuable? 

I think value is debatable.   If you're taking the test for yourself or as part of a college degree requirement, fine.  But otherwise I think ACA is pointless.  It demonstrates nothing except that you showed basic skills on a particular version of a given software.  Is anybody ever going to ask to see your ACA certificate?  Not likely.   Will a prospective client or employer hire you solely because you passed that test?   Not likely. 

[chanaart]

The ACA Exams are being updated as we speak. I recommend to wait for the new exams in the fall. They are better written and designed.

As for the ACE Adobe is going to update it as well pretty soon!

[Brian Stoppee]

jacqso  wrote

Is ACA certification still offered and recognized as valuable?

The last time I researched this the ACA exam was far more popular than ACE.

Here in Baltimore-Washington, many employers, especially the government, were requesting ACA success.

[chanaart]

The ACA certificate still offered. Actually it is being updating as we discuss it and you can find information about it on the Adobe Education Leader site.

I am an ACE but teaching the ACA Exam in USC. If you want to get the ACE certificate I suggest to study toward it and worry about the ACA. There is no connection between them.

You do not have to be an ACA first. If you wish to teach at Adobe Certified facilities you need to be an ACE and an ACI

Here are some links.

Adobe Education Exchange

Certification | Adobe Digital Learning Services

Chana

[ahmad_al_haj_qasem]

Hello, the site says it: "Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) certification demonstrates professional-level skills. Industry recognized, the ACA certification validates basic, entry-level skills in digital communications using Adobe tools." ACE: professional level skills validation; ACA: Basic, Entry Level Skills.

also you can check this link http://www.adobe.com/support/certification/pdfs/Cert_Logo_Guide.pdf

Hope this helps.

[innovative_adventurer5D56]

You can go to ACE exam without ACA exams.

If you have the 3 certificates for:

Visual Communication using Adobe Photoshop

Graphic Design & Illustration using Adobe Illustrator

Print & Digital Media Publication using Adobe InDesign

you will have Visual Design Specialist certificate

I have passed those three exams

Please check the materials i had a look before having my ACA exams. very helpful.

ACA Prepration materials.zip - Google Drive

[anorm]

Is it possible you still have those materials available?

[Ina Melinda]

The​ Learn Adobe books on Peachpit are the best books to prep you for the ACA tests. i.e. Adobe Animate CC ACA, Learn Adobe Animate CC for Multiplatform Animations (2018 release): Adobe Certified Associate Exam P...

http://www.peachpit.com/imprint/series_detail.aspx?ser=4269821​. ACE's in my openion will benifit you if you going to teach an Adobe Product.

[Ko.Maruyama]

I would recommend the ACE over the ACA.  It carries more weight if all other factors are similar.

Plus, it will make you dig further into the software and learn more than you may already be comfortable with.

ACE will challenge your problem solving skills more than simply your understanding of the fundamentals of the software.

For me, creative problem solving is why we learn the software in the first place, just knowing the buttons is a good start, but not enough.

[Eric Dumas]

I like the ACA exam as about half the questions focus on using the application, the other half is about the field of use and there is a nice mix of doing in a pretend interface/answering questions. The ACE exam is the technical exam, 100% multiple choice questions. To prep I used http://www.examaids.com and I found them brilliant.

[Eric Dumas]

I agree with you ACE is the better option. But I would recommend ACA as a first time exam. It is easier and tests skills in different ways. It is less scary as an exam, while the ACE can be frightening.