As DPS students we had the opportunity to take three of the Adobe Certified Professional courses; for After Effects, Photoshop and Premier Pro. They were structured so we would have one in person taught session at the start of the week and then the exam at the end of the week or start if the following week.
Ultimately the only test I passed was photoshop. I feel this was largely because of the 2 preparatory videos I watched online which covered everything:
Watching these videos and taking notes before the exam helped me to recap everything in a shorter period of time than the online materials provided to us to look through over the week. I think it also helped that I had similar knowledge of separate art softwares that I was able to apply to photoshop.
Before the After Effects course we were warned that if we were going to fail any of the tests it would likely be that one due to the complexity of the program. Having prior experience of using After Effects definitely helped me through the exam however I found myself knowing the answer but forgetting how to find the specific functions I was looking for which was frustrating. I had this happen in the Premier Pro exam as well but on a few occasions was able to find what I was looking for accidentally as I found it to be an easier program to navigate despite not having any previous experience with it.
If I were to redo the other tests I feel it would be beneficial to study alongside someone else as it would allow me to talk through some of the questions with someone, as I find that makes it easier for me to remember the answers for future reference.