Suggestions for self-paced learning for AutoCAD ACU certification 2019

[Anonymous]

I'm trying to get ACU certified. I have no experience in AutoCAD whatsoever and my education in Maya and 3dsMax is limited to the 2013 versions of the software. I'm essentially starting from scratch. Since the certification is specific to Autodesk, the official certification pathway as approved by Autodesk is going to be my best bet for passing the certification exams. Autodesk's approved pathway to certification is administered by Certiport.

The first option that Autodesk recommends is coursework at an Authorized Training Center. You find a facility near you and attend courses. I have a full-time job in an unrelated field and I don't have much money. Self-paced learning is better suited for me. 

The second option is courseware from two companies directly associated with Certiport: CADLearning (which is subscription-based for $99 annually) and Global eTraining (which is also subscription based for $499 annually; they also have custom quotes; I'll have to ask them how much it is to get just the AutoCAD-associated courses). CADLearning is just a series of videos. GeT is a full suite of videos, in-software tutorials, exams, and support. 

The third option is learning materials from Autodesk partners. These companies are different from CADLearning and GeT because they're not directly affiliated with Certiport. Autodesk has two partners with Autodesk Official Training Guide portfolios: Wiley and Ascent. Wiley's learning materials consist of one book (about $39 through various online retailers). Ascent has three instructor guides (Fundamentals ($200 if bought as a paperback directly from Ascent), Advanced, and 3D Drawing and Modeling ($115 each if bought as a paperback directly from Ascent)) as well as a subscription-based eLearning bundle which consists of videos, books, and practice files for $315 annually.

That's all there is as far as second- and third-party publishers of training materials goes. There's a nearly-endless number of people offering their own versions of teaching how to use the software. There are older books, including Wiley's For Dummies imprint (Bill Fane's next edition won't be available until July, 2019, however). I lean towards books because I can read them on the go and although they're certainly less portable than a digital version of the book, when I'm finished reading books I can resell them and buy the most recent edition. The various elearning courses available look nice, but it's going to take me more than 30 days to read and work through the material and I'll only have 30 days to use the trial software. I only plan to download the trial once I'm almost ready to take the ACU certification exam. I really can't afford even the monthly LT version at this point. 

[beyoungjr]

Hi & Happy New Year!

Glad to hear that you hope to become an AutoCAD pro and get certified!

I understand that you have limited time and resources to accomplish your goals and you have certainly made a great start at researching available options.

I will offer another option...

Post-secondary or community colleges offer some great training, depending on your location.  CAD training can be found for AutoCAD and other 3D modeling applications but you must look into the details of an institutions programs.

If you enroll at an institution or if you take a training class at any legitimate educational partner or facility, you can register on the Autodesk Education Community and receive a 3-year license for Autodesk applications.  That's a very generous amount of time permitted by Autodesk to learn any of their product offerings.

In my opinion, you could achieve a great foundational knowledge of the program by investing 1 evening a week for a semester at an institution with a good program.  I have taught AutoCAD and Inventor since 2004 at just such an institution and The first level course that I provided enough that a good student could pick up on his/her own in finishing study toward certification.  The foundation is so very important and I do not mean to say that it cannot be done on your own but it would not be my recommendation.

I have also heard of less worthy instructional programs where students are not provided well-formed course structure so it is critical that you investigate the training and seek as much validation of it's success as possible.

There are a host of textbook publishers to source for your needs.  I used the Goodheart-Wilcox Comprehensive AutoCAD text for several years but cost and size became a problem for the students in my program so I switched to SDC.  There are many texts offered by SDC and some were below my expectation.  Again, investigate the content and fin d a solution that matches your goals.  I could certainly let you know some that I prefer but I can't know what direction you wish to go (Architectural or Technical).

Ultimately, ACU or ACP certification is not specific to a architecture or technical drafting but instead it simply ensures your comprehensive knowledge of product usage across a spectrum.

I hope other users provide comment on your endeavor and I'll certainly clarify if you have other questions.

Welcome to the community and best wishes in your goals,

Blaine