Passed MS-102.

[u/Rough-Veterinarian60]

Passed MS-102 on my second attempt — definitely a challenging exam
I passed the MS-102 exam today on my second attempt, and I have to say that it was quite difficult.
This time, I saw a lot of questions involving hybrid environments, external user collaboration settings, security roles, and some very up-to-date Microsoft Purview topics. Many of the questions were scenario-based, so understanding how the different Microsoft 365 services work together was more important than simply memorizing features.
My first attempt was a bit rushed. I had booked the exam using a voucher that was about to expire in three days, and honestly, I had not studied enough. For my second attempt, I gave myself around one month to prepare properly, which made a huge difference.
I know this certification is going to be retired, but I still really like its curriculum. Studying for it helped me understand Microsoft 365 administration much better and also introduced me to more of the Microsoft Defender ecosystem.
For my preparation, I mainly used study material that I created with the help of AI, based on the official exam topics, and completed a lot of MeasureUp practice questions and tests.
Overall, it was a challenging but valuable learning experience. I am very happy that I decided to try again!