Microsoft Excel Certification

Microsoft Excel Certification 

Students at the Cotsakos College of Business are eligible to pursue the Microsoft Excel 727 (Excel Specialist) and 728 (Excel Expert) certifications free of charge. To be eligible students must:

  • Be currently enrolled in the College of Business
  • Complete all prerequisites required by the Global Business & Finance Institute.

PLEASE NOTE the College will ONLY sponsor exams taken on the Gbfi trading floor (VR 2014).  

Prerequisites  

  • Step 1: Attend instructor-led sessions on the Gbfi trading floor AND / OR watch the online course offered through LinkedIn Learning (Lynda). 
  • Step 2: Complete ALL Excel templates and upload them to our site. Templates can be downloaded from the Exercise Files tab in LinkedIn.
  • Step 3: Pass 2 GMETRIX practice exams at VR2014.


Exam Preparation 

Students can prepare for exams via live workshops AND / OR on-demand video tutorials hosted through LinedIn Learning (Lynda) via WP Connect. Gbfi offers in-person, instructor-led workshops throughout the semester. For a list of dates and times for our workshops, please click here.

To compliment live sessions, students may watch on-demand training videos from LinedIn Learning (Lynda) . The corresponding video series are titled

 "Cert Prep: Excel 2016 Microsoft Office Specialist (77-727)" and

"Cert Prep: Excel 2016 Microsoft Office expert (77-728)"

Taking a Practice Exam

CCOB students must pass two practice exams prior to taking the actual certifications exams. Students interested in sitting for the practice exams should:

  • Upload ALL completed excel templates for ALL Chapters
    • Include your full name, 855#, or no response will be sent
  • Register for a free account on the GMETRIX website.
  • Take the Exam at the Gbfi financial center (VR 2014).
  • Please arrive 10 minutes early and bring your WPU ID card.

Taking the Certification Exam

After completing all prerequisites students may sit for the exam. You MUST arrive at the test center 15 minutes before your testing time and bring your WPU ID card.

  • Register for a free user account on Certiport.com.
  • Abide by all testing rules required by Certiport. For a full list of exam policies please see the Certiport site.

PLEASE NOTE the College will ONLY sponsor exams taken on the Gbfi trading floor (VR 2014). 

Frequency Asked Questions

Do I need to register for the instructor-led workshops?

At this time no registration is required for live sessions.

How do I request access to the online training videos on LinkedIn Learning (Lynda)?

Log into WP connect, click "Apps" in the top right, then "Lynda", and search for your courses:

  • "Cert Prep: Excel 2016 Microsoft Office Specialist (77-727)"
  • "Cert Prep: Excel 2016 Microsoft Office Expert (77-728)"

How long are the exams?

Each Excel exam is 35 Questions and users have 50 minutes to complete the exam. Students must score at least 70% to pass the exams.

Do I need to take Exam 727 before 728?

The exams are independent and do not need to be taken in succession.

If I do not pass, how long do I have to wait to retake the exam?

Exam Testing and Retake Policies Please refer to the Certiport exam policies on their website. Students must wait at least 24 hours before retaking an exam. If a student needs to retake an exam more than once they will need to wait at least 48 hours before taking additional exams.


Will the Cotsakos College of Business provide me with a certificate of completion? 

Students who pass the exams will receive their Microsoft Excel Expert certification from Certiport.