Tips for Taking the A+ Certification Exams
Preparing for and taking the A+ certification exams can
stress you out, but knowing a few tips discussed here can smooth your nerves
and help you feel on top of your game. The better prepared you are, the less stress
you’ll feel. Read through this list and perhaps you can even add a couple of
tips of your own based on your own exam-taking experiences.
·
Before you sit for the A+ certification exams,
you’ll need to take a course in PC repair that targets the certification or
have about 6 to 12 months practical experience in troubleshooting, maintaining,
upgrading, and supporting personal computers. After you have taken the course
or have the practical experience, you’re ready to prep yourself for the exams.
· Get a copy of the exam objectives. Remember A+
has two exams: The A+ 220-801 exam and the 220-802 exam. Go to www.comptia.org under "certification" and download the two PDF files that contain the objectives for each exam. You might
want to print out the two files. Here’s what you’ll find:
o
The A+ 220-801 exam covers PC hardware,
networking, laptops, printers, and operational procedures. It’s primarily about
hardware although it also covers working with customers.
o
The A+ 220-802 exam covers Windows operating
systems, security, mobile devices (mostly software) and troubleshooting
hardware and software.
·
If you feel like your PC repair course and/or
your work experiences are really strong, I suggest you prepare to take both
exams at the same time. Most people find the second exam no more difficult and
sometimes easier than the first exam because the first exam covers a lot of
facts to memorize (such as port numbers). If you did not do well in your PC
repair course or don’t have strong work experiences, plan to take the A+
220-801 exam first and then prepare for and take the A+ 220-802 exam at a later
date.
·
Read through the two objectives documents and
mark the objectives that you are not familiar with and know you must study.
Also read through the list of acronyms at the end of each document and mark the
ones you are not familiar with.
·
Look up each objective you need to study in a
textbook or google it. Take notes about what you find and make sure you satisfy
your own curiosity about each objective. Also, look up each acronym that you
marked. Make sure you know a little about each acronym.
Now you’re ready to find out how much you know
and if you’re prepared enough to pass the exams. That’s where CertBlaster comes
in. I suggest you use the Certification
mode first so that you can get a true picture of how well you would do on the
actual exams if you were to take them right now. If you get at least an 85%
score on both exams, you’re good to go! Sign up for and take the exams!
If you don’t score high enough in Certification
mode, use the Assessment mode and let CertBlaster lead you through what to
focus on as you practice the exams. Keep practicing until you consistently
score 80 to 90%. You’re then ready to sit for the exams.
·
Be sure you get a good night’s sleep the day
before you take the exams.
·
Eat protein for breakfast, such as eggs and
sausage, a protein shake, or high-protein food bar.
·
Arrive early to take the exams. Relax your mind.
Think happy thoughts!
·
When taking the exam, read the instructions
carefully. Read each question carefully. If you’re not sure about a question,
mark it and you can come back to it later. Don’t spend too much time on any one
question.
·
Don’t second guess yourself. Don’t change an
answer unless you’re really sure you are correct.
You’ll find out your score a few moments after
you walk out of the testing room. Take a break before you go back to take the
second exam. Eat a snack. Look up answers to any questions you were not sure
about on the first exam before you sit for the second exam.
·
If you didn't pass the first exam, you could
still do very well on the second exam. Remember, the first exam is primarily
about hardware and the second exam is primary about software and
troubleshooting. You might be weak in the A+ 220-801 hardware exam content, but
still do very well with the A+ 220-802 software and troubleshooting exam.
Good luck on getting certified!
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