The CompTIA A+ certification is the primary foundational certification for people looking to obtain employment in the field of Information Technology. It’s immensely popular worldwide for proving you have the basic knowledge necessary to get entry-level work in the IT field. And rightly so, as the two A+ examinations cover a wide variety of hardware and software knowledge that employers are looking for.
That said, obtaining the certification can be a little confusing. There are a ton of people and organizations offering training, so it can be hard to really know the most effective way to prepare for the certification exams. Plus, the costs are all over the place. CompTIA itself offers training programs, which may seem at first to be the most obvious way to go. I’m sure the training is excellent, but there are certainly less expensive ways to get the training and exam prep you need. Since most people looking to enter the IT field will be wanting to obtain multiple certifications, saving on costs for each one can really add up and make the process accessible for more people. And the two best ways to save costs are by paying less for training, and making sure you aren’t needing to pay to rewrite exams!
In the video below, I detail the exact process I used to prepare for successfully writing the CompTIA A+ exam on the first try. It’s very budget friendly and explains exactly what’s needed to not only pass the exam on your FIRST attempt, but to also master the material so you can be confident that you have made significant progress in your IT career.
A Memorization Tool To Help With Your CompTIA A+ Core 1 Exam
Like many people, I have a very hard time with anything that involves rote memorization. To help with that, I built a tool to help with many of the memorization aspects of the CompTIA A+ Core 1 and Core 2 exams. It’s now an Excel spreadsheet (so it’s a little different than what is demonstrated in the video, but not significantly so) that I am happy to make available to anyone that would like to make use of it. It worked great for me by allowing me to test myself every day on some of the important details needed to be successful on the A+ Core 1 exam.
The memory tool can be found here: A+ Core 1 and 2 Memory Tool
NOTE: The memory tool was written for the 220-1001 and 220-1002 exams in effect at the time of writing. However, it can be easily modified to add or remove information to align with your current learning needs. You MUST download the file to use it for yourself and make edits. At the bottom left you’ll see two different sheets – one for Core 1 and another for Core 2.
Instructions for using the tool are in the video starting at the 12:25 mark.
If you’re looking to complete the A+ certification yourself, I genuinely hope you find both the video and the memory tool useful, and I wish you all the best in your studies!
Hello Mr. Hughes,
Thank you for putting this fantastic video together. I really enjoyed watching it. I am thinking about taking the A+ certification and i noticed that the 220-1001 and 220-1002 will expire in October of this year. I am looking around and there is no study materials for the new series (220-1101 and 220-1102). Given the fact that i have no background in technology, can i still study for the old exams (220-1001 and 220-1002) and pass them before October? My background is mathematical statistics. Is it possible for me to use your study notes? Your help will be greatly appreciated. Please guide me, my phone number is XXXXXXXXXX.
Thank you,
Mohamed Jalloh
Hello, Mohamed!
Thanks for your kind words and question. You are right, it’s kind of a tough moment for doing the A+ right now as we are in-between series. I think you have 2 options, really: try to get both exams done in the next 4 months, which might be a bit of a stretch if you don’t have much experience working with PCs (but still possible – I did mine in 3 months averaging 2 hours of study per day), or wait a bit for the new material to come out. I see that Udemy already has practice exams for the new series available, so I imagine the courses won’t be far behind.
It’s really hard to know how much the exams change between series. Certainly the fundamentals are the same, but whether you can pass the new exams by studying the old material is tough to guess at.
Unfortunately, my notes are full of copyrighted material that belongs to others, so they aren’t appropriate for distribution. Besides, it’s really the making of the notes that helps the information stick. Also, my notes can’t be relied on to cover all of the necessary topics as I skipped sections where I was confident I already knew the material.
All the best in your studies!
Graeme
Hello Graeme,
Thank you for your quick reply! Do i need the textbook by Mike Meyers (CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Tenth Edition (Exams 220-1001 & 220-1002) 10th Edition) or the video lectures and practice exams are enough to pass the exams?
Again, thank you for your help.
Mohamed
My process was to use the Mike Meyers video course (writing my own notes as I went along, for later review), along with his practice exams AND the practice exams from Jason Dion (also available on Udemy – they are excellent). I did my own research on anything that was unclear to me until I got it down. That was all I needed to pass both exams on the first try. The only place I thought the Meyers video course was a bit lacking was in covering Group Policy Objects for exam 2. Make sure you know what they are, how they work, and how to view them on the command line before writing the second exam. Now keep in mind, everybody learns differently. I struggle to pay attention when reading from books, so the videos and note-taking are what I need to stay focused. You may or may not have the same experience.
Lastly, the Jason Dion practice exams on Udemy have fantastic training on exam-writing strategies that I highly recommend. They are genuinely helpful for getting the best score possible.
Hello Graeme,
Thank you very much for sharing your experience with me and I really appreciate it. You are not holding anything back and it says a lot about your character. May the Almighty God guide you through your IT career. I will start studying and take the old series before they expire on October 20th. I would like to use the same study materials you used to pass your exams. However, these study materials are currently very expensive at Udemy. Therefore, i am waiting to see if the prices would drop before I purchase them. While i am in the waiting game, do you have any recommendation for me? I want to start studying today.
Thanks,
Mohamed
Good Morning, Mohamed,
Professor Messer (http://www.professormesser.com) has free A+ training video courses for both Core 1 and Core 2, that are generally considered to be of high quality. That’s a great place to start training today, while waiting for the Udemy materials to go on sale again.
Graeme
Thank you!
Good morning Graeme,
The A+ certification study materials for both core 1 and core 2 were on sale last night at Udemy and i have purchased them as advised. I purchased the Mike Meyers course videos and practice exams. I also purchased the Jason Dion practice exams and i will start my studies today for the Core 1 exam. I am hoping to pass both exams before October 20th of this year. Because i don’t have experience with PC, i will have to study harder and aggressively. Any other advise?
Thanks,
Mohamed
Good Morning, Mohamed;
Just two things:
As you are going thru the practice exams, be sure to do extra study on any questions you get wrong. It’s important to know not just the correct answer, but WHY it’s correct.
Also, practice what you are learning, if at all possible. Use your own PC, or find something old and cheap you can fool around with. It’s surprising how often trying out new learning will lead to more questions to research and discover, and this process will really cement the information in your mind.
Outside of that, I am confident you can totally do this!
Graeme
No problem, I will apply your advise. I really appreciate you very much. Thanks and have a blessed day!
HI Graeme,
I have registered for the Comptia A+ core 1 (220-1001) exams for this coming Thursday (two days from today). I have the following to questions for you:
1. Is Jason Dion’s PBQ Simulation videos enough for me to able to handle the the real Comptia A+ core 1 PBQ questions?
2. Between Mike Myeres and Jason Dion practice exams, which practice exams are more similar to the real exams? If the answer is Jason or Mike, how close these practice exams are to the real exams from your experience?
Thanks and I really appreciate your help.
Mohame
Hello, Mohamed!
Congratulations on setting an exam date! In answer to your questions, I had 5 PBQs on my exam. One was exactly like Jason’s example in labelling the parts of the motherboard, and another was exactly like his example setting up a mobile device for email. Another one was simply labelling the parts of a printer, and I can’t remember the last two. So yes, Jason does an EXCELLENT job preparing you for the PBQs. Really, the PBQs are just a more graphical version of a multiple-choice question, so I wouldn’t worry about them too much. If you know the material, you’ll be fine.
The practice exams from both Mike and Jason are excellent, but I give the edge to Jason in being a bit closer to having the feel of the actual exam questions. Further, section 2 of his practice exam course is entitled “Taking Tests” and it has test-taking strategies that will ABSOLUTELY lead to a better score. Make sure you apply them.
Best wishes for huge success on your exam, Mohamed. You got this!
Great tips there on the CompTia A+ certifications. Your take on using an old laptop for practice purposes is spot on as that will help retain most of the information.
Thank you so much Graeme for all the tips! You have been a very helpful gentleman and may the Almighty God bless you. I really appreciate you. Hopefully, I pass tomorrow.
How did the exams go for you my brother, Mohammed?
HI Graeme,
I have passed the Comptia A+ core 1 (220-1001) exams and I will be taking core 2 (220-1002) next week. Can you please let me know what kind of PBQs did you get when you took the core 2 (220-1002) exams?
Thanks and I really appreciate all your help.
Mohamed
Hello, Mohamed!
Congratulations on your success! I am genuinely happy to hear you completed Core 1!
It’s been a while now since I did the Core 2 exam, and I have done a lot since then, so I don’t remember all of the PBQs. However, I know they were all straightforward EXCEPT one, which I did poorly on. In it, there were a number of corporate computers and you had to use command-line instructions to find the Group Policy Objects (“GPOs” on the exam) and network configurations for each computer. MAKE SURE you know and have practiced successfully using the basic commands you have learned, along with how to access the help function. Overall, my exam had a fair number of questions on GPOs, and I found I had not done enough studying there.
Also, there were a lot of questions on client communication and documentation, which I did just “okay” on. Doing some extra learning there (maybe look at Professor Messer’s videos on this topic) wouldn’t hurt either.
Keep in mind, there are many different versions of the exam, so my experience may differ from yours.
Make sure you let me know how you make out!
Graeme
Thank you very much! I will keep you posted.
Hello Graeme,
I took the Core 2 (220-1002) exam today and passed with a score of 717. Seven weeks ago, I passed Core 1 (220-1001) exam with a score of 682. I am glad that I was able to pass both exams before the expiration date of 10/20/2022 with your help and guidance. I really appreciate you very much. May the Almighty God bless you. Now, I need to start looking at Network+ after my trip from Africa. Again, thank you so much!
Mohamed Jalloh
Hello Graeme,
I took the Core 2 (220-1002) exam today and passed with a score of 717. Seven weeks ago, I passed Core 1 (220-1001) exam with a score of 682. I am glad that I was able to pass both exams before the expiration date of 10/20/2022 with your help and guidance. I really appreciate you very much. May the Almighty God bless you. Now, I need to start looking at Network+ after my trip from Africa. Again, thank you so much!
Mohamed Jalloh
Hello, Mohamed!
I am so pleased to hear that! CONGRATULATIONS!!! That is such great news!
I’m slowly working my way through Network+ as well. Have a great trip, and stay in touch!
Graeme
What study materials are you using now and how do you like them?
This time I am using Jason Dion’s course on Udemy, which I REALLY like. He includes a 200-page study guide (as a PDF) with the video course. I had it printed and bound at Staples and find it a big help to learning. I also have Jason’s practice exams and the practice exams from Mike Meyers. I’m a little slower getting this course done, though. I seem to have a lot on my plate at the moment.
Good luck on your studies. When are you planning to take the exams?
I’m not sure. Given the holidays, I suspect early January.
Hello Graeme,
I have passed the Network+ and i am now working on the Security+
Thanks,
Mohamed
Congratulations, Mohamed! You are on a roll!
Hi Graeme, thank you for putting together this material. It took me a while to find it, and there is so much out there, however, your material is pleasant to look at, well written, and well put together, much better than things I actually paid for. It is also inspiring.
Thanks for the kind words, I’m glad you found it helpful!
Hi Graeme, I am using the A+ Core 1 and 2 Memory Tool, it is awesome, thank you for putting it together. I am focusing on the port numbers at the moment, and I noticed that SNMP was missing ( easy enough to edit) also noticed that SLP, AFP, S IMAP, S POP3, are included on the tool however not on the Exam objectives, any particular reason you included those ports, are they worth knowing?
Once again, this is a game changer, thank you so much.
Thanks for the question. I’m glad you are finding the tool helpful. There’s a couple of things at play, here, I think. I wrote the previous exams (220-1001 and 1002) and did the training through the Mike Meyers and Jason Dion programs, so what’s on the memory tool is largely from their recommendations on what you should know going into the exam. I’m almost certain S IMAP and S POP3 were on mine, but can’t entirely swear to it. That said, there may be some changes with the new 1100-series exams, and it also depends on whose exam objectives you are looking at. I’m not sure there is anyone who has a comprehensive list of exactly what may be on any particular exam. Keep in mind, too, there are quite a large number of different exams for the A+, so what one person gets may be quite different than the next. All those protocols (maybe with the exception of AFP) are very common. I’m not sure I’d want to go in not knowing them.
we are right now on August 2024, The tool that you posted is for 2years ago. My question is still can we use it to take preparation for the core 1 and 2?
Hello! Thanks for your question. The tool was written for the 220-1001 and 220-1002 which were in effect at the time I put the tool together. From those who have used the tool to help with the new -1101 and -1102 exams, it seems there is significant alignment with the previous versions of the exam. That said, I can’t guarantee anything. The best thing to do is modify the tool as you see fit to align with whatever training you are taking to prepare for the exam. That’s basically how it was built to begin with. I hope that helps, and best wishes for your success!
Do you have your notes available anywhere?
Sorry, no. My note-taking is pretty individual to me, I’m afraid. Even if I still had them, I don’t think they’d be too helpful to anyone else.