Chapter 17. Taking the Real Exams
Getting Ready and the Exam Preparation Checklist
The CompTIA A+ certification exams can be taken by anyone; there are no prerequisites although CompTIA recommends prior experience working with computers. For more information on CompTIA and the A+ exam, go to http://www.comptia.org/certifications/listed/a.aspx. To acquire your A+ certification, you need to pass two exams: 220-701, and 220-702, each of which is 100 questions. Although it is possible, I don’t recommend taking both exams on the same day, but instead spacing them a week or so apart. These exams are administered by two testing agencies: Sylvan Prometric (www.2test.com) and Pearson Vue (www.vue.com). You need to register with one of those test agencies to take the exams.
It is important to be fully prepared for the exam, so I created a checklist that you can use to make sure you have covered all the bases. The checklist is shown in Table 17.1. Go through the checklist twice, once for each exam. For each exam place a check in the status column as each item is completed. Do this first with the 220-701 exam and then again with the 220-702 exam. I highly recommend completing each step in order and taking the 220-701 exam first. Historically, my readers and students have benefited greatly from this type of checklist.
Table 17.1 Exam Preparation Checklist
Table 17.2 gives a partial example of a cheat sheet that you can create to aid in your studies. Fill in the appropriate information in the right column. For example, the first step of the six-step troubleshooting process is “Identify the problem.”
Table 17.2 Example Cheat Sheet
Tips for Taking the Real Exam
Some of you readers will be new to exams. This section is for you. For other readers who have taken exams before, feel free to skip this section or use it as a review.
The exam is conducted on a computer and is multiple choice. You have the option to skip questions. If you do so, be sure to “mark” them before moving on. There is be a small check box that you can select to mark them. Feel free to mark any other questions that you have answered but are not completely sure about. When you get to the end of the exam, there will be an item review section, which shows you any questions that you did not answer and any that you marked.
The following list includes tips and tricks that I have learned over the years. I’ve taken at least 20 certification exams in the past decade, and the following points have served me well:
• Pick a good time for the exam: It would appear that the least amount of people are at test centers on Monday and Friday mornings. Consider scheduling during these times. Otherwise, schedule a time that works well for you, when you don’t have to worry about anything else. Keep in mind that Saturdays can be busy.
• Don’t over-study the day before the exam: Some people like to study hard the day before; some don’t. My recommendations are to study off of the Cram Sheet and your own cheat sheets, but in general, don’t overdo it. It’s not a good idea to go into overload the day before the exam.
• Get a good night’s rest: A good night’s sleep (7 hours to 9 hours) before the day of the exam is probably the best way to get your mind ready for an exam.
• Eat a decent breakfast: Eating is good! Breakfast is number two when it comes to getting your mind ready for an exam, especially if it is a morning exam.
• Show up early: Both testing agencies recommend that you show up 30 minutes prior to your scheduled exam time. This is important; give yourself plenty of time, and make sure you know where you are going. You don’t want to have to worry about getting lost or being late. Stress and fear are the mind killers. Work on reducing any types of stress the day of and the day before the exam. By the way, you really do need extra time because when you get to the testing center, you need to show ID, sign forms, get your personal belongings situated, and be escorted to the your seat. Have two forms of ID (signed) ready for the administrator of the test center. Turn your cell phone or PDA off when you get to the test center; they’ll check that, too.
• Bring ear plugs: You never know when you will get a loud testing center, or worse yet, a loud test taker next to you. Ear plugs help to block out any unwanted noise that might show up. Just be ready to show your ear plugs to the test administrator.
• Brainstorm before starting the exam: Write down as much as you can remember from the Cram and cheat sheets before starting the exam. The testing center is obligated to give you something to write on; make use of it! By getting all the memorization out of your head and on “paper” first, it clears the brain somewhat so that it can tackle the questions. I put paper in quotation marks because it might not be paper; it could be a mini dry erase board or something similar.
• Take small breaks while taking the exam: Exams can be brutal. You have to answer one hundred questions while staring at a screen for an hour. Sometimes these screens are old and have seen better days; these older flickering monitors can cause a strain on your eyes. I recommend small breaks and breathing techniques. For example, after going through every 25 questions or so, close your eyes, and slowly take five deep breaths, holding each one for 5 seconds, and releasing each one slowly. Think about nothing while doing so. Remove the test from your mind during these breaks. It takes only ½ a minute, but can really help to get your brain refocused.
• Use the process of elimination: If you are not sure about an answer, first eliminate any answers that are definitely incorrect. You might be surprised how often this works. This is one of the reasons why it is recommended that you not only know the correct answers to the practice exams’ questions, but also know why the wrong answers are wrong. The testing center should give you something to write on; use it by writing down the letters of the answers that are incorrect to keep track.
• Use your gut instinct: Sometimes a person taking a test just doesn’t know the answer; it happens to everyone. If you have read through the question and all the answers and used the process of elimination, sometimes this is all you have left. In some scenarios, you might read a question and instinctively know the answer, even if you can’t explain why. Tap into this ability. Some test takers write down their gut instinct answer before delving into the question and then compare their thoughtful answer with their gut instinct answer.
• Don’t let one question beat you! Don’t let yourself get stuck on one question. Skip it and return to it later. When you spend too much time on one question, the brain gets sluggish. The thing is with these exams you either know it or you don’t. And don’t worry too much about it; chances are you are not going to get a perfect score. Remember that the goal is only to pass the exams; how many answers you get right after that is irrelevant. If you have gone through this book thoroughly, you should be well prepared, and you should have plenty of time to go through all the exam questions with time to spare to return to the ones you skipped and marked.
• If all else fails, guess: Remember that the exams might not be perfect. A question might seem confusing or appear not to make sense. Leave questions like this until the end, and when you have gone through all the other techniques mentioned, make an educated, logical guess. Try to imagine what the test is after, and why they would be bringing up this topic, vague or strange as it might appear.
• Review all of your answers: Use the time allotted to you to review the answers. Chances are you will have time left over at the end, so use it wisely!
Beyond the CompTIA A+ Certification
After you pass the exams, consider thinking about your technical future. Not only is it important to keep up with new technology and keep your technical skills sharp, but technical growth is important as well.
One example of a new technology is Windows 7. Although the 2009 A+ exams do not cover it, Windows 7 is due to be released soon after the 2009 version of the A+ exams are released. Usually, companies wait at least 6 months before implementing a new operating system on any large scale, but you will have to deal with it sooner or later, most likely sooner. Consider getting a copy of Windows 7 to practice installing, upgrading, configuring, and troubleshooting it. And Microsoft isn’t the only player in town, although the A+ exams focus on it almost exclusively. Apple regularly releases new operating systems for its computers, and several types of Linux operating systems are slowly gaining acceptance and PC market share. Consider becoming proficient in these other operating systems.
To keep on top of the various PC technologies, think about subscribing to periodicals and accessing technology websites on a regular basis. After all, a technician’s skills need to be constantly honed and kept up to date. My website has lists of websites, periodicals, and other sources that I utilize.
Information Technology (IT) people need to keep learning to foster good growth in the field. Consider taking other certification exams after you complete the A+. The CompTIA A+ certification acts as a springboard to other certifications. For example, the CompTIA Network+ is designed to identify a technician’s knowledge of network operating systems, equipment, and networking technologies. The CompTIA Security+ takes this to another level, evaluating the technician’s knowledge of how to secure networks and PCs, and their applications. Another nonvendor-specific certification is the CWNA. This one proves a technician’s knowledge of wireless networks and wireless devices. And of course, there are vendor-specific certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, Check Point, and many others. Now that you know exactly how to go about passing a certification exam, consider more certifications to bolster your resume. The best advice I can give is to do what you love. From an IT perspective, I usually break it down by technology, as opposed to by the vendor. For example, you might want to learn more about email systems, or securing internetworks, or you might prefer to work on databases. Whatever the field, learn as much as you can about that field and all its vendors to stay ahead.
I wish you the best of luck in your IT career endeavors. And remember that I am available to answer any of your questions about this book via my website: http://www.davidlprowse.com.