In this competitive world, it pays to be a top tier expert in your profession. For an aspiring professional in IT operations and technical support, CompTIA A+ certification will give you an edge. While most people desire to be A+ accredited, the biggest huddle is how to prepare for the exam. This piece breaks down what to expect in the CompTIA A+ exams and shares the top web resources to help you prepare for the tests.
CompTIA A+ – Breaking it down
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) offers the A+ vendor-neutral certification, which is renewable every three years. Within this period, the association reviews the content to incorporate new advancements in the IT world. Being one of the leaders in the IT market, CompTIA provides options to renew A+ certification through their continuing education program.
Key competencies tested in CompTIA A+ exams
CompTIA A+ exams consist of two ninety-minute tests – 220-901 and 220-902. These exams test specific competencies. In a broad sense, 220-901 test covers hardware issues such as PC, mobile devices and networking hardware as well as troubleshooting connectivity problems.
On the other hand, 220-902 exam focuses on software matters such as installation and configuration of operating systems for both computer and mobile devices. This exam also tests one’s understanding of the fundamentals of cloud computing, computer security, software troubleshooting, and operational procedures.
The passing score for the CompTIA A+ 220-901 and 220-902 exams are 675 and 700 respectively, on a scale of 100 – 900.
Instead of taking 220-901 and 220-902 exams, you can sit for the renowned ones- 220-1001 and 220-1002. Their topics are more expanded and include questions that refer to virtualization, cloud computing, deeper understanding of security. Still, most in-demand exams now are 220-901 and 220-902.
Preparing for CompTIA A+ exams
Once you’ve booked your exams, it’s time to familiarize yourself with the areas that will be tested. Luckily, there are online resources that can help you hone your IT skills and understand important concepts ahead of your A+ exams.
Here are some of the sites you’ll find useful:
- CompTIA
Everyone has a favorite study method. CompTIA understands this and that’s why it provides a wide range of paid options for A+ candidates to prepare for their exams. Their complete exam bundles come with an e-book, exam voucher and access to the CertMaster Practice tool. You also have the option to purchase each of these packages separately.
These study materials are designed to make your learning fun and enjoyable through quizzes and flashcards. This way, you can master the important theory and practical concepts with ease.
As the African proverb goes, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”, working with veterans who have taken A+ exams before can be the difference between a fail and a pass. This is what you get at PrepAway. It is a renowned community of IT professionals who have come together to share their knowledge and experiences in taking certification exams.
https://certification.comptia.org/certifications/a
Usually, PrepAway members who have recently completed various exams upload sample questions to the site. This allows them to provide you with the most actual and updated exam questions. It’s a great opportunity to get the latest revision material for your exam preparation. This great online platform also shares other resources that they come across and feel can be useful for you. This information is available free of charge. Moreover, this site houses paid packages that are developed by experts in the IT industry.
The good news is that PrepAway premium files are affordable. Actually, with their unlimited access plan, you can download premium files for any course for a year for as low as $120. For those who learn best through lectures, there are several video courses going for as low as $29.99. It is also important to mention that all documents on this site are in ETE file format. This means that you will have to acquire a valid Vumingo ETE exam testing engine application for you to read them. This modern educational tool simulates the real exam environment and makes you feel confident at A+ certification exams.
- ExamSnap
Just like PrepAway, certified professionals have built ExamSnap for candidates aspiring to sit for certification exams. For almost a decade now, the site has helped over a million users to get various accreditations ranging from IT to project management. This site provides both free and paid resources. These include notes, past exam questions, and video training courses. This allows you to choose the best study method that works for you.
One big advantage of using this site is that it offers to download the VCE Simulator, developed by Avanset website. This tool is needed to open the vce files to train exam questions and track your results. The VCE Player also mirrors the real exam environment, making you feel confident in your knowledge at CompTIA A+ certification exams. You can access their complete exam bundle at a cost of about $95.
If you are looking for free tests for practice, then ExamCollection is an ideal pick. This site gives you free access to 12 dumps for 220-901 exam and 9 dumps for 220-902 exam. The typical approach helps you get an in-depth understanding of each area being tested.
Another benefit of using this website is that it provides questions based on the most recent versions of the CompTIA certification. However, for you to get the maximum benefit from this site, you will need to use other resources such as CompTIA approved books to complement the tests.
- Exam-Labs
Exam-Labs is another great free resource to explore. It features practice questions in both study mode and tests. The study mode allows you to see answers to the questions. It also provides an additional explanation for the suggested solutions for better understanding. What you need is also to download the VCE Simulator to open the files. The VCE software can be downloaded on your PC or mobile phone and you can train on-the-go, which is very convenient.
Another great feature associated with this site is that it offers you a discount price for getting CompTIA A+Premium bundle (220-901 and 220-902 exams) just for $34.99. You can get each bundle separately for $19.99. Anyway, you can be sure that the received files are valid, as they have been checked by IT experts and contain the most updated questions.
Conclusion
CompTIA A+ certification gives you a solid foundation on the fundamentals of IT operations and technical support. When preparing for the A+ exams, web-based resources can be real assets. Some of these sites offer free resources while others provide premium practice materials at a fee. The decision on what works for you will solely depend on your preference, study habits, and most importantly, your budget.