Failed! Is it just me...?

jonathan_hebert

This website and forum is AWESOME! I wish I had found it before I failed.

I studied my butt off and failed. Is it just me or is the OS exam nothing like the materials I've been told to study? Regardless, I was asked a whole bunch of VERY, VERY specific questions regarding Windows 2000 and customer service. I don't think I got a single question about 95 or 98. Are they already throwing out the 2003 objectives into the 2006 objectives? I felt the same way when I barely passed hardware.

Any suggestions, advice, help, or sympathizers?

Thanks friends.

bighornsheep

Welcome to the site.

I'm assumming you're on the 03 track, otherwise it wouldnt be 'os', and 'hardware'.

What did you use to prepare, and how did you study?

For A+ OS, and probably for hardware also, practice questions is really important. Because it's not so much about the material, since there're so many, but the types of questions.

A+ being the first cert most people go for, if you're not used to the types of questions, or the things they ask and look for from the questions, you gonna be burn.

Read lots, and practice with sample questions. You can do it!

Philippatos

I don't care what anyone says, the 2003 A+ tests are HARD!

Orion82698

Philippatos wrote:

I don't care what anyone says, the 2003 A+ tests are HARD!

I couldn't agree with you more. That test for me was very hard. Most that I meet in the IT world put this cert down. I then challenge them to take it. Their response is usually "I'll pass it, so it's not worth my time".

A friend of mine pulled this line. I then told him, that I'll pay for him to take the test, however if he fails it, then he has to pay me back for the test. He said sure, until I told him he had to take it later that day, or the following day. He said, he wanted more time to study for it. LOL.....

Smallguy

for the os exam I found you needed to know all the tabs for vairous options so that you can go though thme in your sleep

you need a mental pic of every tab

Plantwiz

jonheebs wrote:

This website and forum is AWESOME! I wish I had found it before I failed.

I studied my butt off and failed. Is it just me or is the OS exam nothing like the materials I've been told to study? Regardless, I was asked a whole bunch of VERY, VERY specific questions regarding Windows 2000 and customer service. I don't think I got a single question about 95 or 98. Are they already throwing out the 2003 objectives into the 2006 objectives? I felt the same way when I barely passed hardware.

Any suggestions, advice, help, or sympathizers?

Thanks friends.

Welcome to the site!

First, how much time in the field do you have? Second, which materials did you use to prepare for your exam?

Some people do report having difficulties with the exams, though much does come down to taking your time and reading the questions carefully. The A+ and NET+ type questions are nothing compared to the longer MS-style questions.

If you don't have it already, you may try using Mike Meyers "All-in-one" book. Sybex also has good material. However, nothing replaces real experience. Lab practice is good, but just not the same. It does take time to prepare and while many are excited and state how easy the A+ exams are....you will probably find many of them have several years of working in the industry.

What is easy for one person may not be easy for another. Similar to lifting weights. If you workout and watch others lifting 200lbs, you may be tempted to lift the same to feel as though you belong (or whatever reason you care to insert). However, the best thing for each individual is to tax themselves where they are and not take on more weight then their body is ready for.....reason being, regardless of how much weight one lifts..then can achieve similar results by performing isometric exercises or pushing against a brick wall....these methods takes time. Though all the methods really do, it just 'sounds' better (or so we think) to say we lift 'x' amount of pounds of weight as a measure of our 'strength'.

A+ and other certs I see very similar to this analogy. While a lot of people boast about all their passes...just as many fail, and many people do fail a few exams along the way....that makes you human

You exam score sheet should have included 'areas needing work' or something to this effect. Please review that and focus on those areas for study the next time through.

If you have questions about the material you are reading post it in the forums and there are a lot of talented members here who may offer you some good advice.

FWIW

mookytc

jonheebs wrote:

This website and forum is AWESOME! I wish I had found it before I failed.

I studied my butt off and failed. Is it just me or is the OS exam nothing like the materials I've been told to study? Regardless, I was asked a whole bunch of VERY, VERY specific questions regarding Windows 2000 and customer service. I don't think I got a single question about 95 or 98. Are they already throwing out the 2003 objectives into the 2006 objectives? I felt the same way when I barely passed hardware.

Any suggestions, advice, help, or sympathizers?

Thanks friends.

Not being negative but how close were you to passing? Just a few questions could make or break you on the exam. I used test out and their material. I thought they covered all the material and kind of like their format. I also used the Meyers book but surprisingly testout was most helpful for me. Give it a try.

DC

jonathan_hebert

First off... thanks to EVERYONE for helping me out with their advice, tips, and personal experiences! I'll try to answer everyone's posts in this one reply!

Yes, I'm attempting to pass the 2003 objectives.

I read "Faster, Smarter" by Drew Bird and Mike Hardwood/Microsoft cover to cover, and would refer to "A+ complete" by David Groth/Sybex when I needed more info. I also used "Quickcert.com," which I regret because it seemed to BARELY cover anything in depth. I know that it was supposed to be "quick" but I thought it was just poor(just my opinion). Their practice tests were helpful though.

I have 0... ...that's right, 0, time in the field. I'm literally starting out my IT career by trying to get A+ cert. I have been active with computers since the early 90's when Win95 became popular in homes(including my parent's!), but my first time cracking open a case or digging any deeper than disk-cleanup or defrag was last winter, 2005!

My score was a 453 or 458(or very close to that) of 505 for passing, so I'm pretty sure that's considered "barely" failing. Someone let me know if that's still way off.

I didn't like the "customer service" questions(just because there's NONE of that stuff in the exam books, and although it's 'common sense,' they do give you a lot of 'common sense' answers, so I just didn't know which one they were looking for.) I also didn't like the misc hardware questions they threw in there. Although I've passed hardware, I haven't looked at that material in over a month(I passed hardware in early Nov this year).

I think that answers everyones' questions. Thanks again everyone. Y'all rule. I'm taking all of your advice and you'll be sure to see me as a "regular" here in the forum. You don't think I'm going to stop after A+ do you?

ivnj

Don't worry, I failed too. 539 is not impressive but at least I passed my Hardware. But the OS was horrible. 474. I don't care what other say, it is hard.

Thanks,
Confusimo

ConstantlyLearning

Experience and practice questions.

Set up a computer with all the OS's that are involved in the cert.

When reading through whatever book you have do what it's talking about.

Exam Cram A+ Practice questions book and the practice questions on www.mcmcse.com are great.

Good Luck.