Writing my exam in 2 months time very nervours!!!!!

Mightyspider

Hi there all im new to this site and i find this site very help full im doing the IT Career starter with ICS which is my A+ and N+.

Did anyone do this course before?. Iv'e been working in the IT sector for 3 years now and im only going for my certificates now but hey some how i need to get it.


Well as i read on this site is the only way to pass ur exam is to go thru ur objectives is that right?

Thanks in Advance

7255carl

the objectives are very important, if you know them you can target your learning better and also you will be more prepared for the type of questions the exam may throw up.

Mightyspider

Thanks Carl.

Have u done the course already? if u did how do u find it hard or easy?

shednik

On Comptia's site you can get a list of the A+ Objectives, when studying for the exam review those and make sure you know them.
http://certification.comptia.org/resources/objectives.aspx

Next when studying I highly recommend the Exam Cram book, I read it and although i had a large hardware/software background it helped me focus on each section i needed a refresher on and such. for the hardware portion my worries had been with the lack of hands on experience with SCSI, but all in all 2 months is a good amount of time for this exam. Good Luck, keep us posted or if you have nay other questions.

BookFella

You should have no problems passing if you're going to be studying for 2 months. I spent 3 weeks studying for HW and another 3 for OS, but that was because I was unemployed at the time and had lots of time available for study and practice.

I recommend the study notes from this website and the Mike Meyers A+ Passport book. You will be well prepared for the A+ exams with those 2 sources. It's normal to be nervous, I was when I took my exams but I knew I had gone through all of the objectives and studied enough. Good luck on your studies

7255carl

hi again, yes i have completed the study and awaiting my exam on the 21st, on the practice exams im scoring 750-820, so hopefully i should do ok

steve1961

The ICS course is the same one that I did. I found the course that comes on the CDs is OK, but I got a lot more out of the Mike Meyers book, the tech notes on this forum, and doing lots of practice tests. Haven't started network+ yet but passed A+ this week.

7255carl

yes i agree the mike meyers books are fantastic

Mightyspider

Hi there steve if i may ask do u know until when the A+ 2003 objectives will be and where i can find the mike meyers tech notes?

Thanks in advance

blackmage439

The 2003 exams will be around until June, 2007; give-or-take depending on where, and in what language, you take the test .

http://certification.comptia.org/a/New_A_Calendar.aspx

Check the exam code. Most likely you'll be taking the 220-301 and 220-302 tests, which are just the standard English A+ Core and A+ OS exams. If you live in the U.S.A. or U.K. and know English, you'll be taking the standard 301 and 302 exams for sure.

I would also suggest you look into the possibility of taking A+ preparatory classes at a college or university. I found my school's classes to be very helpful in preparing me for an exam. Hands-on labs with physical machines was a big plus! Not to mention the fact that if you passed a certain exam after taking their OS and Core classes, they gave you a voucher for like half-off the exam costs (~ $160 US for each)! Plus, depending on how badly your company wants you to become certified, your employer should reimburse you for tuition costs!

Good luck to you! I'm planning on taking the Core exam this Wednesday... I'll let you know how it goes...

Mightyspider

Hello blackmage439 thanks for the tips but let me know how ur exam went please and was the hardware core difficult thats if i may ask this question if im not supposed to ask then dont answer that question then.


Thanks man i would like to stay in contact. Oh im in the UK so i will do the 301 & 302..

Regards
Mightyspider

blackmage439

I actually posted about my hardware exam in this forum. Just check for the topic that I started.

It was actually very easy. But I enjoy working with computer hardware, so maybe it just seemed easy. I was pretty nervous going into the testing lab. Once I realized I was alone in the room, I settled down pretty quick, though. Plus the test didn't hit me with a bunch of really bogus questions, so that was very comforting.

One clue I can give you is that the thing I feared the most (DMA/IRQ/IO addresses) only had about one question on the test. Then again, what you get on the test is all luck-of-the-draw, so you never know what the test will bombard you with. One of the moderators on this site once told me, "Just shoot for knowing ALL of the material. That is the only way you'll know you can pass the exam." Don't skip on anything, and you'll do fine. If you don't know how a laser printer works, for example, STUDY THAT.

I'm taking the OS exam on Monday (Central time), so I'll let you know how that goes, too.