need some advice
Hello everyone,
Well, last year I wanted to get a+, net+ and security + but I lacked the motivation to accomplish all 3 of those certs in 6 months.
Its not that I cannot do it on my own, I just feel when I read from the book that I must know everything and if I do not I feel like I should not move on to the next chapter. I would like to say its motivation not really being lazy though. I am using Mike Meyers all in one and I also have Mike Meyers A+ passport.
I was thinking of going to a class for A+ so this way I have someone pushing me along. I am in Chicago and have not heard of any classes that are worth going to. Anyone in Chicago that may be able to point me in the right direction?
I am thinking too, if I finish Mike's all in one book and then read Mike's passport would that be more effective? The all in one book some of the chapters are overwhelming but yet the passport book lacks alot of the details the all in one provides. I am not trying to cut corners but I am trying to figure out which is the best way to actually learn and maintain this stuff in my head? I just dont want to read and pass the test to then forget it all a year later.
I was going to a trade school in Chicago called Coyne for electronics. Let me tell you it was the biggest waste of 6,000 I ever spent. It was more of a paper mill than anything. From what i learned there which was like 2 years ago, I do not remember any of that stuff.
Well, last year I wanted to get a+, net+ and security + but I lacked the motivation to accomplish all 3 of those certs in 6 months.
Its not that I cannot do it on my own, I just feel when I read from the book that I must know everything and if I do not I feel like I should not move on to the next chapter. I would like to say its motivation not really being lazy though. I am using Mike Meyers all in one and I also have Mike Meyers A+ passport.
I was thinking of going to a class for A+ so this way I have someone pushing me along. I am in Chicago and have not heard of any classes that are worth going to. Anyone in Chicago that may be able to point me in the right direction?
I am thinking too, if I finish Mike's all in one book and then read Mike's passport would that be more effective? The all in one book some of the chapters are overwhelming but yet the passport book lacks alot of the details the all in one provides. I am not trying to cut corners but I am trying to figure out which is the best way to actually learn and maintain this stuff in my head? I just dont want to read and pass the test to then forget it all a year later.
I was going to a trade school in Chicago called Coyne for electronics. Let me tell you it was the biggest waste of 6,000 I ever spent. It was more of a paper mill than anything. From what i learned there which was like 2 years ago, I do not remember any of that stuff.
Comments
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mattlee09
Member Posts: 205
How much hands-on experience do you have in PC maintenance/repair?
If it's even only a minimal amount, I'd say as long as you cover those two books fairly well, and aren't afraid of the test (test taking strategies/calmness), you should be good to go. Grab a calendar and map out covering a chapter every 2-3 days, for both books, and then schedule the exam for the week after you plan on finishing that final chapter. That'll give you time to review, take practice tests, review on the concepts/areas your weak on, and a day of relax time prior to the exam date.
Although it was a little more than ~2 years ago probably, I also used the Mike Meyers AIO, but at the time I had a solid bit (1.5 - 2 years) of hands on experience building/repairing PC's. I think one of the biggest things for me early on was dreaming about what kind of gaming PC I would build when I saved enough money (I was 15 or so at the time). I would take a few price ranges (Low, Mid, Extreme) and spec them out on Newegg. While doing this, my mind would wander into RAID configurations, graphics cards, different processors, etc. I'd be up until 1 or 2 in the morning reading performance reviews and learning about SATA, FSB/overclocking, etc. (I would watch "unboxing" videos waiting for the day where I'd finally be able to order and have the gear myself).
That, in my opinion, was what helped me early on to really get into technology. Especially with the A+, where the scope of everything covered is pretty overwhelming. Find something that drives you to actually learn about the concepts/tech, rather than just covering the exam objectives. Put a slip of paper in your wallet with your money with a salary figure you'd like to earn from a IT position in the next 1, 2, 5, and 10 years. I did this for awhile - Every time I went to grab a dollar for a soda/snack, but then realized that all I had was that slip of paper with an "imaginary" salary...all the inspiration I needed to keep on keeping on.
Corny, I know, but trust me, when I couldn't afford a 75 cent bag of Doritos it worked for me.
EDIT - I forgot to add one of the best resources of all. If you get burned out on reading the books, check out http://www.professormesser.com/ and his A+ training videos/content. I'm not sure that you could use it solely, as I think most CBTs (computer-based training) in general lack the depth required on most topics, but it could be a "reward" for reading that particular topic chapter.