How long did you study for security +?

YuckTheFankees

Also, how long did it take for you to study a+ and Netwrok+?

Coming from basic knowledge of computers and Windows OS.


Thanks

veritas_libertas

Probably about 2 1/2 months per exam.

YuckTheFankees

hey Ver,

I believe youre the one who introduced me to this site, I was reading one of your post from ethical hacker. I'm from Michigan too go wings

kriscamaro68

I studied for about the same amount of time as veritas for each. Get Darrils book for this test: Amazon.com: CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-201 Study Guide (9781439236369): Darril Gibson: Books

shodown

1 week. Had years of experience and I think I had already passed my NP by then, forgot thou

xenodamus

1 month for the Security+. I had years of experience by the time I took it.

The A+ has been so long ago I really don't remember. 2-3 months maybe?

Dakinggamer87

I studied for the A+ and Network+ about a month each exam at most.

Geek1969

Way too long.... studied both of them on and off for months before scheduling A+ one test at a time. Took 2 months with school and work to pass all 3 tests once I got the first one scheduled. Your mileage may vary.

instant000

two days
I got the call back from the Job on Friday evening. I told the guy, OK, it requires Security+? OK, cool, then I'll just go get that then.

I went to the bookstore Friday evening. After I got back home, I glanced over the book and questions, just to get a feel for it.

Got up on Saturday, read the book all day, doing practice tests each chapter. I believe I ordered the test on Saturday evening, for Monday morning.
Did the same thing on Sunday, finally completing the book sometime around 4 pm, then broke into the practice exams and loaded the CD

I had actually bought an additional book by Mike from Tennessee (I forget his name now ... but I was so worn out by this time, I could barely look at his book also, and put it down ... I think he is the same guy who was Transcender Mike/Boson Mike from certcities.com forums, but I cannot swear by that.)

Monday morning, I took the break from work at lunchtime (when I had scheduled the test, it turned out to be a holiday, so traffic was very light) went in, took the test, and passed it. I must have finished in 15 minutes or less.

I used the book by David L. Prowse to prepare for it. I forget Mike's name, because I actually gave away my Prose and Mike books to a coworker at my last job (which, in retrospect, was a bad decision, as if he didn't go to Security+ exam after he'd had a class for it at his last job, what makes me think he'd go through the trouble now? .... some people don't have initiative ...

veritas_libertas

YuckTheFankees wrote: »

hey Ver,

I believe youre the one who introduced me to this site, I was reading one of your post from ethical hacker. I'm from Michigan too go wings

Greetings...

higherho

I remember that I had a week and a half to get my security + so that I can become a System Admin. Then of course when I got it they told me I had 3 months and it was not needed day 1 =/

I used gibson's book.

Dr IT

Embrassing ....

I did study for the Sec+ Exam on and off for 6 months

phantasm

I read Darril's book last year in a 2 week time frame. That was it. I did his practice test the night before the exam and then passed it the next day. I'd say there was about 9 months between reading the book and taking the test.

soooowutnow

phantasm wrote: »

I read Darril's book last year in a 2 week time frame. That was it. I did his practice test the night before the exam and then passed it the next day. I'd say there was about 9 months between reading the book and taking the test.

Are the questions on the practice exam similar to what you see on the actual test? I scheduled my test for May 14th, and I got the book today. That gives me almost a month to study. I don't have N+ but I have an AAS in Networking so I am familiar with the terminology.

kvermillion1

YuckTheFankees wrote: »

Also, how long did it take for you to study a+ and Netwrok+?

Coming from basic knowledge of computers and Windows OS.

I studied 5 days for Net+ and 4 days for Sec+, only using preplogic megaguides and proprofs.com study notes.

rickerda

About 6-8 weeks, passed this week. I'm glad to have it done!

IRONMONKUS

I just passed the Security + Exam about 10minutes ago and I studied for 52 days. Now on to CCENT and CCNA.

Good Luck!

white96gt

YuckTheFankees wrote: »

Also, how long did it take for you to study a+ and Netwrok+?

Coming from basic knowledge of computers and Windows OS.


Thanks

Why does it matter how long someone else studied for a test? The only thing that should concern you is do you know the material inside and out. It is not only important to understand the material to pass a test, but you should also be able to use what you have learned in the real world.

phantasm

soooowutnow wrote: »

Are the questions on the practice exam similar to what you see on the actual test? I scheduled my test for May 14th, and I got the book today. That gives me almost a month to study. I don't have N+ but I have an AAS in Networking so I am familiar with the terminology.

I felt the questions were similar enough. By that I mean that I could draw some direct comparisons between the question styles and subject matter. Obviously the book covers all the material for the exam so it should be familiar to you by the time you read the book.

Unforg1ven

Took me about a month and a half. I knocked it down after a break from my Net+. As long as you have a somewhat relative background in computers, you can do the same. Use Darril's book and one external practice test.. you'll be fine .

N2IT

CompTIAs are about a month a piece for me.

Im banging out Darrells book right now and it should be no time before I am ready to sit the exam..

za3bour

two weeks.

MrAgent

I glanced over Darrils book for 2 days. Registered for the test on Thursday. Took it Saturday morning.

YuckTheFankees

white96gt wrote: »

Why does it matter how long someone else studied for a test? The only thing that should concern you is do you know the material inside and out. It is not only important to understand the material to pass a test, but you should also be able to use what you have learned in the real world.

Do questions bother you? I didn't ask how to pass the test or how to apply my knowledge, I just wanted to know about other people and their experiences.

SteveO86

A+ - Can't give a definitive time for that one... I went through some A+ books and video courses while in high school. Didn't take the cert till I was in college.

Network+ - 3 months it was the elective for my MCSA

(Those 2 were quite a few years ago at this point...)

Security+ - 2 months tops.. At this point I was already familiar with a lot of topics covered. (and also a lot more indepth then what the Security+ covered, I only took it to have it for life )

JoJoCal19

I'm going to try to do it in two weeks. Tonight is my last final for spring term and I have two weeks until summer term starts. I'm going to read through the book once per week, so a total of twice. I'll also do practice exams too. I'm taking finance this term and it's the hardest class in the degree (Business Administration) so I see my cert study time being greatly reduced and I really want my CISSP by the end of June.

instant000

What of your professional experience? Without professional experience, you won't be able to attain the CISSP, only the associate of (isc)2.

Of course, if you have the professional experience, and it is just not obvious from your post, then pardon me.

JoJoCal19

instant000 wrote: »

What of your professional experience? Without professional experience, you won't be able to attain the CISSP, only the associate of (isc)2.

Of course, if you have the professional experience, and it is just not obvious from your post, then pardon me.

No worries, I have 4.5+ solid years of more than half of security domains required. I also have a college degree plus I will have the Security+ so that will knock off 1 year of the 5 years required of experience. I also know several people that will be able to give me the endorsement.

jwashington1981

My studying was so sporadic though. I would read from my study guide one day and then wouldn't touch it for a while. When it came down to the wire and I purchased my vouchers at the end of March and scheduled it for April 28th, I probably studied for 1 to 2 weeks before I was scheduled to take the exam. At the same time, I was also studying for the CCNA.

Chris:/*

Studied A+ for about a month or two.
Studied Network+ for about two weeks.
Studied for Security+ for about two weeks.

Took Network+ and Security+ test the same week.
I had a solid 4 years of experience in networking and administration before I took these exams though.

instant000

JoJoCal19 wrote: »

No worries, I have 4.5+ solid years of more than half of security domains required. I also have a college degree plus I will have the Security+ so that will knock off 1 year of the 5 years required of experience. I also know several people that will be able to give me the endorsement.

Cool.

I only had the Security+ prior to going for the CISSP myself (still pending final word from ISC2, as you can see from my profile, as I'm only Associate still).

Of course, experience is the biggest thing you need for it, honestly. I don't want to call the exam easy, as I'm not sure what I scored on it, but it is definitely achievable ... just a lot of material, that's the part that makes it a little scary to many.