Nervous and Overwhelmed! Require Assistance!

NateC16

Hey guys, I'll let you know that this site is pretty awesome and the help and resources for things is great too.

I was just hoping I could get some clarification for the testing. I have it in one week, and I've been watching Messers videos as well as taking practice exams (and those don't turn out good). I have a lot of stuff going on right now, since I'm in college and I've spent this last week which is spring break studying for this test pretty hardcore.

As for comp experience, I've built my own computers, I help people fix their computers and the place I worked this past summer, I was basically help desk. So I guess you could say I have some experience. But after taking some of these practice tests, I'm starting to get worried, like really worried.

I guess I really don't know what I'm asking for, I guess I just wanted to see how tests went for other people. Like what would certain points would you recommend to study for specifically. Like I know I definitely need to study sockets/cpus/memory/IRQ, but is there that much of that on the test? I just don't feel like wasting my time with something that wont be on there with more than one question. All I really want to do is pass.

Yeah sorry if this post doesn't make any sense at all, my mind is jumbled from trying to study this stuff this past week for like 5+ hours a day.

ptilsen

Study everything in your material. It might only be a question or three, but almost everything will be on the test.

It's okay to be nervous for your A+. Almost everyone is the first time around, but most succeed. It's not too hard. You have good enough experience and fundamental knowledge that I'm sure you'll do just fine if you study hard.

What are you using other than Messer and practice exams? You're going to want a good study guide if you don't have one. In my opinion experience and a good guide alone are enough to get A+. Two weeks is pretty ambitious, but if you devote a this last week to the test you can still do it.

Are you taking both tests at once, or just one of them?

Mrkali

Which test are you taking next week? Both of them? I took 701 on Tuesday.

Basically you need a solid grasp of everything listed in the exam objectives. If it is listed, you may see a question on it. I used flash cards to memorize the more mundane stuff that will be on the exam. I made and memorized 25 a night for a week. Stuff like ports, minimum windows install requirements, hardware specs of PATA, SATA, firewire, USB, sockets, RAM, screen resolutions, troubleshooting process, laser printing process, differences between the wireless specifications, etc. It definitely helped.

MrXpert

From my own experience of the exams and hearing other peoples I have yet to hear someone say they were tested on IRQs but then that isn't representative of every test taker's experience. I'd ensure you are fully familar with all the objectives including any windows 7 stuff. Have you done any good quality practice exams? Mike Meyers imo is one of the best but very expensive.
And don't feel overwhelmed. Easier said than done but if you've gone through all the objectives, already have some experience and have done practice exams you should be ready. However reading your post it does seem like you're trying to cram. No disrespect to you but if you're asking about what things you need to study a week before your exam you are cutting things a bit close? It is just my opinion of course. I personally couldn't book next week without being intimately familiar with all the objectives but then i'm a slow learner.

quinnyfly

Know your stuff!

I'd imagine that over the years CompTIA has updated the exam considerably since 2007. If I can make a recommendation, things like COM ports, CPU sockets, RAM types, RAID......and please tell me they don't worry about SCSI anymore????

Also learn your ports and adapters, cable types etc, they used to be big on this kinda thing, since "plug and play" <alias, plug and prey> and IRQ steering, I do not know what they specifically test on now. Most people only seem to do one of the A+ exams, personally I believe doing both is best, it seriously validates your knowledge.

The OS exam, A+ Essentails now I believe, personally, I found this exam the hardest of the two, The HW or practical application component was much easier and you may do well on this one due to your recent experience.

Sitting both one after the other is a little trying, but it well and truely stands you in good stead should you choose to take on a technician job of some description.

Best of luck and I hope this was helpful.