Does anyone know when CompTIA swiches to 220-801,802?

cee134

I know the new 220-801,802 tests are coming but I can't find anything about when. I am starting to study for my A+ but have an old 2003 Meyers book. I figure that will give me some knowledge on testing questions that won't change, like basic Hardware and such. But I am wondering if I should buy the new book or get a cheaper 701 study guide? I plan of taking the test in the next year, if all goes well.

I am also trying to break into IT but even Best Buy won't hire me without an A+ cert. it seems, any suggestions. I am a gamer with home PC repair and update experience. I don't have any professional experience.

Would it be worth it to get a BS in CS? Or just get an Associates degree? Or, what my plan is now, a entry level job, and then figure out what education I need. I have a BA, but that hasn't helped much. I might also go for a Masters in IT or related fields.

ptilsen

Don't study with the 2003 book. While A+ doesn't change too drastically between versions, a lot has changed since 2003. The 2003 A+ (which I took, FWIW) covered largely late 90s hardware and software. I would wager less than half the material in the book is relevant to the current A+.

Just get whatever the latest book is. One version change won't be the end of the world for A+. It's the 10+ version change that will kill you.

An A+ with no degree can help you break into IT, but don't think of yourself as having no experience. You do home PC stuff, which is enough to at least get a resume started with something. Put that and the skills you've acquired on your resume.

A BS in CS is a great idea. Wish I'd put my mind to it six or seven years ago instead of now, not that my path hasn't worked. Don't waste your time on an Associates degree at all -- they're totally worth it. I mean, depending on your region getting an AA from a community college can be smart simply because the credits transfer as a block and cover your generals (that's how it works here, at least), but the AA itself is completely and totally worthless on the market.

All that said, any Bachelor's, even a BA in something unrelated, is better than nothing and really not bad. A BS in CS might not make sense if it means you have to go for 3-4 semesters' worth of math and CS classes, which it might. You might see if your local universities offer BAs or BSs in Computer Information Technology, Computer Information Systems, Management Information Systems, Information Assurance, or something of that nature. Those are technically more relevant to IT infrastructure and won't have the same math requirements, hence they are probably only a semester's worth of credits away from you.

A Master's degree is a great plan no matter what, but if you're concerned about more near-term career prospects, focus on certs. I do think an actual IT-related Masters (e.g. MIS, CS, or IA) would possibly be difficult without an IT background (professional, education, or both), but then again I'm just getting started on my BS this summer, so I might be off-base.

Ultimately, gaining actual employment is more about what skills you have and how you present yourself. Certifications and degrees help you get the skills and present them, but your interviewing skills, your actual technical skills, and your resume are more important. Finish your A+, put together a good resume, and eventually the work will come. I'd advise avoiding the Geek Squad unless you're desperate. While it is technically still IT, Geek Squad has a horrible reputation in IT (in general, really) and it will just be a delay to your first helpdesk or DST job (which is already a delay to whatever your goal is).

Darril

No one knows for sure when 801 and 802 will come out (except the folks at CompTIA), but we can make educated guesses.

For N10-005 Network+, the third and final workshop was scheduled July 18-22 2011 and the exam went live a little over four months later on December 1, 2011. People can still take the N10-004 exam until August 31, 2012. December 1 to August 31 gives a 9 month overlap.

The third and final workshop to develop these exams is scheduled for April 23-27 (CompTIA A+)

It's very possible the 801/802 versions will be live on September 1, 2012 and the 701/702 versions will remain available until March 31, 2013.

If you're studying for A+ now, you should be able to take and pass the exams before the 801 and 802 versions come out.

ptilsen's post on education is very informative and on the mark.

In short, education is always worthwhile. A Bachelor's or a Master's will often get you $5K to $10K more per year than someone else doing the same job without an education. An Associate's is a good stepping stone, but beware that credits for some Associate's degrees do not transfer over (do not matriculate) to a Bachelor's degree easily. Education gives you a variety of skills that are worthwhile and valued by employers such as the ability to complete long term projects, an understanding of broader views, the ability to communicate effectively, the ability to work with others, and more. Certs show you have current technical knowledge related to a specific field.

HTH,

cbalkcom

The 801/802 exams will launch in late September or early October. The exact date is not confirmed as yet, pending exam development activities. The new exams will have some performance based questions. Suggest you take the exams that you are studying for, as your certification will be good for 3 years and you can participate in CompTIA's continuing education program to stay current.

Darril

Good information cbalkcom.

I'm intriqued about "performance based questions" and am reminded of the old phrase, "multiple choice questions are a lousy way to see if someone can ride a bike." I don't see how to do performance based testing for many of the hardware-based topics, but operating system simulations seems like a very real possibility. I look forward to hearing more about how this will be implemented in the future 801/802 exams.

jric7

I know this is an old thread, but I stumbled upon this while looking for some answers myself and then I decided to call CompTIA and ask them. The 220-701 and 702 exams will not be retired until August 31st, 2013. They have no current date as to when the 800 series will be pushed out.

This is directly from CompTIA's support line. Hope this can help, if people have not already learned this.

bmiguel88

This is great cuz i just got my A+ last month and wasn't really looking forward to updating it this quick!