CompTIA Practice Exams NO help.

Michael2

Just giving a review to any who may be using one of these guides to study for an upcoming exam. I don't recommend it. I thought they would help, but I found out that I wasted a lot of time studying what essentially turned out to be irrelevant material. I did pass my 220-701, but I'm sure that having studied from the Practice Exams had no effect on this.

The one for the SY0-301 was probably a little more helpful, but only a little bit.

DoubleNNs

You mean the practice exams on the CompTIA site?

I think the problem w/ the A+ practice tests (esp when they're short) is that there is so much material that could possibly show up on the exam, that the practice exam can't emulate the questions you'll actually get. It's better to use them more as a measuring stick than an actual study material.

Michael2

Hi, DoubleNNS. Thanks for the response. I was actually referring to the book CompTIA A+ Practice Exams by Pyles and Pastore. I was referring to the fact that they claim to enable you to score higher, but the questions in the book in no way prepared me for the questions on the 220-701. Luckily, I had Passport by Meyers.

I realize simulation questions are not going to be exact replicas. I guess it is just another book that they sell you. I'm just trying to advise future test takers against relying heavily on this book.

tpatt100

Do the questions test the topics covered in the exam? I used to think exam prep questions need to be similar but realized that as long as they are on the topics covered in the exam they are meant to make you realize areas you are strong in and weak in. Some tests like said earlier are so broad that it's difficult to make exam practice tests similar to the actual exam so the questions are just on the specific topics.

Michael2

The questions give you a rough idea of what to study, but you have to do a thorough amount of reading to actually discover the facts you need to know, and even then it's a toss up. That study guide had tons of questions that just weren't remotely similar to what I encountered.

DoubleNNs

I think it's the opposite. You study 1st and then take the Tests. The tests don't necessarily tell you what to study, but help you gauge how well the studying stuck. It'll show you areas where you might be weak in, but it won't always tell you what topics within that area to revisit.

Plantwiz

Michael2 wrote: »

..... That study guide had tons of questions that just weren't remotely similar to what I encountered.

And that is a good thing!

You do not want a 'practice' test to give you test questions, because that is considered cheating.

Your best bet is to download the Objectives from CompTIA. Use the Mike Meyers Book or Sybex book or both to help you prepare. Have some hands-on experience and schedule your exams. Net+ and Sec+ will be similar.

WafflesAndRootbeer

Test questions are randomized for CompTIA exams, just so you know.