Beginning my Security + studying

D20D20 Member Posts: 124 ■■■■□□□□□□
Hey everyone,
I just started studying for Security+ and so far i plan on using the following:

Professor Messer videos & Coarse Notes PDF
Udemy SY0-501 videos
MeasureUp SY0-501 Practice questions and simulations
Darril Gibson's Book and Online Resources
Pocket Prep iPhone app for Security+

I'm just curious if anyone has an opinion on an order i should approach studying? I was thinking of starting with the videos and taking notes during them. Then maybe reading when i can at home and using the Pocket Prep at while i'm at work and then saving the MeasureUp questions for last.

Thanks everyone! I'm hoping to get this test passed by February.
Certifications: A+ Sec+ isc(2) CC Google Cybersecurity Certification 2024 Goals: Pass the Network+ Exam

Comments

  • PCTechLincPCTechLinc Member Posts: 646 ■■■■■■□□□□
    I think February is a bit far out. Unless you're getting hammered through Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years, I would shoot for really good practice scores within a couple months.

    However, by February you should be golden.
    Master of Business Administration in Information Technology Management - Western Governors University
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  • D20D20 Member Posts: 124 ■■■■□□□□□□
    PCTechLinc wrote: »
    I think February is a bit far out. Unless you're getting hammered through Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years, I would shoot for really good practice scores within a couple months.

    However, by February you should be golden.

    I agree. It is a bit far out, but I'm just shooting for that date. Working, plus life, kids, etc are my reasons haha!
    Certifications: A+ Sec+ isc(2) CC Google Cybersecurity Certification 2024 Goals: Pass the Network+ Exam
  • Bluer_teamBluer_team Member Posts: 9 ■■□□□□□□□□
    If February works for you, go for it. I passed, and studied (and studied) and thought I would never pass. But I did.
    Professer M got me through, but that was a tough test. Study Linux!

    Good Luck!
  • craig009craig009 Member Posts: 57 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Hello , am exactly in the same shoes just as you with little kid of 2 years old . Preparing for the exam is really a tough one . Although am not using udemy but am planing to use Professor Messers youtube videos and Darill Gibson . Hopefully that will see me through . Am doing that based on previous threads have read a good number of people used the 2 and they got through successfully .
  • SpiegelSpiegel Member Posts: 322 ■■■■■□□□□□
    You can do the readings first or the video, either way you'll still be circling back to the same material and reinforcing the knowledge you've gained. However, for most I think starting with the videos helps a lot. I'm a bit old school and I read first and watch videos later for clarity.
    Degree: WGU B.S. Network Operations and Security [COMPLETE]
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  • nisti2nisti2 Member Posts: 503 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Good luck with your study! :D
    Make sure to understand everything and take notes.
    2020 Year goals:
    Already passed: Oracle Cloud, AZ-900
    Taking AZ-104 in December.

    "Certs... is all about IT certs!"
  • craig009craig009 Member Posts: 57 ■■■□□□□□□□
    D20 wrote: »
    Hey everyone,
    I just started studying for Security+ and so far i plan on using the following:

    Professor Messer videos & Coarse Notes PDF
    Udemy SY0-501 videos
    MeasureUp SY0-501 Practice questions and simulations
    Darril Gibson's Book and Online Resources
    Pocket Prep iPhone app for Security+

    I'm just curious if anyone has an opinion on an order i should approach studying? I was thinking of starting with the videos and taking notes during them. Then maybe reading when i can at home and using the Pocket Prep at while i'm at work and then saving the MeasureUp questions for last.

    Thanks everyone! I'm hoping to get this test passed by February.

    Also there was a thread on this site where l read that some of the sy0-501 past questions are similar to the sy0-401.
    Please verify from the experts on here .
  • D20D20 Member Posts: 124 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Thanks everyone for the answers so far!!! I really appreciate it! I tend to over-prepare i think. I just feel better doing this and then sitting for the test. There are some days i can only study for about 1 hour or so. Its a lot harder with kids and work, etc.

    Does anyone have an opinion on purchasing this: https://gcgapremium.com/full-security-course-sy0-501/

    Is it worth the $99?

    I was going to get the book anyway, but just thought i would ask here.
    Certifications: A+ Sec+ isc(2) CC Google Cybersecurity Certification 2024 Goals: Pass the Network+ Exam
  • D20D20 Member Posts: 124 ■■■■□□□□□□
    To be honest, because I've never heard of that source before and there are free resources already available, I would personally say no. If you look through the Security+ forums you will see resources that people use, and most of them tend to be the same (Professor Messer, CBT, Darril Gibson etc).

    All I'll say is this, I used the free Professor Messer videos, the CompTIA Sec+ objectives, a bit of googling here and there and practicing some of the main aspects and threw in a couple of practice tests. Did all this and passed first time within a month. Trust me, you are spending a lot of money on the CompTIA exam and the content really isn't that hard, so I wouldn't suggest spending loads of money on the training resources. It's over-doing it.

    (P.S. the Darril Gibson book is good. I would suggest buying that cheaper on Amazon without the additional bits from that website.)

    Understood. Cool, i'll just get the book and use that instead of all the extra bells and whistles.

    Many thanks!!!
    Certifications: A+ Sec+ isc(2) CC Google Cybersecurity Certification 2024 Goals: Pass the Network+ Exam
  • victor.s.andreivictor.s.andrei Member Posts: 70 ■■■□□□□□□□
    D20 wrote: »
    Hey everyone,
    I just started studying for Security+ and so far i plan on using the following:

    Professor Messer videos & Coarse Notes PDF
    Udemy SY0-501 videos
    MeasureUp SY0-501 Practice questions and simulations
    Darril Gibson's Book and Online Resources
    Pocket Prep iPhone app for Security+

    I'm just curious if anyone has an opinion on an order i should approach studying? I was thinking of starting with the videos and taking notes during them. Then maybe reading when i can at home and using the Pocket Prep at while i'm at work and then saving the MeasureUp questions for last.

    Thanks everyone! I'm hoping to get this test passed by February.

    You should only need Darril Gibson's book. Thoroughly read the book, work through the practice exercises, and then take a practice test or two. :)

    Good luck.
    Q4 '18 Certification Goals: Cisco ICND2; JNCIA-Junos; Linux+; Palo Alto ACE

    2018-2020 Learning Goals: non-degree courses in math (Idaho, Illinois NetMath, VCU) and CS/EE (CU Boulder, CSU)
    in preparation for an application to MS Math + CS/EE dual-master's degree program at a US state school TBD by Q4'21

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  • D20D20 Member Posts: 124 ■■■■□□□□□□
    You should only need Darril Gibson's book. Thoroughly read the book, work through the practice exercises, and then take a practice test or two. :)

    Good luck.

    Many thanks! I plan on getting the book this weekend.
    Certifications: A+ Sec+ isc(2) CC Google Cybersecurity Certification 2024 Goals: Pass the Network+ Exam
  • A4d5sA4d5s Registered Users Posts: 2 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Hi everyone,

    Been reading forum for the past 3-4 months, and my main reason to register and make my 1st post is to respond to D20.

    You mentioned quite a bit parts of your obligations that reflect very much mine as well... Family, kids, work etc...
    I've took large portion of advices from this forum and yesterday I've managed to earn my Sec+ after taking Darril Gibson's book and followed it by repeating videos Professor Messer.

    Skyliinez92 is right, and I fully agree, you don't need tons of resources. And these above mentioned will guide you through the process just fine.

    You have plenty of time to get it. Be confident, go through each objective as much as needed to understand it and you will earn it 😉

    Thank you people for this valuable forum and these great advices you give and support people with very useful infos.
  • D20D20 Member Posts: 124 ■■■■□□□□□□
    A4d5s wrote: »
    Hi everyone,

    Been reading forum for the past 3-4 months, and my main reason to register and make my 1st post is to respond to D20.

    You mentioned quite a bit parts of your obligations that reflect very much mine as well... Family, kids, work etc...
    I've took large portion of advices from this forum and yesterday I've managed to earn my Sec+ after taking Darril Gibson's book and followed it by repeating videos Professor Messer.

    Skyliinez92 is right, and I fully agree, you don't need tons of resources. And these above mentioned will guide you through the process just fine.

    You have plenty of time to get it. Be confident, go through each objective as much as needed to understand it and you will earn it 

    Thank you people for this valuable forum and these great advices you give and support people with very useful infos.

    First, congrats on getting your Sec+!!! That's awesome!!!

    I'm definitely getting Darril's book this weekend and I am going to dive right into it!!!

    I feel i may have overdone it with the studying for my A+ (I spent 6 months studying on each test), but I guess that is just me being worried about knowing the material well enough to pass the test.
    Certifications: A+ Sec+ isc(2) CC Google Cybersecurity Certification 2024 Goals: Pass the Network+ Exam
  • A4d5sA4d5s Registered Users Posts: 2 ■□□□□□□□□□
    It was interesting road and my 2nd attempt, maybe it would be 1st If I knew about this forum. Also need to mention that English is not my primary language.
    I was reading, and making my own notes, watching videos and again making my own notes, that method of learning for me was most effective to understand all and repeating it many times along with practice over and over again. Once I really felt I've got it and I can make it, booked myself and hard work payitself off. It really felt good icon_smile.gif
  • nicoletteannicolettean Member Posts: 19 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Yes definitely use Darril's Book! Also, I have some of my study notes from when I took it.

    It was the 401 version of the exam but definitely still relevant.
    2018 Goals - AWS Certified Solutions Architect


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  • mrTeflonmrTeflon Registered Users Posts: 6 ■■□□□□□□□□
    D20 wrote: »
    Hey everyone,
    I just started studying for Security+ and so far i plan on using the following:

    Professor Messer videos & Coarse Notes PDF
    Udemy SY0-501 videos
    MeasureUp SY0-501 Practice questions and simulations
    Darril Gibson's Book and Online Resources
    Pocket Prep iPhone app for Security+

    I'm just curious if anyone has an opinion on an order i should approach studying? I was thinking of starting with the videos and taking notes during them. Then maybe reading when i can at home and using the Pocket Prep at while i'm at work and then saving the MeasureUp questions for last.

    Thanks everyone! I'm hoping to get this test passed by February.

    When I was preparing to Sec+ I've started from Prof Messer videos > CertMaster > Daril Gibson Book > Mike Meyers videos on Udemy > Daril Gibson iOS app > ExamCompass questions + all the gaps in knowledge that I have to filled in.
  • D20D20 Member Posts: 124 ■■■■□□□□□□
    I've been watching the Udemy Mike Meyers videos so far. I also ordered the Darril Gibson book this weekend as my local book stores didn't have it...
    The book should be at my house tomorrow though and then i plan on really digging in to it.

    Every morning I have also been doing a 10 question quiz from Pocket prep and i have been using Quizlets and Exam Compass for some practice questions.
    Certifications: A+ Sec+ isc(2) CC Google Cybersecurity Certification 2024 Goals: Pass the Network+ Exam
  • JabaluzzulJabaluzzul Registered Users Posts: 1 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Not to piggyback off of D20 post but I'm also starting studying for Sec+ and just have a few question for those of you on the forums.

    1. For the performance base questions are they fill in the blank or a type of drag and drop setup?
    2. How many performance base questions were on the test( I know this may vary, but will give me a good idea what to lookout for.)
    3. Are there any good online study groups anyone can point me in?
    4. Do anyone live around Columbia SC area and wouldn't mind forming a study group?

    Again sorry for piggybacking off your post D20.
  • shraddhasinghsachanshraddhasinghsachan Registered Users Posts: 1 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Don't worry, you are in the right place. We have the most up-to-date and accurate questions, correct answers reviewed by our experts and an awesome exam simulator. That's what you get here, at https://www.netcomlearning.com/assessment/quiz-sign-up.phtml
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