Self-Studying Exams?

Hi All.

Currently studying for A+, completed hardware, just touching up on Software now. I am going to study for network+ after. My question is:

Out of all the certifications out there, which are the ones I can study at home with a book and online resources, and not having to go to college etc?

like A+ and Network+

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Comments

ajs1976

All of them.

Although, I would study using a book, online resources, and a lab.

Special_k21

I was wondering the same. What if I don't have access to a lab? I could build one actually....I have 2 computers right now with all the software for a 2000 network. Is it harder to pass without the lab?

Lexxdymondz

I've never tried to pass without using a lab, but it is EXTREMELY important to get hands on with the products ie. microsoft. Plus microsoft asks alot of questions using pictures and you need to know the menus by playing with them to be able to answer the questions.

Special_k21

thank you for the heads up. I do have a lot of hands on in Win2K here at work. I just won't be able to go into disk management and all that stuff to implement raid and all that. Might piss a lot of people off if I reformat the entire NAS server! haha

ajs1976

Special_k21 wrote:

I was wondering the same. What if I don't have access to a lab? I could build one actually....I have 2 computers right now with all the software for a 2000 network. Is it harder to pass without the lab?

Depends how much hands on you have. With the Windows 2000 exams, I have been able to get away with just one PC running Server or Pro.

bellboy

did you not find you needed to have a client attached to a server for 70-210?

ajs1976

bellboy wrote:

did you not find you needed to have a client attached to a server for 70-210?

It would be helpful, but I don't think it is a most. Just having the client, will get you through most of the material.

janmike

18 months ago I didn't even know that there was an A+ cert! I only found out while browsing in book store and saw one, A+ Certification for Dummies(Not exactly an epiphany). Nevertheless, I did an Internet search at home and found out the real truth. I said, since I want to do IT, that's for me(Up until 2 yrs ago I didn't know what IT stood for).

To make a short story even longer, I enrolled in a local state college and took courses for A+ Core and OS--after 3 months of accelerated study and 5 more months of study thereafter I was A+ certified. So, I can say with assurance: No! You don't have to go to college for A+ or any other cert. However, my experience with the college instructor and my fellow students was the best intro I could have had to the IT field and various certifcations. We had a very good instructor and, the other 5 students in our classes were all skilled in IT in some way--one was in network admin. Also we had a great lab with a working network and beside that, about a dozen old PCs that actually needed troubleshooting and fixing--we fixed 'em too! I learned a lot. It was a great experience, but somewhat expensive.

So, there were advantages to college or at least college instructors in certification instruction courses for me. But, I studied and passed Network+ with only one book and a couple old PCs but, I know how to do labs from example at school!

Thing is, if you're going to lab at home, do it according to the book(COMPtia book that is). That's who you have to satisfy. Like, use ESD protection just like they say. Do everything according to what your study guides say--because the guides are written to teach you COMPtia ways.
Look inside the box and identify everything. Then, take it apart and put it back together. Even leave the RAM modules out and see what happens(just be sure not to turn on the power supply unless it's attached to the MB!). That's the idea--save your money, but invest your time.

Besides passing the test, you'll gain some experience and probably learn more than you need for the cert.

School or self-taught: either way, boils down to personal preference, but either way, you have to satisfy COMPtia.

That's my experience and.....my advice.

PeteyB

Ah! I just passed my N10-002 exam....Got to admit I sweated some.

I recommend studying practice tests over and over again. And not just one or two tests... GET THEM ALL.

I did study very hard this week and I was certain I had the most minor details almost to a "T", but CompTIA kept surprising me!

From using words like Local Exchange Carrier and Telco instead of "Phone Company" or ISP, to adding more twist in a question than on a F1 race track, the exam can be tough. I had to put aside 17 questions on my first read. Maybe because I’m FrenchCanadian, some questions seemed unclear to me, but then again that’s how CompTIA likes it, having done both A+ exams.

After that I proceeded by elimination for all remaining questions, which is the way to go when the answer to a problem does not seem clear enough. Of course there where many "almost correct" answers, adding a big "0" to your score if you choose it...

It's all about being very precise and thoughtful in what you choose as "right". "Almost" or might doesn't cut it at all.

So it took me 70 minutes to finish, and I got a relatively okay 780. It's around 87% so that’s not too bad for a guy who never touched ONE server in is life. Like I said, I studied hard, plus I got 7 years working with or around PC's and networks... Nevertheless some terms where alien for me (not that many, but it WAS frustrating)

That's my 2 cents on the N10-002... Now to get some hands-on while I decide between server+ and MCSE... Or CCNA?

PeteyB
PS: Actually Linux+ sounds the most fun right now... any comment?

bhiggy

I've been working as a field engineer for 16 years without any certs but was made redundant last month. I'm now studying at home for mcse 2003. It's difficult, mainly because you've got to stop yourself from skipping material that you think you know and reading everything thoroughly. You need 2 pcs to do mcse, one of which must have XP and one to install the evaluation copy of 2003. It helps me in that I was actually installing and servicing 2000 small business servers in my last job and sort of muddled along (learn as you go). Lastly, it dont matter how much experience you have on the job, most employers want certification.

jobber

I usually get one book (exam cram or whatever) and then come to this site to take a practice test and read any tech notes. Be careful about some of the exam prep sites out there. Most of them that I've seen, many questions are badly worded or just plain wrong.

lseals

Different people study better different ways. I myself like to have the books and do the hands on, build networks, break them and do my best to fix them. Once I feel comfortable with the hands on and reading my books at least twice (usually at least 2 books, as different writers give different examples and info) I then start doing every practice test that I can find on the net (which there a quite a few for free). When I start scoring 95% consistently I then go take the test, but that this is the best for me.

tremere

PeteyB wrote:

Ah! I just passed my N10-002 exam....Got to admit I sweated some.

I recommend studying practice tests over and over again. And not just one or two tests... GET THEM ALL.

I did study very hard this week and I was certain I had the most minor details almost to a "T", but CompTIA kept surprising me!

From using words like Local Exchange Carrier and Telco instead of "Phone Company" or ISP, to adding more twist in a question than on a F1 race track, the exam can be tough. I had to put aside 17 questions on my first read. Maybe because I’m FrenchCanadian, some questions seemed unclear to me, but then again that’s how CompTIA likes it, having done both A+ exams.

After that I proceeded by elimination for all remaining questions, which is the way to go when the answer to a problem does not seem clear enough. Of course there where many "almost correct" answers, adding a big "0" to your score if you choose it...

It's all about being very precise and thoughtful in what you choose as "right". "Almost" or might doesn't cut it at all.

So it took me 70 minutes to finish, and I got a relatively okay 780. It's around 87% so that’s not too bad for a guy who never touched ONE server in is life. Like I said, I studied hard, plus I got 7 years working with or around PC's and networks... Nevertheless some terms where alien for me (not that many, but it WAS frustrating)

That's my 2 cents on the N10-002... Now to get some hands-on while I decide between server+ and MCSE... Or CCNA?

PeteyB
PS: Actually Linux+ sounds the most fun right now... any comment?

Hate to be dancing on sour grapes here, but I find it odd that you have 7 years of working with networks, but you've not ever touched a server. Do you know what a server is, or were you just _slightly_ stretching the truth?