Any good study guides?

Hi,

I'm still reading the CompTIA A+ All-in-One by Mike Meyers (6th Edition). I started reading around May 22nd and it's taking forever for me to finish the entire book. I've been reading about 50-90 pages per day. Almost every page could be a possible test question. I know someone here will tell me to focus on the objectives but everything is quite detailed which is making me read slower while focusing on the detail like bus speeds, socket names and numbers, power supply watts numbers, and so on.

I am wondering if anyone has bought the Transcender Study Guide for CompTIA A+? I looked at the demo copy and it seems like they come down to only main points and facts. Whereas, Mike Meyer's huge textbook goes through a lot of material that may not even show up on the final exam.

Would CompTIA A+ Mike Meyer's All-In-One + Transcender Study Guide Comptia A+ + Exam Cram Practice Questions, and random questions all over the website be enough study material to prepare for the exam?

I also have Sybex Complete Study Guide, but honestly, I don't have time to go through another 800-1000 pages. I'm very desperate to get this certification. But I may be overstudying by focusing on every little detail in the book right now.

Thanks

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Bl8ckr0uter

honestly the best study guide for this test is taking a part a computer and putting it back together AND knowing what you are doing.

I used the Mike Myers books when I went through the A+ cert and I thought that it worked pretty well.

What is your experience?

Slowhand

laptop wrote: »

Hi,

I'm still reading the CompTIA A+ All-in-One by Mike Meyers (6th Edition). I started reading around May 22nd and it's taking forever for me to finish the entire book. I've been reading about 50-90 pages per day. Almost every page could be a possible test question. I know someone here will tell me to focus on the objectives but everything is quite detailed which is making me read slower while focusing on the detail like bus speeds, socket names and numbers, power supply watts numbers, and so on.

I am wondering if anyone has bought the Transcender Study Guide for CompTIA A+? I looked at the demo copy and it seems like they come down to only main points and facts. Whereas, Mike Meyer's huge textbook goes through a lot of material that may not even show up on the final exam.

Would CompTIA A+ Mike Meyer's All-In-One + Transcender Study Guide Comptia A+ + Exam Cram Practice Questions, and random questions all over the website be enough study material to prepare for the exam?

I also have Sybex Complete Study Guide, but honestly, I don't have time to go through another 800-1000 pages. I'm very desperate to get this certification. But I may be overstudying by focusing on every little detail in the book right now.

Thanks

If you don't have time to study, but still want the cert, I don't know what to tell you. Reading is only one part of preparing for the exam, doing hands-on work or labs is another, and making sure you understand all the topics in the exam blueprint is important as well. You could always try something like CBT Nuggets if you're finding that reading is monotonous, but it's not going to cut down the time it'll take you to prepare.

One thing to do is to gauge yourself, see if you can find a legitimate practice exam to test yourself and see if you're scoring well, or if you're striking out. At the very least, you could find your weak areas and work on just those to save some time. Other than that, it's all about doing the reading, the work, and taking as much or as little time it takes to get to the end.

laptop

Thanks for the replies.

knwminus: I have no experience in IT. Except received a degree + diploma related to computers. Seems like Mike Meyer's book is the only way to prepare for this exam. I was hoping that there are textbooks that drills down to the point/main facts.

slowhand: I am trying really hard to prepare for this exam. There's a lot more detail in the book than I expected. Very broad. But, I guess I shouldn't complain yet and will spend two more weeks reading this book. thanks for the advice.

My study method goes like this:
1) Reading the book with general idea + highlight points (not retaining the info)
2) Re-read the highlighted points several times

I'm still in phase 1. Not absorbing much info.

Thanks

Bl8ckr0uter

laptop wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

knwminus: I have no experience in IT. Except received a degree + diploma related to computers. Seems like Mike Meyer's book is the only way to prepare for this exam. I was hoping that there are textbooks that drills down to the point/main facts.

slowhand: I am trying really hard to prepare for this exam. There's a lot more detail in the book than I expected. Very broad. But, I guess I shouldn't complain yet and will spend two more weeks reading this book. thanks for the advice.

My study method goes like this:
1) Reading the book with general idea + highlight points (not retaining the info)
2) Re-read the highlighted points several times

I'm still in phase 1. Not absorbing much info.

Thanks

I have to agree with slow hand. This is an exam that you would best benefit from hands on "experience". Why is it so imperative that you get the A+ if you don't mind me asking?

Plantwiz

laptop wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

knwminus: I have no experience in IT. Except received a degree + diploma related to computers. Seems like Mike Meyer's book is the only way to prepare for this exam. I was hoping that there are textbooks that drills down to the point/main facts.

Meyers and Sybex are the best two books in the industry to assist one to prepare for the exam. Keep in mind the exam is geared toward a candidate WITH 500 hours of experience. So, if you are not ready...you are not ready. Put off the exam until you are proficient in the material.

The other thing is maybe hardware is NOT for you. Pursue another area. You state you have a degree, so why do you want a certification? Degrees tend to trump certs. What sort of degree do you have? And how does one acquire a 'diploma' in computers?

slowhand: I am trying really hard to prepare for this exam. There's a lot more detail in the book than I expected. Very broad. But, I guess I shouldn't complain yet and will spend two more weeks reading this book. thanks for the advice.

My study method goes like this:
1) Reading the book with general idea + highlight points (not retaining the info)
2) Re-read the highlighted points several times

I'm still in phase 1. Not absorbing much info.

Thanks

....you need to get some experience...or just pursue an area of IT that does interest you.

A+ concepts require you KNOW and UNDERSTAND certain points, so for some it seems like a bunch of usless memorizaiton. For anyone who has worked in repair for some time, it's not usless...it is pertainant and is what makes the difference between the tech who tells his/her client to "Format/Re-install" or "Scrap the whole thing and buy a new one". Mind you, there is a time an place for those comments, however, I hear too often of young techs trying to upgrade the entire system for a client who merely wants to access e-mail...they don't have the understanding and patience to explain the options to their client.

Either invest the time and prepare for this certification properly, or pursue another avenue, but from your posts it sounds like you want it all 'now' and it just takes work to get there. Sorry.

laptop

knwminus wrote: »

I have to agree with slow hand. This is an exam that you would best benefit from hands on "experience". Why is it so imperative that you get the A+ if you don't mind me asking?

I recently graduated and excited to pursue a career in IT. Since I don't have any relevant experience in IT, I decided to study CompTIA A+ because many job postings require certifications. I guess it's something good to put on my resume rather than simply putting "excellent hardware & software knowledge".

Plantwiz wrote: »

Meyers and Sybex are the best two books in the industry to assist one to prepare for the exam. Keep in mind the exam is geared toward a candidate WITH 500 hours of experience. So, if you are not ready...you are not ready. Put off the exam until you are proficient in the material.

The other thing is maybe hardware is NOT for you. Pursue another area. You state you have a degree, so why do you want a certification? Degrees tend to trump certs. What sort of degree do you have? And how does one acquire a 'diploma' in computers?

....you need to get some experience...or just pursue an area of IT that does interest you.

A+ concepts require you KNOW and UNDERSTAND certain points, so for some it seems like a bunch of usless memorizaiton. For anyone who has worked in repair for some time, it's not usless...it is pertainant and is what makes the difference between the tech who tells his/her client to "Format/Re-install" or "Scrap the whole thing and buy a new one". Mind you, there is a time an place for those comments, however, I hear too often of young techs trying to upgrade the entire system for a client who merely wants to access e-mail...they don't have the understanding and patience to explain the options to their client.

Either invest the time and prepare for this certification properly, or pursue another avenue, but from your posts it sounds like you want it all 'now' and it just takes work to get there. Sorry.

Thanks for the advice. I'll spend an additional month to see how things go and i'll keep you updated. Honestly, you are partially right that HARDWARE isn't really for me. I'm more interested in Computer Networks but I decide to start off by learning the foundations of computers first. Then hopefully finish CompTIA Nework+ by end of August.

Canada and US is different in education. I'm in Canada. There are Universities that offer 'degrees' and there are Colleges that offer 'diplomas'. Universities are more theory and going to College is more hands-on. In US, I think they call 'diplomas' a degree. Anyhow, The degree I've obtained is a Bachelor of Commerce (Mix of IT/Business). Along the lines of IT management. The diploma I received a few years ago was related to Business Admin- Info Systems.

Anyway, I'm going to continue and read the CompTIA A+ textbook. I wish Mike Meyer's had split the book in half to boost my motivation in reading this book.

Thanks

Plantwiz

laptop wrote: »

Canada and US is different in education. I'm in Canada. There are Universities that offer 'degrees' and there are Colleges that offer 'diplomas'. Universities are more theory and going to College is more hands-on. In US, I think they call 'diplomas' a degree. Anyhow, The degree I've obtained is a Bachelor of Commerce (Mix of IT/Business). Along the lines of IT management. The diploma I received a few years ago was related to Business Admin- Info Systems.

Anyway, I'm going to continue and read the CompTIA A+ textbook. I wish Mike Meyer's had split the book in half to boost my motivation in reading this book.

Thanks

Thank you for the clarification on diploma vs degree. Certainly this makes sense being that you are not in the US. Though I hadn't heard my Europeon friends use this term side-by-side with Degree.

If networking is more interesting for you, then just read the A+ stuff but pursue Net+ and the other vendor specific exams out there that DO interest you. A+ is not for everyone. You should have some vague idea of the hardware components, however, if it isn't your passion...then it will likely never be fun, nor interesting reading.

Typically in the US, if one has a degree...it outweights a certificate.