CompTIA is a leading provider of globally accredited IT certifications, and it offers a variety of different credentials with CompTIA A+ being one of the most popular ones. It is an elementary level credential, which is most suitable for aspiring IT professionals who have just stepped into the IT industry and want to validate their technical skills and knowledge to establish a successful career in the IT industry.
The CompTIA A+ certification offers elementary level technical knowledge used for different types of operating systems and tools. This certification is valid for a specific period of time only, after which you need to refresh it.
By achieving the CompTIA A+ certification, you can learn the basic skills and knowledge to understand and troubleshoot any problem pertaining to networks or operating systems.
CompTIA recently replaced the A+900 series with new A+ Core Series (220-1001 and 220-1002). Apart from focusing on computer hardware and operating systems, the new series greatly focuses on virtualization, connectivity, cloud, Internet of Things, IT security especially against malware, and lastly, protocols.
Since the CompTIA A+ is an elementary level exam, it is possible to clear it within the first attempt.
There are two ways to prepare for the CompTIA A+ certification exam. You can either enroll yourself in a trainer-led class to receive clear and proper instructions, or you can also opt for self-study, as most people do not have the time to attend trainer-led classes regularly due to busy schedules and professional commitments.
Following are some effective ways to prepare for the CompTIA A+ certification exam within the first attempt:
Preparing Through The Official CompTIA A+ Study Guide
CompTIA's official A+ study guide is ideal for those candidates who want to prepare for the CompTIA A+ certification exam through self-study. This guide covers all those topics that are present in the CompTIA A+ course outline.
These topics are further explained below:
- How to set up and configure common peripheral devices of computer systems
- How to set up, configure, and secure various multimedia devices and computer hardware
- Understanding basic networking concepts and fundamentals
- Different ways to troubleshoot network connection problems
- Client virtualization technology deployment
- How to troubleshoot different kinds of electronic gadgets and devices
To successfully clear your CompTIA A+ certification exam, it is advisable to obtain the CompTIA IT Fundamentals certification first or gain some basic knowledge about computer hardware and networking.
In order to successfully clear your CompTIA A+exam, you need to have a strong command over the following topics:
- Fundamental knowledge about internal computer hardware devices along with different types of storage devices
- Navigate operating systems
- To create a directory and manage files and folders using File explorer
- Fundamentals of the internet
- Technical knowledge about operating systems along with their management, installation, and configuration
- Ability to use different Windows’ tools for troubleshooting
- Ability to diagnose and fix basic network connection problems
- To manage user accounts and resource access
- To establish physical security guidelines for protecting systems at the workplace
- To secure computer workstations and servers
- To troubleshoot basic security and browser-related issues
- To understand modern mobile OS architecture
Familiarizing With Computer Hardware And Operating Systems
A major portion of the CompTIA A+ Certification exam is based on the fundamentals of computer hardware. One great way to become familiar with the basics of computer hardware is by setting up a desktop computer.
Instead of just learning theoretically about different parts of a computer system, you can learn a lot more in detail by building your computer. You can learn how to set up an operating system, distinguish between different types of computer hardware, etc.
Acquiring Practical Knowledge
The CompTIA A+ certification exam focuses on both theoretical as well as practical knowledge. While you can mostly acquire theoretical knowledge through books and study guides, practical knowledge can be gained through practice.
If you are preparing for your CompTIA A+ certification exam through self-study, you can set up your computer lab in your home to practice for your CompTIA A+ exam. It is not necessary to spend a lot of money to set up your computer lab.
In fact, if you don't have the time or money to set up a professional lab, just put together a few essentials such as a desktop PC, monitor and networking tools like switch, router, etc.
Solving Practice Questions
Solving practice questions can help you to become familiar with the exam pattern and the type of questions that appear in the exam. This helps you to gain confidence and develop effective time management skills for completing your exam.
It can also help you to determine how much time you will need to complete the entire exam and whether you are able to complete it in the given time or not.
You can download free exam questions from different sites online. However, many sites do not update their content, and many exam questions might be outdated. Therefore, it is recommended that you first attempt those exam questions that are available on the CompTIA's official website.
Reading Exam Objectives
Since the CompTIA A+ certification course is updated frequently and requires you to refresh it after every three years, it is recommended that you study the course outline first before preparing for the exam.
This helps you to become familiar with the topics that you need to prepare for the exam. You can easily find the exam objectives for the A+ exam from the official site of CompTIA.
Final Word
Through adequate learning resources and practice, it is possible to clear your CompTIA A+ certification within the first attempt. Make sure to practice, study the course outline, and solve the practice questions as it helps to clear your concepts while increasing your confidence to attempt your exam without any stress or nervousness.
If you need more guidance on preparing for CompTIA A+ exam, our team is available at your service. Get in touch with us today and let us help you prepare.