Whether you’re taking the CompTIA+ exam as a job requirement, to secure a promotion, or as a step towards a career change, you should plan on devoting plenty of time to studying.
The exam is divided into two sections and covers five key domains to go over. In other words, there’s a lot of information to learn and remember if you want to ace the exam.
Studying for the CompTIA+ exam can be time-consuming and hard to fit into your busy schedule. However, you can take advantage of the following tips to help you study more effectively.
Choose the Right Material to Study
Even if you’re just starting your career in the IT industry, you’re probably aware there’s a lot of information to learn.
You can easily spend years pouring over tech manuals, articles, and books—however, this doesn’t guarantee you’re studying the right material. Another potential issue is how you are supposed to remember everything that you’ve read.
An easier way to know what to study is to invest in the CompTIA Certmaster study guide. Yes, you are required to purchase the software but it’s well worth the investment. In the guide, you get all of the material covered on the CompTIA+ exam. In other words, you know exactly what to study.
Even if you have umpteen years of experience in the IT industry, you still want to spend some time studying for the CompTIA+ exam. The exam covers five domains and is divided into two sections. You can expect to find a mix of questions, including some multiple-choice ones. The exam is challenging and you need some guidance on which topics to study.
As mentioned earlier, the CompTIA study guide does come at a price, but it can also help ensure that you’re ready to ace the exam.
Tips to Study Effectively
Everyone has a preferred studying method but it may not be effective for the CompTIA+ exam. You need to retain a lot of information to get through the two exam sections. So, what’s an effective study method?
Even though everyone studies a little differently, when it comes to memorization some processes work a little better than others.
- Go through the CompTIA study guide. You’re going to find a lot of basic information you should already know like the difference between a monitor and a mouse. Don’t worry about this type of basic information; this is stuff you should already know. Don’t waste time reading up on the various functions of a computer mouse. Instead, focus on the material you may not be as familiar with.
- Take a lot of written notes, especially on the questions you answer incorrectly. Yes, handwriting notes can be a pain, especially when you have a computer ready to use nearby. However, physically writing down notes is an effective memorization strategy. As you finish each chapter in the study guide, take a minute to read back your handwritten notes. This is an effective way to help ensure you retain the information.
- When you finally make it through a section of the study guide, move to your laptop and open Microsoft Word or Google Docs. Start typing up your notes. Yes, this is a little redundant but the goal is to memorize everything you’re learning and reviewing.
Typing up your notes not only helps with memorization but also gives you a handy summary of the study guide you can use before taking the CompTIA+ exam.
Take Several Practice Exams
You don’t have to dive right into the CompTIA+ exam. You can and should take multiple practice exams. If you purchase the Certmaster study packet, you’ll find several practice exams at the end. You should plan on devoting about two hours to each practice exam.
Keep taking the practice test, regardless of your score. Ideally, you want to score at least 85% a few times in a row. Once you’re consistently receiving a passing grade, you’re probably ready to move on to the CompTIA+ exam.
What to Expect on the CompTIA+ Exam
As mentioned earlier, the exam covers 5 domains and is separated into two sections. The first section (1001) focuses on physical components and hardware. The second portion (1002) goes over software and command lines for systems like Mac, Windows, and Linux.
You should complete section 1 before moving on to the second part of the exam. Even though part 1002 is often a little easier, it still builds off the first part of the exam.
While getting ready to take the CompTIA+ exam can be time-consuming and frustrating, it’s worth the effort when you receive your certificate.