CompTIA A+ is now part of the Core Certifications. This certification is essential for anyone starting their IT career. It demonstrates commitment to the profession, and gives a solid foundational knowledge of computer systems. How difficult is CompTIA+? What amount of time and effort do you need for a passing score on CompTIA A+?
It all depends on your level of knowledge and experience. It also depends on your technological knowledge and the ease with which you can learn about new hardware and software components.
You will find many answers if you look at the personal accounts of CompTIA+ certificate holders. It is best to evaluate the topics and subtopics of the CompTIA exam yourself in order to better understand its difficulty.
Exam Breakdown
Two exams are required for the A+: Core 1 (220-1001) & Core 2 (220-102).
Each exam can contain a maximum 90 questions. Multiple choice and performance-based questions will be asked. You will need to solve the question in a performance-based scenario. This requires that you connect your theoretical knowledge to practical examples.
Core 1 and Core 2 take 90 minutes each. They don’t require any prerequisites, so you don’t have to be an IT expert before you begin preparing. CompTIA recommends that you have between nine to twelve months experience as an IT support specialist. It is not required. There are many examples of people who passed the A+ with no work experience.
Core 1 Exam
Core1Â contains the following exam objectives, broken down into percentages (how many they are included in the exam).
- Hardware (27%).
- Hardware and Network Troubleshooting (27%).
- Networking (20%)
- Mobile Devices (14%)
- Virtualization and Cloud Computing (12%)
Core 1’s passing score is 675, on a scale from 100 to 900.
Core 2 Exam
While Core 1 is focused more on hardware, is more concerned with software, cybersecurity and operational procedures.
- Operating Systems (27%)
- Software Troubleshooting (26%)
- Security (24%)
- Operational Procedures (23%)
Core 2 must be passed with a score of 700 or higher on a scale from 100 to 900.
These IT sectors are combined in Core 1 and Core 2.
- Hardware and Infrastructure (35%).
- Security (21%)
- Ops and Service (19%)
- Software (19%)
- Data (7%)
Exam Objectives
A closer look at each exam objective can give you an idea of what to expect. When you are creating your study guide or strategy, exam objectives will help you determine which topics and subtopics to focus on in order to pass.
A+ CompTIA certification is both comprehensive and in-depth. The certification covers many areas, which can be interpreted as many IT branches. However, it also includes technical details. It is necessary to be familiar with acronyms for almost every computer system and computer network related topic – CPU, GPU HDD, SSD SSD, NFC IMAP, POP3, etc.
CompTIA A+ currently covers the operating system section.
- Windows (Win 7, 8, and 8.1, respectively)
- macOS
- Linux
- Android
- ChromeOS
- iOS
These operating systems require you to be able to set them up and troubleshoot common problems.
A section is dedicated to virtualization and cloud computing. It includes subtopics like cloud resource terminology (pooling and elasticity), etc. Hypervisors, cloud file storage and virtual apps and machines are all included. ).
Performance-based questions will also present you with various scenarios that you must solve. These could be hardware or software issues that a computer technician must know how to solve.
A test lab is a great way to prepare for the PBQ questions. You can set up a test lab where you can build and disassemble desktops, and then practice installing operating systems as well as simple networks like small home networks and office networks. Practical experience and exam preparation are the best way to get ready for work in this field.
Memory Game
Memorizing is the name of the CompTIA course game. You will need to learn a lot about different aspects of information technology, depending on what you know.
The practical test lab route described above can help make this process simpler. Another option is to create flashcards using unknown words and phrases, so that you can test yourself whenever you have the chance.
Online practice tests are also available. However, be cautious of questions that haven’t been verified by official material. You can get a good idea of the difficulty level by using practice questions.
Conclusion
Your previous knowledge and experience with desktop computers, network security, hardware and other mobile devices will determine how challenging CompTIA+ A+ will be. Although it is not required, you will benefit from having worked in IT.
You must pass Core 1 and Core 2 to earn this certification. Core 1 and Core 2 cover different topics. Core 1 is more about hardware, while Core 2 covers software. Other operating systems will be covered, as well as how to troubleshoot the most common problems and how to assemble or disassemble a PC. It is a good idea to have some knowledge about cloud computing and how to transfer storage from offline spaces to the cloud. It is important to be able to recall many acronyms and technical terms, and not get confused on exam day.