# A+ Certification.



## RyanD (Feb 15, 2009)

Hello and thanks for reading my post. I apologize if this type of thread is seen constantly but I'd like to get some advice from individuals with more knowledge on the matter than myself.

I'd like to start studying to get my A+ certification. I was curious to know if there were any guides online that would be considered excellent for this. I'd also be up for buying books if they will help me to gain more knowledge on what to expect from the test and gain a better understanding of computers.

And speaking of the test, how exactly do you take it? Is it an online thing or do you take it at a certain location? Thanks again.


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## ajparucha (Nov 24, 2010)

Hello, I've recently taken my A+ certification last month. You can get the information about scheduling and seating availability at either Prometric's website or Pearson Vue's website. Each offers many locations in your selected city/town to take the exams.

I chose to get 2 sources to help me study for the certification. Mike Meyer's 7th edition A+ certification and online videos for the 220-701 and 220-702 exams. The tests are straightforward. You are given about an hour and a half to finish 1 exam each. You answer 100 questions and each question is given a point total to get a score between 100 and 900. you need to pass with a mark of 650 and 675 to be certified.

Hopefully that gave you some information on getting your A+ certification. Good luck and best regards.


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## trouble9051 (Oct 1, 2010)

Hi RyanD! I am also a A+ tech myself, and if you want to spend the money checkout cbtnuggets.com! I like to use these my self or you can get the sybex books @ a book store and they have alot of info in them. They are a boring read but you will learn alot.


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## Big Voltron (Apr 26, 2011)

I am also studying toards A+ certification. I downloaded something called "CBT Nuggets" (tutorial videos) and a whole bunch of books for A+. There are youtube videos that will help you. Good luck to us both.


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## HubCityPC (Apr 24, 2011)

RyanD said:


> I was curious to know if there were any guides online that would be considered excellent for this.


Aside from the already mentioned sources Professor Messer's Videos are a must. They are completely free and will cover everything from A-Z. He also offers a free Network+ course on his site.


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## asmDash (Apr 19, 2011)

RyanD this book here would help tremendously Amazon.com: CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Seventh Edition (Exams 220-701 & 220-702) (9780071701334): Michael Meyers: Books


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

all advice is excellent. When I did my A+ I used the Mike Meyers books. However prof messer videos are excellent to use. I used his vids plus the Meyers books for the N+.

May I add that get some good practice exam software. I have used the main practice exam providers and the best by far is Cisco Network Simulation Software | IT Practice Exams | IT Training | Boson


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## epshatto (Dec 23, 2010)

I read through Jean Andrews' book _A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC_. I scheduled my exams for seperate days, and passed on the first try. The Mike Meyers book is also excellent, I hear.

When you take the test, you will schedule it an authorized CompTIA testing center. As mentioned, these centers will be maintained by Pearson VUE or Prometrics. You can schedule the test either by contacting CompTIA or the testing centers. I scheduled mine over the internet on the Pearson VUE website. You'll have 90 minutes to answer 100 questions for each exam, and probably 15 extra minutes to answer an optional survey at the end. Some questions may not be graded, but you won't know what those questions are if they're asked in your exam. You're allowed some basic materials in the testing center, but nothing from outside. They'll probably give you a writing pad, writing utensil, and a calculator. I had to have my wallet, keys and cell phone locked in storage and returned to me after completing each exam.

You will be A+ certified immediately after completing the 701 and 702 exams, and your certification will be good for 3 years. The passing score for the 701 exam is 675 and it is 700 for the 702 exam.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

I dont like the fact that compTIA now has a renewal policy. When I did my A+ when you passed you were certified for life.


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## epshatto (Dec 23, 2010)

Yeah, but I at least understand the reasoning behind it. 

If you have an A+ certification from 10 years ago, and you're in a situation where you have to start again from the bottom, it wouldn't really be all that impressive to a manager I would think. But it is somewhat annoying. If I had been able to take my tests last year, mine would be for life as well.

edit: For the OP, part of the original question was for good online guides. Free MCTS MCITP CCNA CompTIA and CISSP exams, study notes and forums has a good database of notes covering all the domains of the major CompTIA, Microsoft, and Cisco certifications.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

epshatto said:


> Yeah, but I at least understand the reasoning behind it.
> 
> If you have an A+ certification from 10 years ago, and you're in a situation where you have to start again from the bottom, it wouldn't really be all that impressive to a manager I would think. But it is somewhat annoying. If I had been able to take my tests last year, mine would be for life as well.
> 
> edit: For the OP, part of the original question was for good online guides. Free MCTS MCITP CCNA CompTIA and CISSP exams, study notes and forums has a good database of notes covering all the domains of the major CompTIA, Microsoft, and Cisco certifications.


The thing is though that if you are truly committed to a career in IT you will keep up with technology and how things change not to mention the fact that the A+ is a stepping stone to more recognised and more influential certifications such as the ones by Microsoft. I doubt there will be many people who do renew their A+ when it runs out as they will be certifying in MS certs. I certainly wouldn't althoug for any begginner they should definetly start with the A+ before anything else.


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## epshatto (Dec 23, 2010)

That's absolutely true. But I still get the feeling that a lot of managers would more or less ignore someone with an outdated A+ certification. Not that it really makes any sense to, especially since somebody with an A+ from 10 years ago likely also has more advanced certs they've obtained in that time. But I don't claim to know how an HR manager's mind works, either.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

HR departments and IT managers are a different kettle of fish. When you see job adverts for 1st line support and they require someone with the MCSE you can bet your bottom dollar that the ad has been done by HR whilst an ad done by an IT department/manager will ask for the A+ and probably network+ along with the MCDST for a 1st line support job.


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## PinoyIT (Feb 28, 2011)

Yeah but you need HR to notice you before the IT manager can even look at you. Even if the IT manager created the ad, they still pass it off to the HR department.


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## asmDash (Apr 19, 2011)

I always make sure the HR comes to me BEFORE they decide to hire or deny someone when it comes to the tech department. I wanna make sure that all the employees are up to my (as an IT professional) standards to work there under my belt. This prevents the HR from hiring someone without the proper skill set.


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## PinoyIT (Feb 28, 2011)

So does HR pass off to you every single resume they've received.

As for the A+ renewal, it's really stupid. It's expensive and by the time it expires you should have enough experience to not need it. I'm not going to renew mine.


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## asmDash (Apr 19, 2011)

PinoyIT said:


> So does HR pass off to you every single resume they've received.
> 
> As for the A+ renewal, it's really stupid. It's expensive and by the time it expires you should have enough experience to not need it. I'm not going to renew mine.


If its going to my department then yes, I have made sure she knows to do so.

Also, I would only renew an A+ if my job requires me to do so.


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## PinoyIT (Feb 28, 2011)

So HR doesn't filter the applications? What's the point of having them look for qualified employees for your department if they have to give you every single resume they get. I thought the point of HR was so you don't have to waste your time looking over a resume of a pizza delivery guy applying for a Network Administrator job because he recently got a Network+.


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## asmDash (Apr 19, 2011)

PinoyIT said:


> So HR doesn't filter the applications? What's the point of having them look for qualified employees for your department if they have to give you every single resume they get. I thought the point of HR was so you don't have to waste your time looking over a resume of a pizza delivery guy applying for a Network Administrator job because he recently got a Network+.


In my opinion HR's dont know what to look for when it comes to IT. So i (unofficially/not under advisory of my boss) have me second the opinions on the applications that are for *my department*.


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## tim19889 (Jan 24, 2010)

PinoyIT said:


> a resume of a pizza delivery guy applying for a Network Administrator job because he recently got a Network+.


lmao


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

And thats why you get HR depts advertising for first line support jobs but requiring applications to be MCSE certified. That's whats wrong with IT these days but then again some IT depts have adopted that approach too because of the amount of brain dumpers.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

your post will be deleted as you are reffering to a braindump site. Its sites like that and the people who use them who have caused the salaries in IT to go down and the career progression much harder. If you need braindumps to pass the A+ you have no business being in IT.


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