A+ Certification Tips

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DNose

Member
Jan 18, 2006
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I missed the 15 years old part.

Even more reason to get them. You will look hella smart if you could say, I got my A+ when I was 15 or 16 years old. You are on the right track. Do not be fooled by the negative crap. There are a lot of IT pro?s out there that could use the basics, because they got by with out it does not mean they would not have benefited from it. I talk to many staff that are [do not get me wrong] good at what they do but lack the very basics.


Like the fundamentals of ESD or why not to plug in a ps2 port when the nodes on,
Do not try to fix CRT's or stick your fingers in side UPS's. What kind of fire extinguisher will put out electrical fire, Think your employer might want you to know that.
That is hardware.

When it comes to the OS, you hear stuff like: what is the kernel, what does MBR Stand for. What does NTFS stand for, what?s real mode. Yes knowing IRQ?s can still be good to know when troubleshooting.

Network+ you hear stuff like: I have a full duplex hub. I just buy cables with ends on them (they cannot make them to save their life). Or (the Network guys are going to love this one) universally using datagram?s for segments, packets, and frames.

There are so much more then just these examples. Ask any IT pros they can tell you how many people they would like to send to a class or two.

Knowing how to make computers work is one thing knowing how computers work is another.

Employers do not want to waist their time interviewing to see if people are going to wreck equipment. the certification is for you as much as it is for them. That why A+ was started.

Do not think you are the only kid doing this. My 12-year-old daughter is almost done using Testout and is ready to test. She has to go though her school consoler to get permission to take the test on the collage campus. It has all been pre approved even with CompTia. It took them two days to tell me if there is an age limit. A supervisor called from CompTia and said they have no age limit.

There is Competition, but not much at your age.
 

thecoroner

Banned
Feb 2, 2006
153
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Interesting.

I guess I do want to get certified then. I guess it's worth it in the long run. While I'm studying for A+, I might as well get my Dell certification. $180/year and a few online tests certifies me to repair Dell servers, notebooks, and desktops. I looked at the cert. and it's very easy! I doubt it will be of much use to me rather than make customers think its a big deal. You can take a practice test before taking the real one and amazingly, you have 3 hours to answer 45 questions! Best of all, everything you need to study is on the Dell Certification website. I looked at some of it and I already know how to do all of it.

As for the A+ test, should I wait until this fall when they release a new version of it to take it? I think I want to take the hardware and OS tests so I can be 100% A+ certified.

Thanks for the help everyone!
 

Amaroque

Platinum Member
Jan 2, 2005
2,178
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I got my A+ in '01. I was taken back when there was questions pertaining to 486 CPU's. The test questions are updated, but seem to lag several years behind current technology.

Anyway, the test is extremely easy. I never studied at all. I took a few sample tests, and was scoring around 90%... So I just took the test.

There are some obscure questions, but if you can build a computer, you shouldn't have any problems passing. :)
 

DNose

Member
Jan 18, 2006
50
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Do not wait

There are 80 questions. if the test changes only about 15 at the most 20 new questions will be added and the same will be dropped.

In addition, knowing some of the older questions could help you answer some of the new ones.

Waiting F's you up.

I just went through that with Net+ N10-002 - N10-003 the only difference was wireless and some remote stuff that is all.

I did use this web site for test questions http://www.free-tests.com/ it's not the best but it works.

some of you try the link tell us what you think

The CompTia site should have the new objectives for a new test update.
http://www.comptia.org/certification/a/objectives.aspx
I don't see a new test, still 2003.

http://www.testout.com/aplus/index.htm

If your good on the web you might find it ;)