Study Tips to Pass CompTIA Exams
Are you preparing for a CompTIA certification exam such as the Security+ certification or Network+ certification exams? You may be nervous about the prospect of taking a certification exam, but there are a lot of things you can do to feel completely prepared on the day. From prioritization to practicality, here is a quick breakdown of some useful study tips to help you pass your CompTIA exams.
Ditch Your Flashcards
Whatever you do, avoid a flashcard frenzy. There are of course many flashcards and sample questions that people share online after taking their CompTIA exams. These are helpful to ensure consolidation, but they should not be your main source of studying. Memorizing questions and answers may seem like a great strategy to pass the test, but not only are they an ineffective way of learning the material thoroughly, they prevent you from gaining a deeper understanding of concepts that are needed in the real world.
Understand Exam Expectations
No matter what exam you are taking, your first step should be to know what the exam expectations are. When getting ready for an exam, you will need to be sure that you completely understand what is covered on the exam. Download the objectives for the test and memorize these first. If you know the test objectives, then when you are working through the studying process you will be able to connect each piece of material to the exam objectives, helping you to better commit the content to memory.
Gain Practical Experience
The importance of practical experience cannot be understated, particularly if you are newer to the industry and are working towards your A+ certification. Did you know that you can build your own virtual environment or, even better, use CompTIA's lab simulations to help you prepare for your exam? There are so many practical and fun ways to gain real experience and ultimately improve your test scores.
Create a Plan
Develop a study plan and stick to it by removing distractions. It sounds simple, but it is easy to get sidetracked, especially when studying for a course that is IT-based and you are on your computer. Be sure to turn off notifications for apps, you could also create a website blocker for any website that will distract you and quickly derail your study plan. You should also plan to have your studying completed at least two days prior to the exam so that you are not cramming information at the last minute. Your last days can be spent calmly reviewing and processing the information.
Prioritize Effectively
Don't be afraid to skip questions you don't know and come back to them later. Sometimes you just need something to tweak your memory, which you may come across later in the test. CompTIA allows you to skip questions and return to them as needed, which makes the process more convenient and efficient. Use this to your advantage so that you can come back and spend more time on questions that you are unsure of.
Be Practical
Whether you are just joining the IT world or are looking at upskilling with more cybersecurity courses, following an intuitive study plan with a mixture of hands-on work and practice exams is the best way to prepare yourself. Are you trying to decide between the CySA+ certification training and the PenTest+ certification training? Gain a comprehensive overview of the differences in the training courses and potential job roles in our previous blog.
Looking for additional study tips to really prepare yourself? You can also check out this Ultimate Exam Survival Guide to prepare yourself for the unexpected and put your best foot forward. There are also a ton of recommended productivity apps to help you succeed and make your studying that much easier.