General queston about A+ Certification

[theshape]

Hi,
Next week I am going to be purchasing a text book to study at home for my A+ Certification. My main question is, will this book be hard to understand for the average home user? I know a tiny bit more than the average 'home user' but have not had any actual computer 'training' in the past. I just don't want to open the first page and feel like I'm reading japanese! Also, what can I do to prepare for reading this book? I was going to buy Mike Meyers' latest edition. Is this a good choice?
Thanks very much in advance!

 

[Lexluethar]

Mike Meyers is a great choice. Most A+ books assume you know very little about technology aside from being able to use a PC. They expect you to be able to navigate the PC and turn your PC on and off, but how the PC actually works they really don't expect you to know that. Mike Meyers is a great choice, i would definitely get that book. Check to ensure you get the most recent version of exam material since the A+ does get updated every 3rd year or so.

You can supplement that with online material from Professor Messer, CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, Microsoft Certification Training. It's a great FREE website with FREE online material.

 

[theshape]

You can supplement that with online material from Professor Messer, CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, Microsoft Certification Training. It's a great FREE website with FREE online material.

Thank you so much for your information! I am excited to start my home studying and will surely check the link you provided! Cheers!

 

[Pocketlips]

I'm currently reading a Mike Meyers book and find it to be extremely helpful and it is definitely easy to understand. I have had to read sections multiple times but that's mostly to help with all the memorization.

As far as preparing for it I'm not really sure what you'll need. I personally learn better if I read something, write it, and read it again in my own words - I just take simple notes and make flash cards to help.

I don't have the book in front if me but i believe it was called "Mike Meyers A+ Passport", or something along those lines.

Good Luck with the studying !

 

[zettabyte]

Hey man, i just got my A+ certification about 2 days ago. i took a free program to teach me tech stuff and i didnt read one single book. What you should do is simply download a software program called Visual Cert Program. and you can actually download practice tests from examcollection.com and extract them to the software app. they have actual Q's and A's that are currently on the test. its free!! i simply studied those and i scored above 700 on both parts of the test. (1519/1800). Now i am a certified computer tech. lol

 

[-RockMan-]

, but how the PC actually works they really don't expect you to know that. Mike Meyers is a great choice, i would definitely get that book. Check to ensure you get the most recent version of exam material since the A+ does get updated every 3rd year or so.

You haven't got a chance to see what comptia and microsoft are cooking up for that 2009-2012 A+ cert I bet.
They'll try to throw the kitchen sink at you a few times to see where your knowlegable skills are at and throw you off guard.

@TheShape: But yeah what lex said it won't be much of a problem if you stay current to windows 7 and know some other goodbits of xp and vista.

I recommend you get yourself some good testing software and piggy back off it while learning some more advanced windows problems and fixes,

 

[Cubuntu28]

EDIT (I wont make assumptions, sorry ) I am currently studying for the exam, and this is what I have used thus far, I have gone through Professor Messer's videos (they are free) very good, but I believe are not deep enough, and he expresses this opinion as well. I have also read Exam Cram, awesome book and gets to the point much more quickly that Meyer's book which I have skimmed through, but is much more thorough. I do plan on finishing Meyer's book even after I pass the exam to continue to improve my knowledge. Best of luck!

 

[GLaDOS]

Hi. I haven't read most of the response so forgive me if I am repeating something I'm going to bed soon but wanted to answer your question b/c I was in the same boat when I started studying for my A+ exam back in Oct. I was an above-average home user as well. I checked out the Mike Meyers book a little bit and it looked like a great self-study book. The test isn't too terrible at all. Don't get frustrated by the hardware stuff, it sounds really bad at first but once you read into it more and see it come up in a lot of different places you remember a lot!

 

[Lexluethar]

While i'm not sure if Zetta cheated - I do feel programs like that are worthless. Yes they get you certified but they do not give you the working knowledge of the technology. As with most of the jobs in IT that i've interviewed for they want (most of the time require) certifications. But from there they require you to test out on your knowledge. For my current job they used some 3rd party software that tested me (similar to CompTIA's software) on my knowledge and if i didn't know my stuff i would have bombed and wouldn't have been hired.

A lot of these boot camps are the same way. Honestly feel they are great if you are already in that position and have working knowledge, but for people with zero experience taking and passing these exams they are just memorizing terms and aren't actually learning the technology. Which will bite them in the end.

 

[yoshiiaki]

Hi, I just joined but wanted to put in my two cents. Visualcert and examcollection are cheating tools. Don't use them. They host braindumps or anything else you want to call them. Yes it will get you certified but no you won't learn anything. If your goal is to actually learn and utilize what the cert signifies than avoid visualcert and examcollection.
Between Mike Meyers and Professor Messer you won't have anything to worry about. They will cover everything on the test plus more. And if you can get a hold of a computer that isn't being used anymore that will be even better to get some physical experience.The job I got did test me on my knowledge and had I used braindumps I would have only made a fool of myself. I could be wrong, but it seems that since it's gotten easier to cheat and get certified, companies are a bit more hesitant and want to really make sure you earned what the certs. As I was tested from a few other companies I interviewed at as well.