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.kgsdnhrs,kd jemydgjf ARGH!!! I've wanted to get my A+ certification since like... The day I graduated highschool (2 years ago). Then I dunno I got lazy and wasn't sure how to study on my own so I never got it
I know a lot of the general info but never felt like I knew enough FOR SURE so I never took it...

Sorry that this contributes nothing really but I just had to put that out there. Plus if anyone gives you advice perhaps I can take it as well

Basically, what you need to be good at is eliminating bad choices. The questions are all multiple choice (but I guess you already knew this, as most practice exam software is like this too), and many of them have REALLY stupid options to pick from. At least the ones where they give you a situation and ask you what the problem most probably is.

Then there are some pure knowledge questions, for example when I got certified I'm pretty sure I had a question straight out asking the top speed of USB 2.0. There were also a couple about what different windows applications were named/did/when they should be used. But even for these, a lot of the alternatives are waaay stupid.

This is how it went when I got my cert: Got there bright and early, got served free breakfast(!) and everything was real cozy-like. Then there's the security check. Leave your jacket with the personnel, sign a few papers assuring that you are not in fact carrying a gun with you into the exam room, etc. Then the first part of the exam (Essentials 220-601) starts. Make sure you don't peek at other peoples monitors (even accidentally), since they be watchin' you with them cameras

I don't know if it's changed since then (took the 2007 version of the exam in June 2009), but to pass this part you need a score of 675 (scores range from 100 to 900). I don't remember the exact number of questions or the time limit, but I'm pretty sure there was plenty of time to review the answers before submitting (yes, you can go backwards in the test unlike in at least some of the practice exams). Once you finish, you'll know your result straight away (huge, green "Congratulations, you passed" sign, dunno what the fail sign looks like)

This was once again followed by free food. There were cookies(!) this time, and not the cheap kind either! The whole setup of this thing kept at least me relaxed most of the time. Oh, and you can take a bathroom break during the test if needed, as long as you let them know. The free food and drink made this a necessity.

Then there's the second part (assuming you're not there only for the essentials, although I'm not sure if only doing part 1 is even an option), which for me was the "IT Technician  Designation (220-602)". Same deal as before, but this time the passing score was 700 (again out of 900) and, if I don't misremember, there was less time with the same amount of questions for this one. Still no real pressure though (I was done and had rechecked my answers 30 min before the end (I think)).

I took the test with 4 others (we had a prep course for the cert in school and the top 5 in the group got the certification paid for by the school, incidentally passing the test also gave you instant top grade in the course), and we all passed. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that it's not as difficult as one might think (considering at least one of us five wasn't what I'd call the brightest of the bright). As long as you're fairly well prepared, you should have no trouble.

While I also used a book to prepare (written by Jean Andrews I think, don't remember the name of the book though), I found that the practice exam software helped the most after I reached a certain point. There are just some things that stick better after you answer questions rather than read about it. At least in my experience, the internals of a printer just would not be remembered until I got owned by the practice exams. Something to add is that most practice exams I encountered had more difficult questions than the actual exam. I would tell you just what software I used, but I can't for the life of me remember right now.

These are just my experiences though, and I can't guarantee it will be the same for you. Especially the part about free food. That might just be a thing specific to the exam center I went to. Maybe they're nicer in Sweden than in Canada?

Oh! You might find that you have less time to do the exams than I did, as we got some extra time due to English not being our main language.

Edit: Though I can see why you'd be worried, that price isn't anything to laugh at. I probably never would've done it if my school didn't pay.

Last edited by Sniz (2010-02-07 10:29:38)

KajiwaraSora wrote:

Was your test center a Prometric or Pearson/Vue center?

Prometric.

Congratz dood.

92% isn't an A+ though. More like an A-.