How is the A+ test?

[GotNoRice]

I’m taking this class at the local JC that is supposed to prepare people for the A+ test. One of the really interesting things about the class is that if we take the A+ test, pass it, and bring in proof, we get an A in the class and don’t have to come anymore.

The thing that I want to know is just how hard is this test? I mean, there are some tests where even if you “know” the subject material, you can still fail because most of the questions are trick questions or really strange and not realistic. The driving test is kinda like that, which is why even knowledgeable drivers fail the test sometimes.

I’m a little worried because just about ALL the stuff we’re reviewing in the class is really odd. Half the questions would only apply if we were taking the 1996 version of the A+ test, and the other half are just plain wrong, or just don’t make any sense. There are questions about EISA, VL Bus, having to identify and know the intricacies of 30 pin SIMMs.

There are questions like this:

Which processor connects to the motherboard using a 370 pin zif socket? choose 1:

a. Pentium 2
b. Celeron
c. Pentium 3
d. Pentium Pro
e. 486

My best guess was that the question was from the short time where Celerons were coming out in 370 pin sockets but the first gen P3’s were still slot. Still, the fact is that there are two right answers to this question, but only one of them is “correct”.

Or

Which of these ram technologies are typically installed in pairs, choose 2:

a. 184pin Rambus RIMMs
b. 184pin DDR DIMMs
c. 168pin DIMMs
d. 72pin SIMMs

I guess the answer it’s looking for is A and D, because it’s not like anyone would be stupid enough to install DDR in pairs or anything like that

Is this how the real A+ test is like, or is all this just a product of a poorly instructed class?

I’ve been building, repairing, and maintaining computers for almost 10 years. In general, would someone like me be able to walk in and pass the test, or is there still a need to study. How accurately do the questions reflect (current) reality?

 

[Mr_Evil]

From what I've heard from others that are A+ Certified. The test is ACTUALLY that stupid. Which is why the A+ IMO is worthless if you're going to be a desktop PC Service tech. The company I work for normally requires A+ Certification to do Dell and IBM warranty work, but they made an exception for me given my experience and CCNA.

 

[GotNoRice]

Yeah, I don't really care about the A+ test as far as having it goes, i'm just looking for an easy way out of this stupid class and looks like I can achieve that by passing the test.

 

[WesM63]

I took the same course. I went, slept and passed with an A. Best way to do it IMO. Seriously thou, I wouldn't waste the $200 on the test. Like most people said, its experiance that matters not if you have a cert.

Nope never took my A+, i've been a PC Tech for going on 3yrs now, the A+ is equivlent to someone that has worked in the field for 6months.

 

[Scorpionjwp]

The A+ test is pretty easy, I took the course because I was facinated with computers. Having learned 6 years of computers experience from a friend in 3 months helped me get prepared for the course. As much as I knew about computers, there was alot more to learn taking the Comptia A+ course.

The course changes every year, I took it last year and now in the new course, it now talks about sata and the newer technologies. It happens to be in two parts; A+ core hardware, and A+ Operating Systems.

When you take the course, Comptia talks alot about scsi technologies, 5% of the questions on the test is of scsi. You will have to memorize the processors, fsb and etc.

When you pass the exam and recieve the certification in the mail, you will feel proud that you have completed and have a certification to look back on.

I myself have gotten the A+, Network+ and now working heavily on my MCSE.
For many of you to know, for a part of the requirement on the MCSA (microsoft certified system administrator) A+ and network+ is labeled as part of the requirement of the MCSA course. If you pass these two courses, there is only three exams to get the MCSA cert.

 

[Synful Serenity]

The tests to become an actuary are truly grueling. That's because the pass rate is never above 40%....Which means you must do better than the lowest 60% in order to pass...So if 60% of the people taking it that session get a 90, they all fail and the people who did better than that pass. And there's 8 to 10 tests that take years to complete, and only about 1 out of 20 people make it to the end. The silver lining to this is that you would be making hundreds of thousands of dollars base salary.

 

[Scorpionjwp]

I'm not sure if your talking about the mcse course or the a+. But I sure know it don't take 8-10 years to complete the A+ course or nor does it take for mcse. Now I see if you were taking computer science in college, I see it taking that long. But for a person taking these classes in vocational school or a tech school, I see a person taking it in about 3 months to 2 years, depending on the person.

Just my opinion.

 

[D3v1an7]

neither Certification test/s is that hard...

Yes, the MCSE test are designed to fail as many people as possible but not in the way you are describing. The tests are designed to spot a weakness in your knowlege and keep giving you questions along that same topic until you fail.

example:

first 10 questions = static, cover all ranges of topics for that test

next 20+ questions = dynamic, if you missed any questions in the first 10, all questions after that will be along the same topic until it fails you.

It can take a while to get your MCSE but that is because there are so many tests and there is a lot of studying involved in preparing for the tests.


The only Cert that I know of that takes years to complete is the CCIE

 

[versello]

A+ Cert is supposed to show that you have comparable knowledge to a PC technician with at least one year (or 6 month? who gives a flying fuck) of experience and it's good if you don't have anything to back you up (I'm not talking about persons who have been working PC's for 8 years helping neighbors and friends out).

I myself have gotten the A+, Network+ and now working heavily on my MCSE.
For many of you to know, for a part of the requirement on the MCSA (microsoft certified system administrator) A+ and network+ is labeled as part of the requirement of the MCSA course. If you pass these two courses, there is only three exams to get the MCSA cert.

Have you achieved MCSA status yet? That 70-291 exam was one hella bitch. I went the route of going A+ and Net+ to fill an elective, but that wasn't such a smart move. I'll end up having to make up for an elective in MCSE... or take Security+, but I'm sure Exchange would be more handy.

 

[RancidWAnnaRIot]

i'm A+ certified.. and i don't know.. lol.. i mean i did learn a lot.. but you learn much more from experience and going on forums like this one..

 

[wallijonn]

I took the A+ when it first came out over 10 years ago. I think I finished the test in under 25 minutes. The only other CmpTIA test that was easier was Network+. I think I finished that test in 20 minutes.

Today's A+ is supposedly broken up into two parts, so you have to take two tests. In my A+ test there were a lot of laser printer questions (about 50%) and Mac questions.

I'm just glad that there are starting to be more IT jobs. It's been a drought for the past three years.

I failed the Server+ test by 1 point because I refused to give them the questions they wanted. It was a riduclous test not based on reality.

I also failed the W2K Serve test as you need Network Infrastructure, Network Administration and Active Directory knowledge. To take the W2K Workstation test you will need to have W2K Server knowledge under your belt.

Here in Phoenix MCSEs get paid about $25,000 a year. It's better to service air conditioners or be an electrician. A+ tech salaries start at $6 an hour and typically top out at $9 an hour. You could drive a city bus and make more. Water meter readers are getting $32,000 a year. Cable company installers / techs are getting $30,000 to $35,000 a year. You figure it out.

If you are an electrician, mason, carpenter, or cement / concrete man, you'd have a job in Florida right now.

 

[RancidWAnnaRIot]

I took the A+ when it first came out over 10 years ago. I think I finished the test in under 25 minutes. The only other CmpTIA test that was easier was Network+. I think I finished that test in 20 minutes.

Today's A+ is supposedly broken up into two parts, so you have to take two tests. In my A+ test there were a lot of laser printer questions (about 50%) and Mac questions.

I'm just glad that there are starting to be more IT jobs. It's been a drought for the past three years.

I failed the Server+ test by 1 point because I refused to give them the questions they wanted. It was a riduclous test not based on reality.

I also failed the W2K Serve test as you need Network Infrastructure, Network Administration and Active Directory knowledge. To take the W2K Workstation test you will need to have W2K Server knowledge under your belt.

Here in Phoenix MCSEs get paid about $25,000 a year. It's better to service air conditioners or be an electrician. A+ tech salaries start at $6 an hour and typically top out at $9 an hour. You could drive a city bus and make more. Water meter readers are getting $32,000 a year. Cable company installers / techs are getting $30,000 to $35,000 a year. You figure it out.

If you are an electrician, mason, carpenter, or cement / concrete man, you'd have a job in Florida right now.

i got certified about 3 years ago.. the test then.. and i'm sure it's still the same.. was two parts.. a hardware part.. called the Core.. and a software part.. the software was mainly on Win NT/XP stuff


or maybe they changed it???

 

[RancidWAnnaRIot]

I remember there was this question on my exam.. i laughed so hard during the exam.. it was something like this

Which of the following is not a real type of RAM

A) DIMM
B)SIMM
C)TIM

i don't know... i just found it funny.. tim.. lol.. i still laugh about it when i think about it..

 

[aug1516]

I'll be taking the A+ test here in the next week or so, I could let you know then. I do know that there are still 2 tests, the OS, and Core. I believe the newest format is 80 questions per test, no more adaptive testing.

 

[RancidWAnnaRIot]

I'll be taking the A+ test here in the next week or so, I could let you know then. I do know that there are still 2 tests, the OS, and Core. I believe the newest format is 80 questions per test, no more adaptive testing.

Oh they stopped the adaptive testing?? i remember the adaptive test came into effect a week after i got certified.. lol

 

[Scorpionjwp]

Yes versello, I have got my certification in my Mcsa, took the A+ course which was easy, took the network+ course in two months. Now to find a job that will give you experience to use the mcsa certification. You may have the paper to say your certified, but trying to find work relying on the certification is useless, unless you have experience to back it up.

Lets just put it this way, what I learned from a teacher that knew 30years worth of pc knowledge, I learned in 6 months from him.
Having to know some about pc hardware will help you out more for passing the A+ exam. Than a person who has never worked with pc hardware, take the test and fail it.

I am two tests down from completing my mcse. Taking network security design and will be taking exchange server. I am however taking the windows 2000 course first, I plan to finish it up, get a job, then take the upgrade to windows 2003 server.

In order to upgrade up to windows 2003 server, you have to pass 2 tests and I am not sure which ones. The A+ test I took and other people took still use adaptive testing.

 

[darktiger]

A+ was real easy, done with both test in less than 20minutes. With like a 97 and 95....