FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT A+

The following are frequently asked questions about the A+ exams.

1. How many questions are on the A+ exams?

The Essentials (601) exam consists of 100 questions.
The Technician (602) exam consists of 90 questions.
The Remote Support Technician (603) consists of 90 questions.
The Depot Technician (604) consists of 90 questions.

2. How long are the exams?

You have a 90 minute time limit to complete each exam.

3. What are the minimum scores for pass for each exam?
Essentials (601) minimum pass score is 675.
Technician (602) minimum pass score is 700.
Remote Support Technician (603) minimum pass score is 700.
Depot Technician (604) minimum pass score is 700.

4. What format are the exams taken in?

The Comptia exams are linear format, computer based exams.

5. How do I schedule the exams?

There are two companies that deal with scheduling for the exams
Prometric (1-800-776-4276) and Vue (1-877-551-7587) you must call one
of the two companies to find a testing center near you and schedule
your exams.
Payment will be taken at the time you schedule your
exams either by credit card, debit card, etc.
If for some reason you have to reschedule your exams, you must
do it no later than 24 hours before you are scheduled to take the
exams or you risk forfeit of your payment.
Comptia customer service number is (1-630-678-8300) if you have
indepth questions or need assistance.

6. How long does it take to receive my certifications from Comptia?

On average it take between 4-6 weeks to receive your certs. via mail.

7. Should I do self study or take a class to prepare for the exams?

This is an individual choice. You can study and pass the exams
without attending a formal class if you have the motivation, dedication,
and good study habbits. Some people learn better in a structured class
but it is not required.
A structured class can give you hands on experience if you do not have
any or very little. If you have the time and fincacial means to attend a
college, it is always a good investment towards your future.

8. What kind of job will I be able to get once I have obtained my certs?
The A+ certs. prepare you for an entry level postition in the IT field.
Many employers are requiring their employees to be certified before
hiring or requiring them to obtain their certs to maintain employement.
If you already have your certifications, you will have the advantage
over someone that does not applying for the same position.

9. What is the cost of the exams?

The A+ exams cost $163.00 per exam.

10. How much will the exams cost if I obtain a voucher?

 Prices of vouchers varies depending on where you obtain your voucher.
If obtained through Prometric or Vue you the exams will cost you around
$128.00 but this price could vary at times. You should shop around to
find the best price possible.

11. How long are the certification good for?

The certification are good for life. You will not have to renew them once
you have completed the certifications.

12. What are the requirements to complete certification?

You must take the Essentials exam, then you can choose either the 602,
603, or 604 as your elective exam. You must pass both the Essentials and
the elective exam you chose in order to complete the certification.

13. What book or study guide is the best?

It does not really matter which book you use as long as it covers the
exam objectives for the specific exam you are going to take. The book
or study guide must be up to date and should be the latest version
published.
You should always choose a study resource that is easy for you to
understand, has good illustrations, is concise and well written, and
one that you feel comfortable with.

14. How long should I study before taking the exams?

This is another individual deceision. Everyone studies and learns at
different rates. On average you should spend about 3 months preparing
for your exams, but you can take as little or as much time as you
need to prepare. Remember it is not a race.

15. How hard are the exams?

Again this is an individual deceision. It depends on how well prepared
you are and it helps to have real world experience. Some people think
some of the exams are easier than others.

16. Is the 601 and 602 similiar?

The exams are similiar in knowledge base, but the 602 has some
differences. Every exam is different because comptia has thousands of
questions to pull from, so no two exams will ever be exactly alike.
Knowing the content of the exam objectives is where you will see the
difference between the two exams.

17. How long between exams do I have to take each exam?

There is no time period between the exams. You can take the Essentials
one month then take your elective exam 3-6-9 months later. The only time
you would have to complete the certification in a time period is if comptia
revises their exams, so if you do not want to have to start all over you must
complete them before the revision takes effect.
Comptia on average revises their exams about every 2-3 years.

18. Are there any vista operating system questions on the exams?
At this specific time there are no vista questions on the exams. You will
probably not see any until the next revision.

19. Can I take my two exams on the same day?

Yes you can schedule both your exams on the same day, but you need
to make sure you are fully prepared. It is sometimes better to take one
exam then the other a few days later.
20. If I take the exam and fail do I have to pay for the retake?
Yes, everytime you take the exams you will have to pay the same price
as you did the first time.

21. What is the difference between the 2006, 2007, and 2008 version?
There is not difference between them, they all are the 2006 standard
of the exams. Some people just put the year down they took the exam,
they all are still considered the 2006 standard version.

22. What certifications should I work towards after A+?

Most people start working on Networking + and Security + usually in
that order. It really depends on where you want your career to progress
but Net+ and Sec+ can be used as electives on the Microsoft certs.

23. Is the Comptia certifications recognized world wide?

For the most part Comptia certifications are recognized world wide.

24. Will being A+ certified help in starting my own business?

In a sense yes it will help if you start your own business because it
will demonstrate to your customers that you have the skills and
technical knowledge to be proficient in your job, therefore gaining
your customers trust.

25. Is it worth getting certified?

With out a doubt the answer is yes. It helps show your proficient and
knowledgable and employers are requiring employees to be certified
now.

26. Can I pass the exams without practical experience?

Yes, you can still pass the exams without having no or little hands
on experience. It would be extremely helpful if you did have some
hands on experience though.

27. What are the differences between the certification?

Essential prepares you to have a general knowledge base.
(602) Technician prepares you to work on systems, deal with customers,
troubleshoot, etc.
(603) Remote Support Assistant prepares you to deliver technical
support to customers via online and phone.
(604) Depot Technician prepares you for indepth hardware support more
so than dealing with operating systems, but you must still know technical
information about operating systems.

28. Do I really need to know all the information coverd in the objectives?
Yes, the objectives covers the areas that a technician must be proficient
in, in order to pass the exams and deliver real world technical support.

29. How much will I be making when I obtain my A+ certs?

That really depends on the area you live in. Every place offers different
salaries and such for different jobs. You will have to do some
research in your local area to find what jobs are available and what
these jobs rate of pay are.

30. Where can I find good practice exams for A+?

ProProf has the quizschool feature that offers a variety of practice
exams to help in your A+ preparation.

31. What are braindumps?

 Braindumps are companies or websites that sell real exam questions
basically stolen from Comptia by test takers. This practice is illegal
and could cause you considerable damage if you are caught using
them, so the best policy is to stay away from them and earn your certs
honestly instead of cheating by memorizing the answers to questions.

32. Are the questions and answers on the exams multiple choice?
Yes the computer based exams have multiple choice answers. Some
questions are tricky and must be read carefully in order to find what
exactly the question is asking for. There are a lot of instances where
you must choose the BEST question from the choices you have.

33. Are there any IRQ or CPU questions on the exams?

Every exam is different so it is important to remeber that. While a
majority of the questions may not be on these subjects, do not be
surprised if you see 1-2 related to them. It is important to at least
be familiar with the IRQs and the most currently used CPU and
sockets.

34. Do employers really care about exam scores?

The majority of employers do not care about your exam score
and will usually not ask what it was. Their main concern are that
you have the certification and you know what you are doing.

35. If I have a 2003 standard book will I need to buy a 2006 standard
book?
You need to have a study guide or book that covers the 2006 standard
objectives. The 2003 will still be useful in some areas, but it will not
cover everything you need to know. It would be to your advantage
to buy a updated study resource.

36. Do I have to take the Essentials first or can I take my elective first?
You do not have to take the Essentials first although it would probably
be better if you did, but you can take any exam first.

37. If I have passed one section of the old 2003 standards will I have to
start over and retake the new 2006 standard exams or will the section
I took and passed still count?
No, you will have to retake the entire 2006 standards if you only completed
one section of the old 2003 standards. Every time Comptia revises their
exams if you have not completed the required 2 exams, you will have
to retake the new revision standards.

38. If I am A+ certified from 2003 standards will I have to retake the 2006
standards?
No, when you complete the exam requirements for a standard you do
not have to retake the exams with the new standards unless you just
wish to do so.

39. Is OS and Hardware combined on the 2006 standards or are they

seperate?
Yes, the 2006 standards combine both hardware and operating
systems together on the exams. The hardware and operating
system exams were the old 2003 standards.

40. Is Windows 9x/me on the 2006 exam standards?

No, Windows 9x/me are no covered on the 2006 exam standards
so you will not see questions covering them. Windows xp/2000 are
both covered on the 2006 exam standards.

41. What is the url for Comptia's official website?

The official website for Comptia is http://www.comptia.org

These are the most commonly asked questions concerning the A+ exams and
certifications. I hope this helps members find answers to the questions they
may have concerning this topic. Good luck to everyone on their exams!

Created by bobby1234 3/2/08 and uploaded to http://www.ProProf.com A+ forum

section