Certification Exam Study Resources

As a student who is majoring in Cybersecurity and Networking, I have discovered an entire world of industry certifications I didn't even know existed. For example: the CCST (Cisco Certified Support Technician) certification, the CompTIA Network+, Security+, CySA+, Linux+, PenTest+, and many others. I did know about A+, but CompTIA wasn't the ones governing that exam when I first heard about it. And these don't even begin to cover other certifications you can find for tech industries such as web or software development, AI, and more.

Unfortunately, these exams are not free (at least the ones I hold aren't). They can get quite pricey. For example:

As you can see they can add up quickly. The CompTIA A+ is actually two exams, for Core 1 and Core 2, which means you pay for two exams, not just one. And let's not get started on the cost of the CISSP exam, which you can't even take until you've worked in the Cybersecurity industry for a minimum of five years ($749).

With all that money on the line, you're going to want to pass these exams on the first try if at all possible. I remember my instructors for Principles of Information Assurance (CCST Cybersecurity), Network+, and Security+ telling us not to be upset if we didn't pass on the first try, that the exams are difficult and hardly anyone passes on the first try. Well, that's not entirely true. A lot of people pass on the first try - myself and my roommate included, as well as the majority of my classmates.

But studying for and passing these exams can seem daunting. I mean, it is a lot of information to cover, but it can be done. So how do you do it? By finding resources of course! I'll be focusing on the CompTIA certifications as I currently hold two of those, am working on a third, and frankly, they're the ones (besides CISSP, which an entry level position won't ask you for) that I see most often in entry level job listings.

Study Materials

There are a myriad of study materials you can find to help you learn what will be on the exams. Some of them are free, some are paid for.

CompTIA Training Materials

On CompTIA's website, under the Certifications link, you can find information about the various industry-recognized certifications that CompTIA offers. Along with the information, you have the opportunity to purchase exam vouchers (usually good for a full year after purchase) and training materials such as courses or labs from CompTIA themselves.

Udemy/LinkedIn Learning/Pluralsight

Websites such as Udemy, LinkedIn Learning, and Pluralsight offer video-based courses that can help you learn the information you need for the exams.

On Udemy, you have two options - you can either purchase each course you wish to take one by one, or you can subscribe for a monthly or yearly period to access courses.

With LinkedIn Learning and Pluralsight, you pay a subscription fee either monthly or yearly and have access to their entire library of courses about just about anything. I have noticed that LinkedIn Learning tends not to update quite as often as Pluralsight does, so be aware that you might find courses on LinkedIn Learning that are for outdated versions of the exams.

Study Guides (Books!)

One of my favorite ways to study is via books. As in study guides. There are a plethora of study guides out there for the various certifications, but I have two favorites.

Sybex Study Guides

Sybex is an imprint of Wiley, the textbook publisher. They publish exam study guides, review guides, and even practice exams. Right now I'm using their CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202) study guides to prepare for the A+ exam. I got a set of two study guide books on Amazon for $39 + tax. Amazon offers the full set of two study guides, a review guide, and a book of practice exams for around $85, give or take a dollar or two.

Sybex has study guides for A+, Network+, Security+, Linux+, and more. They're great guides, written by industry experts. Many libraries carry copies of these guides, both physical and digital, so if you don't want to spend the money, try your local library. Just be aware that if a new edition has recently come out, your library may not have it yet!

McGraw-Hill Exam Guides

There are many versions including A+, Network+, Linux+, and more, many written by Mike Meyers. These books tend to take a while to be released after new exam versions are released, so be aware that if the exam has recently been updated, you may not find a current book from McGraw-Hill for it. Many libraries also carry the McGraw-Hill books. I have found that I don't generally get much use out of these, as I'm usually unable to find an edition that matches the current version of the exam I'm about to take.

Quizlet

I know this seems to be an odd thing to say, but I love Quizlet! You can find flashcards and study sets for just about any subject - including CompTIA certifications there. Or, if you've got a study guide and you're not getting a concept, you can make your own flashcards to study from! Quizlet is free, but there is a paid tier if you feel you need it.

Friends in the Industry

If you have friends who work in the industry you plan to enter and who have these certifications themselves, ask them to give you a hand. If they've taken the exams recently, they might have access to study materials they'll let you borrow. I know my roommate is always willing to let me borrow his study guides, log me into his IPTV account, and quiz me on concepts.

Professor Messer on YouTube

If you are working on the CompTIA A+, Network+, or Security+ exams, then you are going to want to go find Professor Messer. You can search his name on YouTube, go to this link Professor Messer on YouTube, or go to his website.

Professor Messer has a video series for each core of the A+ exam, the Network+ exam, and the Security+ exam where he goes over and teaches you the things you need to know for the exams. He also hosts monthly live study sessions on YouTube for each exam, as well has hosting a Discord channel where there are study groups, places to ask questions, and more. On his website, there is also the option to purchase his exam notes for each exam either in PDF or hard-copy form. He is one of my favorite resources.

Study Tips

Now that you've figured out a few resources, here are a couple of tips I've come up with over the various times of studying for these certifications.

Pre-Assess Yourself

If you are using books like the Sybex Study Guides or McGraw-Hill All-in-One Exam Guides, there will be a pre-assessment to see how much you already know (you'd be amazed and how much you already know) and see where the holes in your knowledge are.

Each chapter will have an end-of-chapter review quiz. It sounds silly, but find that quiz and take it before you read the chapter. That way, you can see how much of the material you already know. A good rule of thumb that my roommate taught me was if you get a 90% on the quiz, you probably don't need to read the whole chapter, just find and review the stuff you missed. If you get less than a 90%, you should read the whole chapter.

Take the Review Quiz

Again, if you are using books and there is one, take the review quiz at the end of the chapter. Even if you took it as a pre-assessment, if you ended up having to read the entire chapter, take the review quiz again to see if you understand the material.

Take Notes

It doesn't matter if you're reading a book or watching a video series, take notes. Take a lot of them. Seriously. Take notes! You'll thank yourself later.

If you don't like taking notes from reading material and you own the study guides (please, don't do this with study guides borrowed from libraries or friends), then grab a highlighter (or five) and highlight what you think is important. I personally have a system - when I take the review quiz as a pre-assessment, I highlight that material for questions I missed in green. When I take the review quiz again at the end, anything I miss is highlighted in pink in the material (unless I got the same questions wrong). But find a system that works for you!

If you're watching a video series, depending on what video series you're watching, you can take notes by copying down slides, pausing the video as needed. You can even take screenshots if you're notes are digital. I tend to use Notion to take my notes on the Professor Messer videos, and I pause them to get all the info on the slide. If the slide is a diagram, chart, etc., then I take a screenshot of the slide and put it in my notes.

Use the Pomodoro Method

Don't just cram info into your brain. Use a timing method like pomodoro (the Italian word for tomato of all things) to help you. I usually use a 25/5 or 50/10 structure - basically I study for 25 minutes and have a 5 minute break or 50 minutes with a 10 minute break. This helps you retain the knowledge better, give your eyes and brain a rest, and it breaks up studying into smaller, more manageable pieces (at least according to your brain).

If you are watching videos, there are several apps that you can use on your phone - the clock app and just set a timer for 25 or 50 minutes, then another time for 5 or 10 minutes for your break, apps like Study Bunny, Focus To-Do, Forest, and many others. Just search your app store for study, focus, or pomodoro apps. Some of the apps are free, others you'll have to pay for. I personally like Study Bunny, an app that has a little bunny has your study buddy - you can customize its room, have it wear clothes, give it ramen and coffee, etc. It's just fun.

If you're reading books or articles online, however, a great way to use the pomodoro method is to find "study with me" videos on YouTube. There are several channels that offer these types of videos - The Hanoi Chamomile, Emmalilyn, Celine, Abao in Tokyo, and pike channel are my favorites, but there are tons of others. Some of them even specify what they are studying so if you're in that particular field, you can study with them (although those are usually medical students).

Study with me videos are generally pomodoro method videos that play soft music (either piano, soft jazz, or lofi) while you study, but some videos just have light sound effects like wind blowing or coffee shop ambience instead. They'll have a timer that counts down - usually 25/5 or 50/10 but I have seen some videos with other schemes. These videos can be anywhere from one to twelve or more hours long. They are a fun way to study, especially if you don't want to feel like you're studying alone.

Well, that's all for now! I hope these resources and tips have helped you. Good luck on studying for and passing your exams!

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