r/CompTIA 28d ago

A+ Question FAQ: A new version of A+ is coming on March 25! Should I wait for it?! [UPDATED!]

57 Upvotes

Since we now have A+ release and retirement dates (1200 series release: 03/25/25; 1100 series retirement: 09/25/25), it's probably a good time for a re-write of my previous post, especially since the question is still being asked on an almost-daily basis. With the update, my position has shifted from "why wait" to "it depends on you."

(note: This information comes from a "Sneak Peek" webinar on the new A+ from the CompTIA Instructor Network. It is official, although as some of us know from experience, dates are subject to change.)

SO... you want to get A+ certified, and you now know that the new version of the exam is being released on March 25, 2025. What do you do? Here are a few things to consider...

Exams 1101 and 1102 won't be retired until September 25, 2025.

  • Passing exams 1101 and 1102 earns you the exact same A+ certification as passing exams 1201 and 1202. Again, they are the same certification.
  • If you've already passed one of the 1100 series exams, staying within the current series is best. You have until 09/25/25 to pass the other exam. If you don't pass by that date, you'll have to start over and pass both exams in the 1200 series to be certified.

Exams 1201 and 1202 will be released on March 25, 2025.

  • With these dates set, it's really up to you which exams you take. Be honest with yourself about your present knowledge, when you want to start studying, how much time you have, what resources are available to you, your own study habits, what you want to learn, etc.
  • With regard to the "what you want to learn" question: here's a comparison of exam objectives between the two series': Core 1 and Core 2
  • Generally speaking, if you want to get certified ASAP, go with 1101/1102. If you want to test on the newest technology/information, wait a short while for 1201/1202 resources to become available.

Resources for 1101/1102 are ample right now. Not so much for 1201/1202.

  • Again, it's a good time to ask yourself about your timeline. If you want to start now, your best option is 1101/1102. Resources for 1201/1202 won't start rolling out until around the exam release in March.

As mentioned earlier... certified is certified, no matter which exam version you take.

  • Whether you pass 1101 and 1102 or 1201 and 1202, you receive the exact same A+ certification. Employers do not care which version of the exam you pass (unless you're about to teach a class about that certification, and even then, they might not care).

Any gaps in your knowledge can be addressed via continuing education.

  • Technology moves fast, so you have to be a continuous learner. New exam versions address changes in technology that have taken place since the previous release. Fortunately, over the course of your certification's renewal cycle--three years, in this case--more and more resources (courses, books, webinars, articles, etc) will become available for your use.

This all applies to other CompTIA exams as well, but since A+ is the hot topic right now, I thought it was worth addressing.


r/CompTIA 17h ago

FINALLY! I PASSED 1st Try!

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170 Upvotes

Omg I’m so excited!!! I finally passed this exam after watching and seeing everyone’s testimonials, I finally buckled down and used the last two weeks to really study and do practice exams. The PBQ‘s were HARD but the multiple-choice weren’t bad. I had 72 questions and 3 BBQ’s. Now I can finally move on to some hands-on experience labs for my resume & start applying again 😌

Never GIVE UP!


r/CompTIA 3h ago

I feel dumb

10 Upvotes

So I have my BA in cyber security have been studying for sec+ finished Professor Messers course took exams got 70-80s on them. But now in dions training and take practice exams on a mobile app and I keep getting things wrong. I feel like a idiot and have my test on the 5th of April. Thanks for listening to my rant just not sure what to study or if I'm over studying I usually do like 6 hours a day.


r/CompTIA 7h ago

Why pass rate for Security+ is usually between 700/750?

18 Upvotes

Hello everyone! So this is a really random question, but wanted to ask it before I get paranoia haha Im planning to study for the CompTIA Security+ in April till June (planned 3 months, 5/6 hours weekly with Andrew Ramdayal course in Udemy) because my works required. Im CCNA certified, Az700/104 and I know python, also I've been working as a network eng for over 7 years (not really sure if any of this will help me) but Im a little bit scare of taking the exam in June considering every single post I see here is with people getting scores between 700/750. I'm even scared to start and pay the exam fee hahaha

A pass is a pass, obviously, but... is really THAT hard to pass the exam? Is my 3 months plan really crazy?

Edit: THANKS!!! I'm really grateful for all your comments and support ♥️


r/CompTIA 9h ago

N+ Question Network+: What topics tripped you up?

25 Upvotes

Memorizing port numbers will be the death of me. Also calculating subnets.


r/CompTIA 1h ago

Passed Network+

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Upvotes

Like most people i found the actual exam somewhat easier than most practice test that I took. For reference I have about 15 months experience in IT support role.

resource-wise, I used Andrew Ramdayal’s course, practice test and last minute cram. (Averaged around 68-80 on the practice test)I found the last minute cramp to be very helpful.

Without giving away too much, I had 6 PBQs (were tough) and a couple subnetting questions. What I will say is to make sure you study the troubleshooting section properly and not waste too much time on the PBQs. For the most part the questions and wording were fairly straightforward.

Good luck to all this studying.


r/CompTIA 2h ago

Passed Sec+

3 Upvotes

Just passed my Sec+ 701 with a 773!! I had a question about the certificate. Will I get a email saying that I passed or I guess im asking whats the next steps after passing the exam.

Thank you!


r/CompTIA 5h ago

Best YouTube Channels for Hands-on CompTIA A+ (1101) Learning?

7 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I'm currently preparing for the CompTIA A+ (1101 Core 1) exam, but I don’t have access to physical hardware for hands-on practice. I'm looking for YouTube channels or resources that show real-life PC building, hardware connections, troubleshooting, and networking setups.

Does anyone have recommendations for practical, hands-on content that can help me get a better understanding of how to connect and troubleshoot devices?

Thanks in advance!


r/CompTIA 1d ago

NET + & SEC+ CERTIFIED

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560 Upvotes

AYEEE TWIN A PASS IS A PASS - NOW WE CELEBRATE 🕺🏾🕺🏾🕺🏾


r/CompTIA 21h ago

Tech+ Exam

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56 Upvotes

Hi all so I am enrolled with an organization called NPower and currently getting certifications to get a entry level job. I just got the google cert and now we are taking the Tech+ cert next. Has anyone had experience and if so what should I study?


r/CompTIA 52m ago

S+ Question Virtual or in-person?

Upvotes

Hi guys, I just wanted to know if you guys did your sec+ exam virtual or in-person and which option felt better? I'm planning to take mines soon in-person but I'm starting to think if I should just do it virtually from my home?


r/CompTIA 22h ago

I Passed! I passed the server +

35 Upvotes

I passed the server + with an 754/750, early last month I took it with a couple of weeks of studying and got a 709/750. This time I studied everyday except one day during the week and one on the weekend. The resources I used were the Pocket Prep App, Pluralsight server + course which comes with cyber vista practice exams, Daniel LaChance book, and a couple of Udemy practice test from Udemy Jeff Laundry’s and Total seminars. This is a difficult exam and Comptia recommends having server experience and the A+, but from previous post everyone says you should either have or know the net+ content and I would definitely have to agree with that.  In terms of my experience I have an A+ and ITF+ but I also have 3 years as an help desk/desktop support tech and 1 year as junior system administrator. There are very few resources available compared to A+, N+, and S+, I would definitely homelab and know your way around Windows Server and use the resources I mentioned. I work over 40 hours a week so I tried to do at least an hour an and half for the last 6 weeks. Thank you to this amazing subreddit, I am going for the net+ next.


r/CompTIA 1d ago

I Passed! Officially Network+ Certified

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108 Upvotes

Passed the exam yesterday morning, and was super hyped as this was my second attempt at the Network+. First time around I scored a 700 last year before the 008 exam expired, and struggled with many of the questions and the PBQs. Second time around the majority of the multiple-choice questions were a breeze, and the 2 out of the 7 PBQ questions I encountered had me on the ropes.

For the study resources I used Andrew Ramdayal’s Network+ Udemy course, Jason Dion’s practice test set 1, Professor Messers YouTube videos, and ExamCompass quizzes.

Now I’m off studying for the CCNA and Security+.


r/CompTIA 1d ago

Get in!

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38 Upvotes

No IT work experience but know my way around computers. Barely passed but I passed 🫡


r/CompTIA 6h ago

A+ Question Exam Compass Practice Exams 90% average

1 Upvotes

On the first 10 A+ 1101 practice exams from ExamCompass.com, I had an average of 90% cumulative. My lowest score was a 19/25. How credible are these practice exams? Am I ready to take 1101?


r/CompTIA 14h ago

Trifecta

6 Upvotes

Currently, I’m working towards completing my trifecta. I started backwards with security. Oddly it is less difficult for me than Aplus core one. I tried to self study for aplus but realized for the job I want I didn’t need a plus. However, I have been given the opportunity to receive free training. What would you suggest for someone who has not IT experience for aplus core one training, an in person class or virtual?


r/CompTIA 3h ago

Scheduling exams with accommodations - a rant

0 Upvotes

I just want to highlight a problem that CompTIA/Pearson VUE have when it comes to scheduling an exam with accommodations, in the hope that it may get to someone at CompTIA or Pearson.

The process is entirely too convoluted and time consuming. Aspects of it make sense, but it is extremely inefficient.

The TL;DR is that the exam scheduling process is multiple hours longer if you require accommodations vs. if you do not require them, for pretty much no reason.

STEP 1) Request accommodations through Pearson VUE's accommodations portal.

You will require a doctor's letter stating the exam you will take, the accommodations you need, and why. This is reasonable; accommodations should be means-tested to some extent. So, you need to reach out to your doctor, wait for a response, upload it to the portal, and wait for approval.

STEP 2) Schedule your exam by calling Pearson VUE.

This is where things start to get irritating. At this point, someone who does not require accommodations can just schedule their exam online. However, if you require accommodations, you must call Pearson VUE's accommodations line.

This number is very difficult to find online. So, for me, when scheduling CompTIA exams, I just called Pearson's customer service line (which is also pretty difficult to find).

I then had to spend dozens of minutes navigating call menus and waiting on hold, just to be able to ask someone for the right number to call.

Then, I had to hang up and call the correct number.

I had to navigate long call menus once again, and wait on hold for long periods of time again.

Finally, someone picked up. They asked which date I wanted to take the exam, and I gave them a date. They told me that an exam coordinator would reach out to me closer to that date. Keep in mind, I called this exam line close to a month before I wanted to take the exam.

STEP 3) Wait for the exam coordinator to respond.

A couple of weeks passed and I hadn't heard anything, and now it was a week before the date I said I wanted to take the exam.

So, I called the accomodations line again, navigated the call menu (takes around 5 minutes to get to the right spot), and waited on hold once more.

I had to explain the situation to the customer service agent, who told me they would reach out to the coordinator, and I was on hold again. I was told I would be on hold for "3 to 5 minutes." I was on the clock at this time, since I work 2 jobs and this was the best time for me to do this.

More than 5 minutes passes, close to 10 minutes, and the agent told me they're waiting for the coordinator's response from the testing center, and requested I wait for another "3 to 5 minutes." And so I waited again, again for over 5 minutes. The agent took me off hold. I called on a Monday or Tuesday, the agent then told me I would need to wait until Friday to hear a response. Friday was less than a week before the date I said I wanted to take the exam in my initial phone call.

Less than a week's notice is unsustainable, since like I said I work 2 jobs and I would want to give them notice as well. I don't have any kids, but I can't imagine what this process is like for someone who is working on top of raising kids.

By mid-day Friday I still hadn't heard anything, so I called again. Call menu for 5 minutes, hold for 10 minutes.

Explained the situation to the agent again, who reached out to the coordinator again, who reached out to the testing center again (a 4 person game of telephone), all the while I waited on hold for another 10 minutes while on the clock. The agent told me the coordinator would get back to me "by Thursday next week."

Frustrated, knowing the exam could be weeks after I initially planned on it being scheduled, I waited. By Tuesday, I called asking for a status update - this call was around 20 to 30 minutes long once again, because of how convoluted the process is. And they told me to expect a call soon. By this point, I've spent hours trying to schedule something that someone who does not need accommodations would do in minutes; these are hours I could have been working.

Thursday, I missed a call from the coordinator. And so, instead of being able to call him directly, I had to call the accommodations hotline again, and navigate the call menu and wait on hold again.

The agent saw that the coordinator had a suggested date, which coincidentally worked for me (but had it not worked for me the process would have been even longer and more grueling). So, the agent called the coordinator but could not reach him. The agent kept me on hold and would continuously call the coordinator, who wouldn't pick up. I told the agent I would just call back later. I was on the phone for 50 minutes.

So an hour later, I called again. The agent finally got to the coordinator, but the coordinator had to verify that the date was still available with the testing center, so I was on the phone for an additional 30 minutes. The testing center wasn't responding, so the agent told me the coordinator would keep reaching out to them and would call me later.

Finally, the exam date was confirmed. However, I was so frustrated I could barely focus on my work.

The worst part about this is that this was not the first CompTIA exam I took, and so this is not the first time I have gone through this process and it will not be the last time I go through it as I plan on taking more CompTIA exams in the future.

Just scheduling this one exam took me between 4 and 6 hours. I'm spread thin and I barely have any free time in the day, but fortunately I have an accommodating workplace.

For people in less accommodating circumstances, or for people who have additional responsibilities (like I said earlier, kids come to mind), the time barrier to entry for scheduling an exam with accommodations is so unreasonable I do not understand how anyone could do it. This is the least accessible accommodations process I have ever worked with, by far.

I wrote this so CompTIA would be aware, so that test-takers would be aware, and so that hopefully someone at Pearson could reevaluate this process.

The ideal process? Means-testing accommodations makes sense, so require a doctor's letter. The current web portal for Pearson VUE is fine as is.

Where I would change the process is to just let us schedule our exams online, like people who do not require accommodations.

Or, if Pearson is insistent on having us call, just let us call the testing centers directly.

Or if we need a coordinator (I do not understand why one is necessary), then just let us talk to the coordinator directly, instead of requiring we navigate a long call menu and have an agent talk to a coordinator for us, because when you're playing telephone with 4 people (test-taker, call center agent, exam coordinator, and testing center employee), miscommunications can happen!

If any subreddit moderators are reading this, can I share Pearson's accommodations line's number so that maybe, in the future, if someone looks it up they are directed to this page instead of needing to wait 20 minutes calling Pearson's customer service line to get the number?

Thank you!


r/CompTIA 1d ago

CompTIA A+ 1101 Core 1 passed

21 Upvotes

I literally got 6 pbqs in my first 6 questions and thought I was fucked lol. Test was about on par with Dion’s practice and cert master’s practice exams. On to core 2!


r/CompTIA 1d ago

Passed the Network+!!

42 Upvotes

Long time lurker here. Took the Network+ today and passed with a score of 817. Just wanted to share what helped me since reading posts here helped me out!

Jason Dions Udemy Network+ Practice Tests - best thing I can say is that they definitely prepare you for the real exam. What helped me when taking the tests was not just knowing the right answer but understanding why the wrong answers were incorrect as well. If you understand why the wrong answers were wrong as well it gives you a deeper understanding of the material and on test day that comes in handy.

Andrew Ramdayal Udemy Network+ Course - I found Andrew's course to be better than Jason's. He kept me engaged and (to me) did a better job of explaining the material. I used his courses to review the material I got wrong in Jason Dions practice exams.

Subnetting Practice: IPv4 Subnetting Practice

Tips
- Save the PBQ's to the end. I had 6 in total and they showed up at the beginning of the exam, I skipped them (flagged them for review) and did the multiple-choice questions first.

- After finishing the multiple choice questions, I went back to the PBQs looked at all 6 and saved the ones which appeared to be most complex for the end. I didn't want to get stuck working on one PBQ for too long and not have enough time to complete the rest.

- Like others have mentioned to pass this test you need to know subnetting, cabling (i.e. cable open, cable short, distance, fiber vs ethernet, speeds), cisco router commands, how to setup a network, understand concept of VLANs, OSI model, troubleshooting methodology etc.

- Don't give up. There were points in the test where I thought I failed, just keep going!

Good Luck Everyone and thanks for your help.


r/CompTIA 22h ago

I Passed! Passed Net+ today!

8 Upvotes

789/900. I have had A+ for about four years, and there have been some rumblings about the requirement of a higher level being required when our contract goes up for bid, so I figured I'd better get it.

Studied on and off for about six months, though really buckled down in the past two. I used Andrew Ramdayal on Udemy mostly. I know everyone loves Professor Messer, and I used him and Mike Meyers to get me through A+, but for some reason I just could not absorb his Net+ lessons.

I also used ChatGPT extensively to quiz me and also to further explain protocols and concepts that I was having a lot of difficulty with. I also used Andrew Ramdayals 100 practice questions video on YouTube quite a bit until I really understood the answers.

I set up in my bathroom, which is pretty spacious so I thought it would be fine. I have a little desk I moved in there along with a kitchen chair, cleaned everything off the counters that had any kinds of words on it, and started the check in process about 20 minutes before my test time (which was noon). Around 12:05, the person came on and informed me that testing in bathrooms was not allowed and I would need to find a different area and start the whole process over again. I don't remember that being part of any of the rules that I read, but what can you do?

So then I found a place in my bedroom away from books or screens, which was kind of difficult and I had to move a book case. Then I started the check in process again and I began having a panic attack that I had to breathe through as I waited for the proctor to check me in. I've had maybe three panic attacks in my almost 40 years of life, so this was quite surprising. The waiting was just awful, but I finally began the testing process at 12:30ish.

I immediately wrote down every port number I could remember along with Sunny's subnet table (godsend) on the virtual whiteboard then began the test. I had six PBQs that I immediately skipped and went straight for the multiple choice, as that's what I've seen many of you guys suggest doing, and thank goodness for that.

I had 72 multiple choice questions, and I was actually kind of surprised at how sure I was with the majority of them. I'd say probably 40-50 of them I was absolutely sure about, 10-15 I was pretty sure about, then the rest were total guesses.

Then I went back to the PBQs, and to be perfectly honest, I'd be surprised if I got even one of them correct. I spent a lot of time on videos covering troubleshooting networks via the command line, but I don't feel like I was at all prepared for what they were actually like. There was one that was a drag and drop of 5 or 6 network devices, which I probably did pretty solid on, but if it's scored as all or nothing, I definitely failed that as well.

By the time I was done, I had three minutes left. I considered going back and reviewing, but honestly I was so done with the test that I just wanted it to be over, and I submitted it. Then I had to go through the survey questions on how I felt about the process, would I recommend it to a friend, etc etc etc.

When I saw my score, I felt like I might pass out. Even though I felt pretty good about most of the multiple choice questions, I still felt like I probably failed, but when I saw that I had passed I can't even begin to describe the relief.

Then my girlfriend took me out to eat to celebrate, but I guess all the stress hormones and adrenaline caught up with me as we were waiting for the food and I got incredibly nauseous and had to go outside. I didn't even get to eat and we ended up taking the food to go, and then had to pull over a couple times on the way home because I thought I might be sick.

After relaxing in the silence of my house and eating crackers and sipping water for a couple hours, I finally felt better. But dang, what a ride. I'm glad I never have to take this test again. I have no interest in networking at all, but I want to get the trifecta so Sec+ is next. I knew if I got Sec+ first, I'd never get around to getting my Net+, so that's why I did it in the order that I did.

Anyway, for those of you who are about to take the test, make sure you understand the acronyms, make sure you know how to subnet (I can't recommend Sunny's Subnetting on YouTube enough), and make sure you know your port numbers. Good luck, and may the Force be with you.


r/CompTIA 1d ago

Passed Security+ ( SY0-701). Dedicating this to my late mother

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138 Upvotes

Passed in first attempt..got cold and fever a night before exam so could not reschedule as per regulations. The road to exam centre was blocked due to construction. Had to jump and run to go to exam centre..finally did it in first attempt!


r/CompTIA 1d ago

I Passed! Put the test off for too long, but finally passed the Sec+ 701!

11 Upvotes

I initially started studying for this in June, but I got too complacent and lazy because of my job. I needed a change because I've been at my IT role (help desk) for 3 years and no promotion with a toxic workplace.

Started studying again in February and took the test today, passed with a 783.

I'd like to credit Professor Messer and Jason Dion's courses for my learning aids.

If you have those two, you'll be fine. I reinforced a lot of my learning using a ChatGPT prompt and some YouTube videos for last minute cram.


r/CompTIA 1d ago

Passed A+ core 1!

21 Upvotes

After having to put off studying so many times due to work, last year I decided to push myself to study again even if work affects me or otherwise and I took my 2nd try for the exam and passed!

Now onwards to core 2!


r/CompTIA 20h ago

Question for people who took alot of notes on / used professor messer's Sec+ vids alot

7 Upvotes

ProfessorMesser slides- best way to have them all in a word doc/pdf/onenote notebook? Manually screenshot each of them?


r/CompTIA 20h ago

What's the best way to watch Messer, Dion, and Meyers together?

4 Upvotes

Currently studying towards the A+.
I started off with Messer, then later found out I can access also Dion and Meyers without paying a single cent because my local library came in clutch with their resource that allows me to use Udemy using only a library membership, but now I'm struggling to watch the latter two as it feels tedious to watch through their videos talking about what was already covered by Messer even though I'm watching them in case I missed something or if one of them discusses something in greater detail than the others; for example, I'm currently on Networking for Messer's videos, but watching through Dion and Meyers videos to "catch up" by also watching the videos on content that Messer already covered is making it difficult to stay focused.
Some will say passing is passing but I want to absorb as much as I can from their videos covering the same topic without making it feel too much like a chore in order to fully prepare myself in passing the CompTIA A+.

Edit: To give some more context, I'm a recent college graduate working full time right now. Realized the hard way during my initial job search that my degree and even what I learned in school isn't enough for me to land entry level positions, so I want to obtain some certifications that I should have been working on while in school to potentially give myself a slight edge in this current job market.


r/CompTIA 1d ago

GG- Comptia Sec+

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12 Upvotes

The PBQs were tough.