CompTIA A-plus Certification Overview

Introduction

• James Messer presents the content.
• Certification is popular in IT; often a prerequisite for IT jobs.
• Managed by CompTIA - a vendor-neutral organization.
• CompTIA is a significant provider of IT certifications worldwide.

Course Details

• Hosted on Professor Messer's website and YouTube channel.
• Content is free, no paywall or registration needed.
• The course is divided into small, focused video segments.

Exams Covered

• Two main exams: 220-1101 (Core 1) and 220-1102 (Core 2).
• Both exams released on April 20, 2022.

Core 1 Exam (220-1101)

• Domains:
  1. Mobile devices
  2. Networking
  3. Hardware
  4. Virtualization and cloud computing
  5. Hardware and network troubleshooting
• Duration: 90 minutes
• Questions: Up to 90
• Passing score: 675 out of 900

Core 2 Exam (220-1102)

• Domains:
  1. Operating systems
  2. Security
  3. Software troubleshooting
  4. Operational procedures
• Duration: 90 minutes
• Questions: Up to 90
• Passing score: 700 out of 900

Exam Details

• Exams must be passed before retirement (about 3.5 years lifespan).
• No order requirement for taking the exams.
• Performance-based questions included besides multiple-choice.
• CompTIA exam objectives outline everything needed for exams.

Study Recommendations

• CompTIA exam objectives are crucial; serve as a checklist.
• Engage with video courses, books, and practical labs.
• Practice exams are recommended.
• Videos are numbered according to CompTIA exam objectives for easy reference.

Testing

• Consider visiting testing center to familiarize with the environment.
• Online testing available with specific requirements.
• Arrive early to review notes and get comfortable.
• Utilize time management strategies during exams.

Resources

• Professor Messer website offers extensive resources:
  • Complete video courses
  • Course notes for purchase
  • Labs and book recommendations
• Community chat via Discord: professormesser.com/discord
• Event calendar for live study groups: professormesser.com/calendar

Conclusion

• Encouragement to start A-plus studies with provided resources.
• Support available through live study groups and community chats.