What should you expect of a CompTIA A+ Practice Test?
First is First: The Exam Objectives
This includes two “firsts” (can you really have more than one first?):
The first commandment in our Ten Commandments to IT Cert Prep.
First comes the exam objectives as there can’t be a meaningful A+ practice without first starting by mastering the CompTIA A+ exam objectives.
The practice test should be Software Based
Because the main CompTIA exams all include interactive performance based questions you need your practice test to be software. Additionally the test at Pearson/VUE being taken on a computer only software will be able to replicate that experience. Replicating that experience entails, 1) mimicking the performance based questions, 2) replicating the navigation at the testing center, and 3) simulating the exam including timing so you can really be prepared. The exam simulation must include the same type and number of questions as there is on the actual exam. A good A+ practice test will allow you to “take the test from the comfort of your home” before taking it “from the anxiety of the test center”.
Performance Based Questions are Key
You need your A+ practice test to be software based not only for the navigation of it all but you also need these questions to help you apply the type of problem solving this question type requires. Scroll down to the bottom of this page and click on the image, it will take you to a narrated and explained video of a CompTIA A+ performance based question in CertBlaster.
You need massive amounts of questions
Because “practice makes perfect” your practice test must include large numbers of questions. The more questions there are the later rote memorization will set in and the better prepared you will be for the variety of questions present at the exam. Rote memorization of answers is probably the largest contribution to failures at the CompTIA exams. Why? Because when candidates work that way they are not acquiring the fundamental knowledge behind the exam objectives. This means that any little change in the formulation of the question at the exam will through them off. If all it took to succeed at these exams was to memorize a bunch of questions then the exam would not be worth much as far as predicting how well a candidate would do on a job that always will throw unexpected situations at you.
E) Proper feedback helps you focus on the right things
Not only do you need an overall score on your practice tests, you should also get a break down on how you did at each exam objective. Of course you should get answers but also explanations letting you understand why the correct answer is indeed correct. You should also get enough reports that you can be properly guided as to what to do next or what exactly to study next. The practice test software must provide not only the guidance but also the tools necessary to apply meaningful remediation based on that guidance. This is a critical factor in helping you determine if you are really ready for the exam or not. Click here for a CompTIA A+ practice test demo.
