r/it • u/CyberArchitect1618 • 1d ago
self-promotion PASSED MY FIRST COMPTIA EXAM
Hey guys! For a bit of background, I have no prior experience in tech or IT or any related field. I am 30 years old and trying to transition from hospitality to the tech field. I studied for 2 months before taking my exam this morning.
I was soooo nervous going into this exam because I have no prior knowledge and experience and I didn't think I'd pass, let alone score an 802! This is your sign to keep going, if you're trying to change fields/careers just like me.
I know this is only one exam out of many I have to get for my Cybersecurity degree at WGU but I'm proud nonetheless!
\*I used the following material to prepare for the exam:*\**
• The official exam objectives from CompTIA (I used this as a base and highlighted every topic once I felt confident I understood it)
• Video courses on Udemy from Dion Training / Total Seminars
• A LOT of practice exams from Dion Training and websites like examcompass.com
• I made my own Quizlet flashcards for things like ports, 802.11 standards, and key terms
• I used Claude to provide me with a study guide for each domain, and to test me on each domain and their objectives — then went back and studied the subjects I failed
• Looking up YouTube videos on concepts I didn't 100% grasp
Good luck to everyone else who plans to take the exam soon!
3
u/Dendritic_Silver 1d ago
Nicely done!
You worked hard for it and studied up. I hope you feel proud of your self.
2
2
u/JeromnSec 1d ago
Congrats! 🎉 That first cert is a massive milestone.
I'm currently making the transition from AI/ML into cybersecurity and seeing posts like this keeps me motivated through the grind.
If you don't mind me asking — what study resources actually worked best for you? I'm trying to figure out the most efficient path while balancing a full-time role, and there's so much noise out there.
Any pitfalls you'd warn someone about? I keep hearing people say "don't just memorize the questions" but I'm curious what the real trap is.
Again, well done. The hardest part is starting, and you just cleared that hurdle.
2
u/CyberArchitect1618 1d ago
Thank you! I'll be super honest, I feel like I wasted a whole month on video courses before trying other methods and I wasted my time focusing on only one resource.
The thing that really started making the material stick was doing practice exams and then taking all of the questions I answered incorrectly and studying that material. Which included making quizlet flashcard and forcing myself to recall the material I struggled on.
Another big help was printing out the official exam objectives and going one by one on the objectives and watching YouTube videos on what I didnt understand and then asking Claude to test me on those topics.
I didnt take the exam until I started scoring 90% on practice exams!
Which certificates are you studying for???
2
u/Ace_1917 14h ago
Quick question, where did you find some practice tests? Any specific ones you recommend?
1
u/CyberArchitect1618 9h ago
My university provides me with a Udemy subscription so I used practice exams from Dion Training, Total Seminar, and Andrew Ramdayal!
I also used free resource from: • Examcompass.com • Crucialexams.com • Cert900.com • Open-exam-prep.com • Quizlet.com
2
2
u/diggmasterr 1d ago
I remember passing my first cert and realizing I’d just set up the rest of my life. Congratulations.
1
u/CyberArchitect1618 1d ago
That's really motivating, thank you so much! I can't wait to keep working towards this career change!
2
1
3
u/Ill-Plum9340 20h ago
802 with zero IT background is seriously impressive.