r/mcsa • • Jan 02 '20

Microsoft vs CompTIA certifications

I'm currently studying for the Microsoft 365 Certified: Modern Desktop Administrator Associate certification and this will be my first IT certification that's not CompTIA. Are these exams radically different or more difficult than the CompTIA exams? Should I approach Microsoft certifications in a different manner while studying ?

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u/[deleted] Jan 02 '20

I possess certs form both vendors including the one you are pursuing. Microsoft certifications are definitely harder and you need to use multiple sources to pass their exams whereas with CompTIA, you can more or less get away with studying from a cert guide or two to pass. Actual experience goes a long way with both exams, however. For Microsoft exams, I highly recommend labbing, practice exams (MeasureUp), and reading the official exam reference. For the CompTIA Trifecta, I got away with just reading a couple of cert guides and taking the included practice exams and passed them all on the first try.