CompTIA A+ Study Plan 2026: Pass Core 1 & 2 Fast with Proven Strategies

What is CompTIA A+?

CompTIA A+ is the IT industry's foundational certification for technical support and IT operational roles. Think of it as proof that you can handle the daily technical challenges in any IT environment - from troubleshooting a computer that won't boot to securing a network against threats.

Created by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), this vendor-neutral certification isn't tied to any specific company's products. You're learning universal IT principles that work across Windows, Mac, Linux, and mobile platforms. That's why over 1 million people worldwide hold this certification - it's recognized everywhere.

Who Should Get CompTIA A+?

CompTIA A+ is ideal if you're in any of these situations:

• Career changers: Breaking into IT from a non-technical background
• Students: Building credentials before or during college
• Military transitioning: Translating technical skills to civilian IT roles
• Self-taught techs: Formalizing hands-on experience with recognized credentials
• Help desk professionals: Moving from uncertified support to certified technical roles

The certification is also required by many employers as a baseline for IT positions, and it's often a stepping stone toward more advanced certifications like CompTIA Network+, Security+, or specialized vendor certifications from Cisco, Microsoft, or AWS.

CompTIA A+ Exam Structure

CompTIA A+ consists of two separate exams that you must pass to earn your certification. You can take them in any order, but most people tackle Core 1 first since it covers more hardware fundamentals.

Core 1 (220-1101): Hardware and Networks

Core 2 (220-1102): Software and Security

How Long Does it Take to Study for CompTIA A+?

The honest answer? It depends on your starting point. Someone who's been fixing computers for years needs way less time than someone who's never opened a computer case. Here's how to assess where you stand and plan accordingly.

Study Timeline by Experience Level

Complete CompTIA A+ Study Plan

This 12-week study plan assumes moderate IT experience (the most common scenario). Adjust the timeline based on your practice test results and experience level. The key is consistent daily study rather than weekend cramming.

Phase 1: Core 1 Preparation (Weeks 1-6)

Phase 2: Core 2 Preparation (Weeks 7-12)

Best CompTIA A+ Study Resources

The CompTIA A+ study materials market is flooded with options, but quality varies dramatically. Some resources are comprehensive and current, while others are outdated or incomplete. Here's what actually works, organized by budget and learning style.

Free Resources (Excellent Quality)

Paid Resources (Worth the Investment)

• Mike Meyers' CompTIA A+ Course (Udemy, $10-20):Comprehensive video course with labs and practice exams. Engaging teaching style and excellent for visual learners. Wait for Udemy sales to get 80-90% off.
• Jason Dion's Practice Exams (Udemy, $10-15):Best practice tests available. Questions closely mirror actual exam difficulty and include detailed explanations. Six practice exams per course (Core 1 and Core 2 sold separately).
• CompTIA CertMaster Learn ($319 per exam):Official CompTIA training with adaptive learning. Expensive but comprehensive. Best for those who struggle with self-directed study.
• ExamCompass (Free Practice Tests): Free practice questions for both exams. Quality is decent, though not as polished as Jason Dion's paid tests.
• CompTIA A+ All-in-One Exam Guide (Book, $40-60):Mike Meyers' comprehensive textbook. Great reference material and includes practice questions. Physical book works well for those who prefer reading over videos.

AI-Powered CompTIA A+ Preparation

Traditional study methods work, but they're inefficient if you have limited time. AI-powered tutoring analyzes your specific knowledge gaps and creates personalized study paths that focus on what you don't know, not wasting time on concepts you've already mastered.

Our Fast CompTIA Pass tutoring uses adaptive AI diagnostics to identify your weak areas across both Core 1 and Core 2, then generates targeted study plans and practice questions. Students typically reduce study time by 30-40% while improving first-attempt pass rates. Worth exploring if you're working full-time or need certification quickly for a job opportunity.

Proven Study Strategies for CompTIA A+ Success

Knowing what to study is only half the equation. How you study determines whether you retain information for the exam or just waste time feeling busy. These strategies are backed by learning science and proven across thousands of successful CompTIA A+ candidates.

Strategy 1: Hands-On Labs Are Non-Negotiable

You cannot pass CompTIA A+ through memorization alone. The performance-based questions demand actual skills - configuring a RAID array, setting up a SOHO network, or troubleshooting boot issues. If you've never physically installed RAM or configured a router, you're going to struggle.

Don't have spare hardware? Virtual labs work. Professor Messer offers virtual lab simulations, and platforms like ITProTV and CompTIA CertMaster Labs provide cloud-based hands-on environments. But if you can get your hands on actual hardware - even an old computer from Goodwill - the physical experience is invaluable.

Strategy 2: Memorization Through Spaced Repetition

CompTIA A+ requires memorizing a lot of facts - port numbers, cable types, RAID levels, command-line tools, and hundreds of acronyms. The most efficient way to memorize this information is spaced repetition using flashcards.

Create flashcards for every memorization-heavy topic: port numbers (FTP 20/21, SSH 22, HTTP 80, HTTPS 443, etc.), cable specifications (Cat5e, Cat6, fiber types), RAID levels and their characteristics, Windows and Linux commands. Review your flashcards daily, focusing more time on cards you get wrong. Use apps like Anki or Quizlet for digital flashcards with built-in spaced repetition algorithms.

Strategy 3: Take Practice Tests Early and Often

Many students make the mistake of studying for weeks before taking their first practice test. This is backwards. Take a practice test within the first week of studying to identify your weak areas immediately. Then take practice tests every 2-3 weeks to measure progress and adjust your focus.

Strategy 4: Focus on High-Weight Topics First

Not all exam objectives are weighted equally. Hardware troubleshooting is 29% of Core 1, while virtualization is only 11%. Operating systems are 31% of Core 2, making them the highest-weight topic across both exams. Strategic study means mastering high-weight topics first.

Prioritize these high-impact areas: hardware troubleshooting (Core 1), networking fundamentals (Core 1), operating systems (Core 2), and security concepts (Core 2). Once you've mastered these, fill in the lower-weight topics. This approach maximizes your score potential even if you run short on study time.

Understanding CompTIA A+ Passing Scores

CompTIA A+ uses scaled scoring, which can be confusing. Your raw score (number of correct answers) gets converted to a scaled score between 100-900. The passing scores are 675 for Core 1 and 700 for Core 2 - but what does that actually mean?

How CompTIA A+ Scoring Works

Scaled scoring accounts for slight variations in exam difficulty. If you get a harder version of the exam, you need fewer correct answers to achieve the same scaled score as someone who got an easier version. This ensures fairness across different exam versions.

Retake Policies and Costs

If you fail, there's no waiting period for your first retake - you can schedule it immediately. However, after your second attempt, you must wait 14 days before retaking again. Each retake costs the full exam fee ($239 per exam as of 2026), so proper preparation is financially important.

CompTIA exam vouchers are valid for 12 months from purchase, so buy your voucher when you're confident you'll take the exam within a year. Vouchers sometimes go on sale during academic promotions or through CompTIA partners, potentially saving you $50-100 per exam.

CompTIA A+ Test-Taking Strategies

Smart test-taking tactics can add 50-100 points to your score - often the difference between passing and failing. These strategies work regardless of your technical knowledge level.

PBQ Strategy: Skip First, Complete Last

Performance-based questions appear at the beginning of the exam and can eat up 15-20 minutes each if you're not careful. Here's the problem: if you spend 45 minutes on PBQs, you'll be rushed through the multiple-choice questions where you could pick up easier points.

Time Management During the Exam

You have 90 minutes for approximately 90 questions (exact number varies). That's roughly one minute per question, but PBQs take much longer. Budget your time strategically:

• First 45 minutes: Complete all multiple-choice questions
• Next 30-35 minutes: Work through PBQs systematically
• Final 10-15 minutes: Review flagged questions and verify answers

Never leave questions blank. CompTIA exams have no guessing penalty, so even a random guess is better than leaving it unanswered. If you're running out of time, quickly guess on remaining questions rather than leaving them blank.

Strategic Elimination Techniques

When you don't know an answer, systematic elimination improves your odds dramatically. Even eliminating one wrong answer increases your success rate from 25% to 33%.

Common CompTIA A+ Study Mistakes to Avoid

After watching thousands of candidates prepare for CompTIA A+, certain mistakes appear repeatedly. These errors waste time, money, and confidence. Avoid them, and you'll dramatically increase your chances of passing on the first attempt.

Mistake #1: Memorizing Without Understanding

Many students try to memorize facts without understanding the underlying concepts. This fails on CompTIA A+ because the exam tests application and troubleshooting, not just recall. You might memorize that "DNS uses port 53," but if you don't understand what DNS does and why it matters, you'll fail scenario-based questions.

Always understand the "why" behind concepts. Don't just memorize that RAID 0 stripes data - understand that it improves performance but offers no redundancy, and be able to recommend it (or not) in specific scenarios. This deeper understanding is what the exam actually tests.

Mistake #2: Skipping Hands-On Practice

I cannot stress this enough: you will fail the performance-based questions if you've only watched videos and read books. Period. PBQs require actual muscle memory and practical skills - knowing where to click in a BIOS screen, how to configure a router, or troubleshoot boot sequences.

Dedicate at least 20-30% of your study time to hands-on labs. If you don't have access to physical hardware, use virtual labs. But do not skip this step. The candidates who fail CompTIA A+ despite high practice test scores are almost always those who skipped hands-on practice.

Mistake #3: Taking Both Exams Too Far Apart

Some candidates pass Core 1, then wait 3-6 months before attempting Core 2. This is inefficient. The exams have significant overlap - networking, troubleshooting methodology, security concepts - and waiting too long means you forget this shared knowledge and have to re-learn it.

Schedule Core 2 within 2-4 weeks of passing Core 1. This maintains momentum, keeps overlapping concepts fresh, and gets you certified faster. The only exception is if you barely passed Core 1 and need more foundational knowledge before tackling Core 2.

Mistake #4: Using Outdated Study Materials

CompTIA updates exam objectives every 2-3 years. If you're using study materials from 2020 to prepare for the 2026 exams (220-1101 and 220-1102), you're studying outdated content. New technologies get added (like newer Wi-Fi standards, Windows 11 features, cloud concepts), and old technologies get removed.

Always verify your study materials explicitly cover the current exam objectives (220-1101 and 220-1102 as of 2026). Download the official exam objectives PDF from CompTIA and cross-reference your study materials against it. Don't waste time studying content that's no longer tested.

CompTIA A+ is achievable for anyone willing to put in consistent effort. Follow the study plan, use quality resources, practice hands-on skills, and avoid these common mistakes. You'll not only pass - you'll be prepared for real IT work, which is the whole point of certification.

If you're struggling with self-study or need to pass quickly for a job opportunity, consider getting expert guidance. Our CompTIA exam assistance services provide personalized study plans, targeted practice, and expert support that significantly accelerates your certification timeline. Sometimes the smart move is getting help from people who know exactly how to pass these exams efficiently.