CompTIA A+ study plan
A week-by-week plan for both A+ exams, based on the course's objective list: 27 objectives for Core 1 (220-1201) and 36 for Core 2 (220-1202). Study one objective a day, five days a week, and use the sixth day for review. End each core with a full practice exam before you book the real one.
In APlus Mastery, the objectives unlock in this same order, one after another.
Pick a pace
| Pace | Core 1 | Core 2 | Both |
|---|---|---|---|
| One objective a day | 7 weeks | 9 weeks | 16 weeks |
| Two objectives a day | 4 weeks | 5 weeks | 9 weeks |
Each core's total includes the week for the practice exam. The pace is the plan's assumption, and a familiar domain from work can go quicker.
A study day
- Read the lesson for the day's objective.
- Pass its quiz at 80 percent. In APlus Mastery the next objective stays locked until you do.
- Clear the spaced review that's due. It takes a few minutes most days, and it keeps the early domains fresh by exam week.
- On the sixth day, skip the new lesson and go back over the week's misses.
Core 1 (220-1201), week by week
Study 27 objectives at one a day. Mobile Devices, the free domain, takes the first 3 study days. On the faster pace, cover two rows a week; the practice exam week stays the same.
| Week | Objectives |
|---|---|
| 1 |
|
| 2 |
|
| 3 |
|
| 4 |
|
| 5 |
|
| 6 |
|
| 7 | Practice exam week. Take the free Core 1 practice exam early in the week, then spend the rest on objectives it highlights. |
Core 2 (220-1202), week by week
Study 36 objectives at one a day. Operating Systems, the free domain, takes the first 11 study days. On the faster pace, cover two rows a week; the practice exam week stays the same.
| Week | Objectives |
|---|---|
| 1 |
|
| 2 |
|
| 3 |
|
| 4 |
|
| 5 |
|
| 6 |
|
| 7 |
|
| 8 |
|
| 9 | Practice exam week. Take the free Core 2 practice exam early in the week, then spend the rest on objectives it highlights. |
Booking the exams
The two exams can go in either order, and the certification comes after passing both. Book each one when you pass its practice exam with points to spare. The free sitting is a single fixed paper, so only one score is given, and a narrow pass on one paper isn't strong proof.
Questions about studying for A+
How long does it take to study for CompTIA A+?
Following this plan, at one objective a day and five study days a week, Core 1 takes 7 weeks and Core 2 takes 9, making it about 16 in all. Going faster, two objectives a day, takes 4 and 5 weeks. If you already work in IT, the familiar domains should go quicker.Which A+ exam should I take first?
CompTIA lets you take Core 1 and Core 2 in any order, and both are needed for the certification. This plan starts with Core 1, but each core is its own course in APlus Mastery, so you can switch the order.Is 30 days enough to study for A+?
For one core, it can work. At two objectives a day, Core 1 fits in 4 weeks, including the practice exam. Both cores in four weeks would mean more than three new objectives each study day.What does a study day look like on this plan?
Read the lesson for the day's objective, pass its quiz at 80 percent, then clear whatever spaced review is due. The sixth day of each week has no new lesson; instead, revisit the questions you missed that week.Is the A+ study plan free?
Yes, and so is Domain 1 of each core in APlus Mastery, which covers the first 3 study days of Core 1 and the first 11 of Core 2 at one objective a day.
Start week one free
In APlus Mastery, Domain 1 of each core is free. At one objective a day, that covers the first 3 study days for Core 1 and the first 11 for Core 2.
Keep studying: the free practice exam, PBQ practice, the ports list, and the cheat sheet.