Dilema

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Aloha,

As you know I have my A+ exam dates for the first week in December, the hardware on a Wednesday and the software on the Friday. I thought I was ready to sit the exams and obviously my training provider does as they need to pay for any re-sits. I recently got the transcender CD-ROMS with all the mock exams on "To give me a feel for the real exam" and I believe they run identical to the real deal, 80 questions in 90mins with a minimum score of 720/900 pass rate. I have tried three of these exams now and the best score I have had was 690/900 (worst 620). I am currently trying to blitz all the stuff I thought I had memorised like I/O, IRQ and Socket types but this is proving difficult, the exams are catching me with questions in sections I thought I was ok at ie: I concentrated on the main beep codes such as memory or bad video and find the exams ask about the more obscure ones or things like what IRQ is the sound card, I know the main ones like LPT1 or COM2 but find it hard to get them all.
I am considering cancelling my exams and trying to reschedule them for a time when I am ready, or maybe I should just go for it as it's just nerves? what do you guys think?

 

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Nobody can tell you if you are ready for a test except you. I cancelled my CCNA twice before I was finally ready. There's no shame in cancelling and rescheduling a test if you need more time. I think it's good that you are using something outside of yourself as a measuring stick. Transcender software can not only show you how you perform under more or less "real" conditions but can also show you what areas you need to improve in.

That being said, I agree that you need to make sure that you really need the extra time for study versus are just trying to avoid test anxiety. Almost all of us get nervous before (and during) a test so your feelings are perfectly normal. Just don't let them run your life.

It is best to try and get the highest scores possible on these mock tests since the "nervous" factor will probably pull down your score by a few points.

All the above advice aside, you are the final judge of your own readiness. I know I've not passed a test or two in my time and it is always a possiblity. All you can do is be as prepared as you can, steal yourself and when ready, go for it. Good luck, MrNice.

 

Mr.Nice,
I think that you are doing your course at computeach. Have you finished your in centre training after clearing your combined Mock exam? Do they train you doing the installations in their labs? Are you giving the exam in their centre?Best of Luck for you.
cheers
devip

 

I don't think, "which IRQ is the soundcard?" is an obscure question at all.
Sorry, but you shouldn't just expect to concentrate on certain areas more than others, and hope you will be faced with those type of questions.
I think you need to evaluate how much you do/don't know here.
Your in danger of letting the fact that you have a couple of areas that need improving, cascade over everything you do know.
The result is, you think you know less and less.
Putting off the exam will only make this worse.
I went round and round in circles for ages, before I noticed this pattern.There were just a couple of areas I was unsure about, that with a good few study sessions, I could have sorted.But I kept going back, through the whole material
even though I knew most of it.Can you see what I'm getting at?

The fact is, you probably know the material well.It's just that your letting a few dodgy areas shatter your confidence.

When I first did my transcenders I got a score of 470, or something.
Eventually as I became used to the questions (and this is a major part you are discounting Mr Nice, the fact that getting used to these questions is a skill in itself.) I was getting scores of 850 quite comfortably.
In the real exam, my score was 730 (lol worst preparation before exam that is possible though )

Anyway, you've got a good two weeks at least to concentrate on those few weak areas, in order to make them strong.
If you put off this exam, just watch that cascade I talked about take effect.

Good luck

This post was brought to you by flex's cr@p advice ltd xxvixvxxx (c)

 

Can't argue with any of the above, and particularly Flex's "crap advice"

Follow the above, and remember - Nervous is good ! I doubt if any of us could honestly say we weren't nervous before an exam.

 

Whatever you decide good luck MrNice

Can anyone tell me where to get hold of the transender cd-roms and how much they cost.
Cheers.

 

Look here for Transcenders, Peter, but wile I quickly googled, some other sites came up offering "discounted Transcenders". Can't vouch for any of those tho ....

 

Am I looking at the wrong thing because the price is out of reach for me 230 odd dollers.

 

I am using these transcender CD-ROMS and they have a pass mark of 720/900.

I just been looking on the Comptia website and under FAQ they have the pass mark as 515/900 hardware and 505/900 software,

I never get below that score so I may be panicking about nothing, although a blitz of study is definately called for I would appreciate if anyone who has the done the exam could advise on this?

 

Unfortunately that's the right thing.

 

Just revise what you don't know and keep doing the transcenders exam until you're passing.