Another's newbie start

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Hello people!
Glad that I am here. I just want to kick start studying and I am so eager.
I am passionate about IT, though after finishing a IT&C High school in my country I choosed economics and drifted away from IT.
So basically experience=none, with a PC operator certificate worth=zero.
I just studied basic HW, MS SW- Office pack and stuff, at that time there was Win 98. Borland Pascal, Html and that's about it.

Bottomline I am a newbie. At this time I am in the UK in Scotland. I have the time to study but didn't have all that money that some school ask for the courses, so I am glad that I realized is possible to study and take the exam independently.

I just want to start from scratch to get an entry level job next year. This year I will study and try to make voluntary somewhere (I am not allowed to do payed work until...mid 2013. So I have plenty of time for study and volunteering.

So A+ is the start for me, right?

Quick as I need to get started, what should I do first? Buy the book? or book the exam? are the exam dates fixed or you can choose whatever date you want? Should I hurry booking or is not a hassle? Say i could book in mid march for april? or I have to early book?
Which book do you recommend and where to buy from? I know that there's one on amazon highly rated but it seems is outdated?!?
I am not looking into money aspect, I just want to learn, really want to work for free to gain experience and maybe next year hopefully get an entry level job so I can earn more money for future studying.

Forgot to say I am 26. I think it's not to late?! I know that for programming and developing it is.
What do you think? Is it ok if i take a+ (both) and n+ this year? or is too much? I actually want to get a Microsoft cert also this year.

Thanks for reading and for your support!

 

"If you want to enter support, then yes."

I want just to enter in the field. Now that you put it this way you make me think that there are other options? I thought that this is a good all rounder entry certificate. Yes I would like to do support but as a starting point, after that probably more chances and roads will open.

"I would say buy the book, then when you're ready purchase the exam. This book is the latest version."
Thanks, will do. Anything else I need?

"Who says that?"
People from forums. Thats how they put it, they said I've should of started 10-12 years ago for programming. It is quite true, there is more amount of data to learn there.

"Depends on you..."

I could do it, but is it really ok to do this, only studying without practice? I mean on a CV it would look better an a+ and n+ with practice experience during that time rather than 3 certs with no work related experience at all, would look like I am a certificates hunter...just saying, no problem from my part of view I could do it.

Thanks for your answers! I think that a+ is for me, as I also want to learn in english, this will be a plus for me.

 

Thanks. This could be a silly question but I have to make it clear in my head: Is it ok if I am a foreign citizen, can I take the exam in UK?