Interested in A+ Certification

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Hey everyone. First post

I'll get right to it. I'm 16 years old, and I live in the Toronto area in Canada.
I'm interested in getting A+ certified through self-educating. I plan to take the 220-601 "Essentials" and the 220-602 "IT Technician" exams once I am fully prepared.
I'm thinking of getting the "A+ Certification All-In-One Exam Guide" by Michael Meyers (Sixth Edition), and maybe also the "PC Technician Street Smarts" book by James Pyles (the two books often recommended on this forum).

And I'm just wondering, is this possible? Is there an age requirement to take the A+ certification exam?
I'm not a complete novice in the field: I have been a computer enthusiast for about 2 years now. Throughout this time, I have been building, repairing, upgrading, and tweaking home computers in my hobby time.
I also keep up-to-date with new computer hardware releases and new technologies.

I know plenty of computer shops around the area (where I buy my PC upgrades), and I know they could use some help.
I also checked the CompTIA website, and there are a lot of testing centres around my area.

What I mean to ask is, would A+ Certification be possible at my age?
I need to be certain that the testing centres will not tell me to go home when I apply for the exams.

It should be okay... right?

Thanks!

 

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I dont think there is an age restriction on the exams, you could always e-mail compTIA and ask but you do need a credit card to pay for them so you would probably need a parent or gaurdian to pay for you (this is possible because I dont have a credit card and e-mailed compTIA to ask if someone else can pay)

Good Luck with your studies.

 

Search for "age" on CompTIA's Support page and you'll see this:

The best advice I can give you is to get an entry-level IT job as soon as you possibly can, as long as it doesn't affect your schoolwork. You can certainly work while going to college. The reason I suggest this is because employers want people who have built up real-world experience. Certifications and degrees will just help to set yourself apart from your competition. Get all three, and you'll be positioning yourself well at an early age.

Best of luck!

 

I agree with whats been said above. Welcome to CF! btw

 

Thanks for the replies! And thanks for the advice Michael, I would certainly like to be in a good position of employment at an early age.

Regarding the fee for taking the test, do I have to purchase the test vouchers online? My parents aren't fans of buying things online, and would rather pay in person instead of through the Internet.

Can't I pay for the test on-location at the test centre?

 

Not much I can add here. I know when my kids were in high school, there were classes available on computer repair that mapped to the A+ exam and there are plenty of teens out there that are very adept at diagnosing and repairing computer problems, so I don't see a barrier there. Getting a job might be another story but I can't say for sure.

As far as buying the book PC Technician Street Smarts by James Pyles, please do. I can use the royalty cheque.

 

Oh I see. Now I'll just find the closest test centre and give them a call about the payment. Thanks.

Wow...I didn't know that there are high schools that offer IT courses & certification training. Would be great if I had that here...
Around my area, there aren't many teenagers who have a genuine interest in computers.
For me, being interested in computers is quite a lonely hobby..

tripwire45: After a bit more reading around this forum, I found out you're the author of the mighty PC Technician Street Smarts book! Very nice to meet you! I'll definitely buy your book.

Anyway, I'll try to start my studying ASAP. I'll keep you guys updated on my progress, and I'll post back if I have any questions.

THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP!

 

Good thing the other authors around here aren't jealous, Trip!

Trip's book is a great resource, Graffick... you'll be glad you got it. And if you ever get the urge to talk to Mike Meyers, author of the A+ All-in-One Study Guide, you can do so here (though I think he's popped up here once or twice).