After passing the CompTIA Security+ Exam, a few people asked me about my study process and any specific advice I would give them to pass. Here is everything I did and what I wish I would have done sooner to pass the exam.
Background
A little background about me: I was a rising senior in college when I took this exam. I had one previous cybersecurity internship before taking it, and I didn’t have quite as much knowledge or expertise in the field at the time as I might have liked. That said, I found it difficult to learn some of the concepts in the exam objectives, and I got frustrated at times (especially when it came to cryptography) while studying. However, with enough studying and practice, passing this exam is more than possible. All you need to do is to put in the time and effort to learn concepts you don’t understand already.
Since everyone loves metrics, it took me around 2.5 weeks of consistent studying to pass the exam. I worked a full-time internship during my studies, but I still found it doable when I put in extra hours after the workday. I would also recommend downloading the course materials so you can easily access them on the go. For example, I would read the book I recommend below while riding public transport (please don’t do this if you’re the one driving).
Without further ado, here are the three areas of focus I believe you should have while studying for the exam.
Read
My first recommendation is to obtain a copy of CompTIA Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0–701 Study Guide by Joe Shelley and Darril Gibson and read it cover to cover. Many people recommend this book when taking the exam, and I stand by it. It is the ideal book for beginners because it explains all concepts thoroughly.
Truthfully, I feel that the book went into too much detail at times, but as someone who wants to break into the industry, all the knowledge is not lost and will serve you for the rest of your career. If you approach studying as an opportunity not just to pass the exam but also to learn essential topics for cybersecurity professionals, I believe the process will become much smoother. And it also helps take the pressure off!
Whenever I didn’t fully understand a topic covered in the book after rereading it, I would seek other resources online. Doing a quick Google search to read more about a subject or searching for a YouTube explanation was usually helpful.
Watch
Another resource I used was Professor Messer’s exam playlist, which I watched towards the end of my studies with the aforementioned book. Watching videos is usually a lot more passive than reading so I would use this as a second resource for studying. I do think these videos cover all the material needed to pass the exam, but I think absorbing information by watching videos is not as easy to do as reading. That said, I wouldn’t recommend just using Professor Messer’s videos to study for the exam (though I have heard some people do this).
Practice
To me, practice exams were the most useful resource I used when studying for the exam. I took both of the practice tests and answered all of the end-of-chapter questions in the CompTIA Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0–701 Study Guide. That being said, I couldn’t recommend Professor Messer’s practice exams enough. These cost USD 30 and I felt they were integral in helping me pass the exam. I found the exam questions to be the most similar to the exam, and I found the explanations to be easy-to-understand. I know many people who have also found his course notes to be helpful, but I prefer physical books to his downloadable PDFs. However, I recommend taking a look at them if you prefer that medium instead.
Also, make sure you are setting up time to take these exams in the same format as when you take the actual exam (i.e., same space, same time of day, same time limits, etc.). This is beneficial to do as they simulate what is to come when you take the actual exam. It helps to put you in the same mindset and to work with the same environmental pressures.
Conclusion
That’s all the tips I have to pass the exam. My final tip would be to eat well, exercise, get some sunlight, sleep enough, and reward yourself after a study sesh and after you pass. Good luck!