CompTIA A_ Certification All-In-One Exam Guide, Seventh Edition - Michael Meyers [12]
Another big difference between the two exams is their treatment of the Operating Systems and Software objective in the Essentials exam versus Operating Systems in the Practical Application exam. Essentials tests you on how to use Windows and how to recognize the components, features, and basic utilities of the operating systems. The Practical Application exam goes much deeper. You need to understand intimately how to use the command line to manage the operating systems. You’re expected to know all sorts of disk structures and run all the major disk management tools. Finally, the Practical Application exam grills you on operating system recovery tools and techniques so you can help customers get back up and running quickly.
Table 1-2 Exam 220-702 objectives and percentages
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EXAM TIP Even though the Practical Application exam does not specifically cover operational procedures, expect some questions about ethics, proper behavior in the workplace, ways to communicate with customers to get the most information in troubleshooting situations, and more.
How Do I Take the Exams?
Two companies, Prometric and Pearson VUE, administer the CompTIA A+ testing. There are thousands of Prometric and Pearson VUE testing centers across the United States and Canada, and the rest of the world. You may take the exams at any testing center. Both Prometric and Pearson VUE offer complete listings online of all available testing centers. You can select the closest training center and schedule your exams right from the comfort of your favorite Web browser:
www.prometric.com
www.vue.com
Alternatively, in the United States and Canada, call Prometric at 800-776-4276 or Pearson VUE at 877-551-PLUS (7587) to schedule the exams and to locate the nearest testing center. International customers can find a list of Prometric and Pearson VUE international contact numbers for various regions of the world on CompTIA’s Web site at www.comptia.org.
You must pay for the exam when you call to schedule. Be prepared to sit on hold for a while. Have your Social Security number (or international equivalent) and a credit card ready when you call. Both Prometric and Pearson VUE will be glad to invoice you, but you won’t be able to take the exam until they receive full payment.
If you have special needs, both Prometric and Pearson VUE will accommodate you, although this may limit your selection of testing locations.
How Much Does the Exam Cost?
The cost of the exam depends on whether you work for a CompTIA member or not. At this writing, the cost for non-CompTIA members is $168 (U.S.) for each exam. International prices vary, but you can check the CompTIA Web site for international pricing. Of course, the prices are subject to change without notice, so always check the CompTIA Web site for current pricing.
Very few people pay full price for the exam. Virtually every organization that provides CompTIA A+ training and testing also offers discount vouchers. You buy a discount voucher and then use the voucher number instead of a credit card when you schedule the exam. Vouchers are sold per exam, so you’ll need two vouchers to take the two CompTIA A+ exams. Total Seminars is one place to get discount vouchers. You can call Total Seminars at 800-446-6004 or 281-922-4166, or get vouchers via the Web site: www.totalsem.com. No one should ever pay full price for CompTIA A+ exams.
How to Pass the CompTIA A+ Exams
The single most important thing to remember about the CompTIA A+ certification exams is that CompTIA