Study Timeline
How Long to Study for CompTIA A+
A complete week-by-week study plan for the CompTIA A+ (Medium difficulty, ~75% pass rate).
14
Weeks
11
Hrs/Week
160
Total Hours
~75%
Pass Rate
Set up and Core 1 hardware foundations
Week 110 to 12 hours this week
- Download the official 220-1201 and 220-1202 exam objectives from CompTIA and print the domain weight table
- Confirm you are studying V15, since V14 (220-1101 and 220-1102) retired on 25 September 2025 and the two cores cannot be mixed across versions
- Watch Professor Messer's free 220-1201 hardware modules and take notes against the objective numbers, not the video titles
- Open a desktop or laptop and identify the motherboard, CPU socket, RAM slots, storage interface and power connectors by sight
- Build a cable and connector table covering HDMI, DisplayPort, USB types, Ethernet categories and legacy connectors
- Sit a 20-question hardware quiz and log every objective you missed
Core 1 hardware continued and printers
Week 210 to 12 hours this week
- Cover power supplies, wattage calculation, rails and cooling solutions
- Learn the printer types in the objectives and the failure modes each one produces
- Install RAM and a storage device physically, or in a virtual lab if no hardware is available
- Learn RAID levels and what each one survives
- Build a one-page motherboard form factor comparison
- Re-test the objectives you missed in week 1 and confirm they are closed
Core 1 networking, first pass
Week 311 to 13 hours this week
- Memorise protocol-to-port pairs cold, since these are quick marks and appear across scenario questions
- Learn wireless standards, their frequency bands and their practical throughput
- Configure a SOHO router: SSID, channel, encryption, DHCP scope and port forwarding
- Practise IPv4 addressing, private ranges and APIPA behaviour
- Match each networking tool to its diagnostic use: crimper, cable tester, Wi-Fi analyser, toner probe
- Set up a VPN client connection and record each configuration field
Core 1 troubleshooting, the biggest domain
Week 412 to 14 hours this week
- Work through hardware fault scenarios symptom by symptom rather than component by component
- Practise network connectivity troubleshooting from the physical layer upward
- Use a multimeter on a power supply and record the readings you expect on each rail
- Use a cable tester and a loopback plug and note what each one proves and what it does not
- Drill display, projector and printer fault scenarios, which recur across the objectives
- Write your own three-line answer to twenty scenario prompts before looking at options
Core 1 mobile devices, virtualization and cloud
Week 511 to 13 hours this week
- Cover laptop component replacement including batteries, cameras and Wi-Fi antennas
- Configure USB, Bluetooth, NFC and docking station accessories on a real device
- Work through mobile network configuration: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular data and synchronisation
- Learn the three cloud service models and place real products against each one
- Install a hypervisor and build one virtual machine, recording the CPU, memory and storage requirements
- Take one full 90-question, 90-minute Core 1 practice exam and record the domain breakdown
Core 1 performance-based questions and consolidation
Week 612 to 14 hours this week
- Practise performance-based questions in CompTIA CertMaster Labs or an equivalent browser-based lab
- Rehearse a full 90-minute run where you flag every performance-based item, clear the multiple choice, and return
- Rework every question missed in the week 5 practice exam, objective by objective
- Re-drill the ports table and the cable and connector table under a five-minute timer
- Sit a second full-length Core 1 practice exam and compare domain scores
- Book the Core 1 appointment once practice scores are stable, and confirm the voucher expiry, since a CompTIA voucher is valid for 12 months from the date it is received and cannot be extended
Sit Core 1 and start Core 2 operating systems
Week 710 to 12 hours this week
- Sit 220-1201; the score appears on screen at the end of the session
- Read the score report objective list, which names the objectives attached to questions you answered incorrectly
- Begin Windows: installation methods, editions, and upgrade versus clean install decisions
- Learn Task Manager tab by tab and what each one diagnoses
- Build a Command Prompt reference of the utilities in the objectives with their common switches
- Practise Disk Management: initialise, partition, format, extend and assign drive letters
Core 2 operating systems continued
Week 811 to 13 hours this week
- Cover macOS features and tools and where they differ from the Windows equivalents
- Learn the Linux commands in the objectives and run each one in a live virtual machine
- Compare file systems and their limits, and know which platform uses which
- Practise operating system updates and in-place upgrades in a virtual machine
- Cover mobile operating system configuration on iOS and Android
- Sit a 45-question operating systems drill and close the gaps it exposes
Core 2 security
Week 911 to 13 hours this week
- Cover encryption for data at rest and in transit, and know which tool applies where
- Learn access control models and NTFS versus share permission interaction
- Learn wireless security protocols in order of strength and know which are deprecated
- Work through malware categories and the specific symptoms each produces
- Learn CompTIA's malware removal sequence in order, because order is what gets tested
- Cover social engineering techniques and the countermeasure for each
Core 2 software troubleshooting
Week 1011 to 13 hours this week
- Drill operating system fault scenarios: boot failures, slow performance, service failures and profile problems
- Practise application troubleshooting including compatibility and permission causes
- Cover mobile connectivity, application and battery performance issues
- Work through browser problems: extensions, certificates, redirects and pop-ups
- Practise deciding between repair, reimage and escalate on the same scenario
- Sit a 45-question troubleshooting drill and log every wrong answer against an objective
Core 2 operational procedures
Week 119 to 11 hours this week
- Learn the change management steps in order, since sequence questions are common here
- Cover documentation types and what belongs in each
- Learn electrical and environmental safety procedures and the correct disposal route for each material type
- Practise professional communication scenarios, which are scored on the correct response rather than technical accuracy
- Cover workstation backup schemes and recovery order
- Sit a 30-question operational procedures drill; this domain is 21 percent of Core 2 and is the cheapest to secure
Core 2 full-length practice and performance-based questions
Week 1212 to 14 hours this week
- Sit a full 90-question, 90-minute Core 2 practice exam under exam conditions
- Practise performance-based questions in a lab environment, focusing on Windows tools and permission configuration
- Rework every missed question and map it back to a numbered objective
- Re-drill the malware removal sequence and the change management sequence
- Sit a second full-length Core 2 practice exam and compare against the first
- Remember that Core 2 needs 700 against Core 1's 675, so the margin is thinner
Weak-domain repair across both cores
Week 1310 to 12 hours this week
- Rank all nine domains by your practice scores and give the bottom three the whole week
- Re-sit the drills for those three domains only
- Rebuild any reference table you cannot reproduce from memory in five minutes
- Run one mixed 45-question set drawn from both cores to check nothing from Core 1 has decayed
- Rehearse the OnVUE or test centre process end to end so exam day holds no surprises
- Confirm your two forms of ID meet the CompTIA Candidate ID Policy and that the names match your registration exactly
Sit Core 2 and certify
Week 146 to 8 hours this week
- Book Core 2 at a time of day when you are sharpest, since there are no scheduled breaks in a CompTIA exam
- Allow 28 minutes for the Candidate Agreement review that CompTIA requires before the exam begins
- Check in 30 minutes ahead if testing through OnVUE, as CompTIA recommends
- Sit 220-1202 and read the on-screen score before closing the session
- Expect the score report in your Pearson VUE account within 24 hours and the exam record in your CompTIA certification account within five business days
- Set a calendar reminder three years out for the 20 continuing education units and $75 CE fee, or plan Network+ instead, which renews A+ for free
Working Full-Time Schedule
Duration: 20 weeks
Hours/week: 8 hours
Daily: ~2 hours on weeknights
Weekends: 3-4 hours Saturday + Sunday
Study during lunch breaks and commute time. Use weekends for deeper study sessions and practice tests.
Weekend-Only Schedule
Duration: 28 weeks
Hours/week: 6 hours
Saturday: 4-5 hours of focused study
Sunday: 3-4 hours of practice tests
Longer timeline but sustainable. Review flashcards on weeknights for 15-20 minutes to maintain retention.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to study for the CompTIA A+?
Plan for 14 weeks of dedicated study at 11 hours per week (160 total hours). If studying while working full-time, extend to 20 weeks.
Can I pass the CompTIA A+ in 2 weeks?
It's unlikely for most candidates. The CompTIA A+ is rated "Medium" difficulty and typically requires 14 weeks of preparation. Rushing increases your risk of failing and paying the exam fee again.
How many hours a day should I study for CompTIA A+?
Aim for 2-3 hours per day on weekdays. Quality matters more than quantity, use active recall and practice tests rather than passive reading.
Is CompTIA A+ hard to pass?
The CompTIA A+ is rated "Medium" difficulty with a pass rate of ~75%. With proper study, most candidates pass on their first attempt.
Ready to start your CompTIA A+ journey?
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View CompTIA A+ Guide