Passing CompTIA A+ 220-1202 is less about cramming and more about steady, targeted practice. This article shows how to build a study schedule that fits real life, then stick to it without burning out.
It breaks down daily versus weekly planning, time-blocking, and practical ways to balance study with work or school. You will also get a clear view of study resources, from video courses and books to practice exams and flashcards.
Finally, it explains how to set up a hands-on lab with virtual machines, troubleshooting drills, and command-line practice.
Build a Realistic Study Schedule
A well-laid-out schedule serves as the foundation of CompTIA A+ success. You need structure around your study time to stay on track and keep moving through tough topics. Let me show you how to create a study routine that fits your lifestyle.
Daily Vs. Weekly Planning
The CompTIA A+ 220-1202 exam rewards steady effort over intense cramming. One to two hours of daily study works better than occasional long sessions. This approach helps you retain information better and keeps your mind connected to the material.
Daily planning works best for:
- Learning complex concepts through repetition
- Avoiding burnout from long study sessions
- Building habits that help your IT career
Weekly planning gives you a broader view. Most successful test-takers spend 7-10 hours each week on focused study.
This method lets you:
- Assign domains to specific days based on exam weight
- Plan review sessions after major sections
- Meet concrete weekly goals
The best results come from mixing both approaches. Plan your weekly goals by domain weight, then break them into daily tasks.
A student with a full-time job should aim for two to three hours daily, or ten to fifteen hours weekly. This helps you make progress without disrupting other commitments.
Time-Blocking For Different Topics
Smart time management keeps your CompTIA A+ certification on course.
The domain-based method proves highly effective:
“Weekly Topics: Dedicate each week to one or two domains. To name just one example, see Week 1: Core 1, Hardware components, Week 2: Core 1, Networking.
The Pomodoro Technique helps maintain focus.
This method alternates study periods with breaks:
- Set a timer for 25 minutes
- Study with full concentration until it rings
- Take a 5-minute break
- After four sessions, take a 15-20 minute break
Specific goals work better than vague time commitments. Rather than “study for two hours,” try “complete Chapter 3 and take the practice quiz”. This gives you clear direction and a sense of achievement.
These scheduling approaches work well:
- Fixed time blocks: Study at the same time daily to form a habit
- Calendar blocking: Treat study sessions like important meetings
- Task-based timing: Focus on completing specific goals rather than watching the time
Balancing Study With Work Or School
Making time to study while juggling other commitments takes creativity. Many professionals find small pockets throughout their day. One successful candidate said, “I use lunch breaks to watch videos and evenings to take practice exams.”
Your peak focus hours make a big difference. Everyone’s brain works differently – you might be a morning person or a night owl. Plan your study time around your peak hours. Some students wake up an hour early to get quiet time before their day starts.
People with busy schedules can try these approaches:
- Part-time preparation: Take 4-6 months with 10-15 hours weekly
- Weekend focus: Study 1-2 hours on weekdays and 3-6 hours on weekends
- Quick-track approach: If possible, spend 3-4 hours daily (20+ hours weekly)
Long study sessions after an exhausting workday usually don’t help. Find your energy peaks and plan your study time around them.
Crucial Exams practice tests are a practical way to track your progress during weekly study reviews. They help identify weak areas early, so you can adjust your study schedule before falling behind. By focusing each week on your lowest-scoring sections, you can study more efficiently and turn problem areas into strengths ahead of exam day.
Your study plan should adapt based on these assessments. Adjust your time, materials, or methods to match your progress.
Choose the Right Study Materials
The right study materials can make all the difference in your CompTIA A+ exam preparation. Just like a carpenter needs proper tools, you need quality resources that match how you learn best. Let’s look at the best options to help you pass your 220-1202 exam.
Video Courses And Tutorials
Good news for visual learners! Video courses give you expert instruction without breaking the bank.
Professor Messer offers completely free video training for CompTIA A+ Core 2. His course works great if you prefer watching explanations instead of reading textbooks.
You’ll find engaging video lessons with real-life examples that help technical concepts click. These videos are gold for anyone who learns better through demonstrations.
Professor Messer’s free CompTIA A+ Core 2 course gives you:
- Complete video coverage of all exam objectives
- Live stream Q&A sessions to answer your questions
- Pop quiz questions to check your progress
If you want more structured video training, the CompTIA A+ Core 2 (220-1202) Certification Course on Udemy offers 37.5 hours of on-demand instruction.
This paid option has:
- Hands-on labs and real-life scenarios
- Expert-led instruction on all major topics
- A full-length practice exam
Videos excel at showing concepts in action. But they should be just one part of how you study. Professor Messer puts it well: “You need four things to make your studies a success: complete videos, good books, plenty of hands-on, and lots of Q&A.
Books and PDFs
Books remain powerful learning tools in our digital world. They let you focus deeply without online distractions.
CompTIA’s official A+ Study Guide aligns perfectly with exam objectives and has everything you need to succeed. This complete resource costs $190 and covers installation, configuration, troubleshooting, and networking. Since it comes directly from CompTIA, you know it’s accurate.
Third-party options deserve a look too. The “CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide” ($60) offers great value with:
- Twenty-eight detailed chapters
- Over an hour of instructional videos
- Practice exams covering all major topics
Digital formats appeal to many students because of their convenience. Good CompTIA A+ PDF resources let you study on any device. Both official guides and third-party materials usually come in digital versions.
Professor Messer’s Course Notes combine all video content into an easy-to-read guide that works perfectly for quick reviews before the exam. These notes contain text and graphics for each exam objective.
Practice Exams And Flashcards
Reading helps, but testing yourself shows if you’re truly ready. Practice exams are the foundation of effective preparation.
Performance-based questions (PBQs) need special attention. Crucial Exams offers 7 PBQs as hands-on exercises and mini-games that mirror real exam conditions. These interactive scenarios prepare you for the test’s practical parts.
Flashcards help you memorize key terms and commands quickly. Crucial Exams has 174 flashcards covering essential CompTIA A+ terminology. You can also find user-created flashcard decks on Brainscape and Quizlet for the 220-1202 exam.
A mix of these resources creates a solid preparation strategy. Start with videos for basic learning. Then use books to deepen your understanding. Finally, test yourself with practice exams and flashcards. This approach builds your confidence step by step.
Note that your study materials’ quality directly affects how well you do on the exam. Pick resources that match your learning style but stay varied enough to cover all parts of the curriculum.
Create a Hands-On Lab Environment
Book knowledge alone won’t prepare you for the CompTIA A+ 220-1202 exam. You just need hands-on experience with operating systems, troubleshooting, and command-line tools. A personal IT lab can teach you plenty without breaking the bank.
Using Virtual Machines For OS Practice
Virtual machines (VMs) help you run multiple operating systems on one physical computer without extra hardware. Software called a hypervisor manages how virtual systems interact with physical components.
Two main hypervisor types exist:
- Type 1 (bare metal): Runs directly on hardware (Examples: VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V)
- Type 2 (hosted): Runs on top of another operating system (Examples: VMware Workstation, Oracle VirtualBox, Parallels Desktop)
Type 2 hypervisors work great for exam prep. VirtualBox stands out because it’s free, flexible, and supports many operating systems. Microsoft offers free virtual machines for Windows 7, 8.1, and 10 through their developer tools website.
Your computer should have these resources for smooth VM operation:
- Sufficient RAM (allocate at least 4GB per VM)
- Available storage space for OS installations
- A CPU that supports virtualization technology (Intel VT or AMD-V)
Real learning happens when you break things, fix them, and break them again. VMs give you a safe space where mistakes cost nothing, just restore a snapshot and try again.
Simulating Troubleshooting Scenarios
The CompTIA A+ exam has performance-based questions (PBQs) that test your real-life IT problem-solving skills. Your lab helps build these practical abilities.
Network simulations make a good starting point. Set up VMs with different network modes:
- NAT mode: VM shares the host’s internet connection
- Bridged mode: VM appears as a separate device on your network
- Host-only mode: VM communicates only with your host computer
- Internal network mode: VMs talk only to each other
Each mode serves a unique purpose. NAT works for general internet access, while host-only creates isolated environments perfect for security testing.
Here’s a challenge: misconfigure a wireless network connection on one VM, then fix it properly. Test IP configurations, reset network settings, and check connectivity through ping tests.
Boson’s Practice Lab for CompTIA A+ 220-1202 provides guided exercises on configuring operating systems, managing software, and implementing security practices. These labs are a great way to get exam-specific skills.
Practicing Command-Line Tools
Windows command line tools provide powerful troubleshooting capabilities for the 220-1202 exam. Regular practice builds muscle memory you’ll need on exam day.
Essential network command-line tools include:
- ipconfig: Displays IP configuration information
- ping: Tests connectivity between devices
- netstat: Shows active network connections
- nslookup: Queries DNS servers
- tracert: Traces the route to a destination
- pathping: Combines ping and tracert functionality
System commands you should know:
- net user: Manages user accounts
- net view: Shows network resources
- net use: Connects to shared resources
Make a daily routine of common troubleshooting tasks using only the command line. This builds confidence for performance-based exam questions.
A solid lab combines virtual machines, simulated problems, and command-line practice. CompTIA A+ certification offers practice tests to check if your hands-on skills match exam requirements.
People who get their hands dirty learn twice as fast as those who only read about IT.
Final Words:
A solid 220-1202 plan combines structure, good resources, and hands-on repetition. Weekly goals keep you moving, while daily blocks make progress feel manageable.
Practice exams and PBQs show where you are weak, so your time goes to the right topics. Videos and books work best together, one for clarity, the other for depth.
A simple home lab, built with virtual machines, adds the practical skills the exam expects. Troubleshooting drills and command-line routines build speed and confidence. If you track results and adjust your schedule, prep becomes more predictable and less stressful.