A Plus Certification

Factual Questions
1

How much does it cost to get A+ Certified for computers? How long does it take? I’m looking for averages.

2

I passed it a couple years ago. There are two tests (Hardware and Windows). It was paid for by my company, but if I remember correctly it was either $45 a test or $90 a test.

Tests are timed and I think you have an hour for each. You don’t have to take both at the same time. You could take one and come back a month later and take the other. There is a statute of limitations of about a 3 months I think.

How long it takes to study is up to you. I was doing helpdesk support and just came out of college so I was able to pass with minimal study. If your not already working in the field I would think its a good bit tougher to pass without knowing all the little tidbits that you pick up.

3

Assuming you are in the US, it costs $139 per test. The test is now adaptive, so the time can vary according to how many questions you need to determine if you pass or fail. See the above link for full details.

4

As an above poster mentioned, the tests are $139 each. There are two tests. That works out to $278.
Assuming you don’t know what you need to already, you can take a class to prepare you, or buy a book such as [italics] The All-In-One A+ Certification Exam Guide [/italics] by Michael Meyers. I think this ran me $50 at a local bookseller.
I would like to warn you that this may be money wasted. If your employer is encouraging you to get an A+ and will reward you for getting it then it may be a good idea to get it.
If, however, you already have a job in IT, the virtue of getting yourself A+ certified is arguable. Anyone who has been in the industry for a year UNDOUBTEDLY knows everything the test is really checking for. Thus, were I to be hiring persons whose duties included performing “A+ class” work, any credible references and a resume with 12 months of IT experience would negate the value of an A+ certification.
If you are attempting to gain entrance into the industry, I urge you to reconsider. The job market for information technology professionals is flooded with good candidates and getting an entry-level job is likely to be well-nigh impossible.
If you nonetheless wish to become a PC Technician, the odds that an A+ certification will help you during a given interview are perhaps 50/50. The situation where it is most likely to help will be if you are applying to work for a certified warranty repair or certified reseller for a major PC company. Hewlett Packard, Compaq, etc may require that persons who repair their machines under warranty have an A+. In that case the certification becomes a prerequisite for employment at the affected shop.

www.jwoodall.com