How To Study for a Certification Exam

Generally speaking, what are the best resources to use when studying for your certification exams? This quick guide to study will help you organize your thoughts and decide what resources to use when preparing.
Difficulty: N/A
Time Required: 1 week to several years
Here's How:
1. Take Advantage of Books
They are relatively cheap, often come with great practice questions, and are specifically geared towards the exams. Pick a study guide and use it as your number one study tool.
2. Visit Certification Forums
Forums are a great way to interact with a community of people who are interested in the same things as you. In this case, certification. You can find out what to expect and ask questions about your topic
3. Take a Training Class
Whether it's online or in a classroom, training offers a hands-on way to learn the material. Although more costly, if you want a guaranteed way to pass your exams, this is it.
4. Try Online Practice Tests
Some are free and others cost money, but all of them will get you in the test-taking mode. Most online practice exams run from $30 to $100 and provide a solid way to test your knowledge.
5. Check out ChatsSeveral sites offer chat rooms geared towards helping you with your certifications. Drop by at the appointed time and find out if you are prepared for your exams.
6. Visit Vendor Sites
Finally, visit the vendor's site. Go directly to Microsoft.com, Cisco.com, CompTIA.com, etc. Find a link that points to you education or certification to learn everything you want to know about the certification process as well as recommended training and study tools. They often offer exam guides and practice questions free for the taking.

Hi DanDan

You have done a great a great job by providing this guide. I appreciate your efforts to share your knowledge on preparation of certification exams. As about the fifth option that you gave, i am not aware of any such chat sites. If you can provide any example of such site, i'll be thankful to you.

And yeah, i liked your name 'dandan', funny enough :devil: ;)

Thanks for that great information dandan. To add to it, one can also use mock test papers that are called "dumps" in informal terms, which are of great help before appearing to any online certification exam. These dumps are updated frequently and its practice gives one a solid base to appear confidently.

thanks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you tell us some trusted & reputed sites which provide free online tests for its members? to get the basic Idea about these certification exams? & get confidence?
Please help me!