Have you heard about the recent Security+ changes?
CompTIA regularly adds new beta questions and they have added many into the mix in the past few months.
Security+ Changes with Performance-Based Questions
Reportedly, some of the new performance-based questions are unusually complex and lengthy. This requires test-takers to click multiple links and read several pages of data within the test question.
I’ve heard from several people telling me they ended up rushing through the multiple-choice questions and sometimes didn’t even finish them.
- Tip 2 on this page gives you the perfect strategy to deal with these – skip them.
Also, I’ve added many performance-based questions to this site. Set 10 includes 20 performance-based questions with drag and drop, matching, and fill-in-the-blank questions.
Security+ Changes Haven’t Changed the Objectives
It’s worthwhile knowing that while new questions are added, the objectives haven’t changed. New Security+ objectives probably won’t be used in live testing until 2017.
Many times, CompTIA just rewords existing test questions.
The best strategy to handle this is to ensure you understand the content covered by the objectives. When using practice test questions, ensure you know:
- Why the correct answers are correct
- Why the incorrect answers are incorrect
This way, no matter how CompTIA words the questions, you can answer them correctly.
I hear from people almost daily telling me they’ve passed the first time using the CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-401 Study Guide and/or study materials on this site.
All of these resources include explanations so that you’ll know why the correct answers are correct and why the incorrect answers are incorrect.
Some Recent Amazon Reviews
Some Recent Amazon Reviews
Here are some recent reviews of the CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-401 Study Guide on Amazon.
“This book is all you need to pass. I went from zero to hero in a month with no prior knowledge. This was my first official cert and I passed”
“I never write reviews for products I buy, but I’m grateful for those of you who do. Your raving reviews of this book is what prompted me to buy it. And I couldn’t agree more! I needed to pass the Security+ exam for a potential job, knowing that I’m losing my job at the end of this month. I was not given much to time to prepare for this exam, and I wanted to do everything I could (within reason) to learn what I needed to learn to pass this certification. So I bought this book, read it from cover to cover. Taking all the practice tests at least twice. And after a little over 2 weeks of studying this book alone, I was able to pass the exam on the first try.”
“I took another company’s boot camp course for Security+ and did not take the test as I was not yet ready for it. I studied only the materials from that course, which included 1,000 sample test questions, before taking the test. I FAILED. It was obvious to me that a one-week cram session using the provided material was not nearly enough for me. I asked a Security+ course instructor if there were any other materials he could recommend and Darril Gibson’s name was mentioned.
“I purchased the book, bought his apps from the iTunes app store and also purchased premium usage of his Get Certified Get Ahead website (very reasonable cost)…all for less than $100. I studied intensely for a week before retaking the test and not only passed it, but raised my test score over 200 points…in a week!!!”
“A wonderful Security+ SY0-401 study guide! I scored a 848 on the exam. I’m in the Air Force, and we’re expected to hold a Sec+ certification with our line of work. We’re given 8 training days to study any materials we can find, and they supply us with this book along with some McGraw Hill practice tests. As I read this book, all my questions were answered, and I especially love the simplicity in which this book conveys the message. I’m not very talented with reading comprehension, but I can safely say I retained most everything I read from this book! I just wanted to reach out and say thank you for all this book did to teach me what I needed to know. I wish there was something else I could do, but know that I appreciate it very much!”
Purpose of Security+ Changes
Why does CompTIA keep adding and changing questions?
Just as almost all certification organizations do, CompTIA adds new questions for test integrity.
Actual test questions make their way onto the Internet and some people attempt to memorize these questions and answers without understanding the content.
Subtle rewording of the questions by CompTIA often stymies these people and they end up failing repeatedly until they take the time to understand the content.
Security+ Changes and Failure Rate
Anecdotal evidence from people I hear from indicates that the Security+ changes may be resulting in a higher than normal failure rate.
Note. Many people have sent me notes telling me of their success after passing the exam. Some have told me that they failed the exam before finding the CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-401 Study Guide and/or these study resources. The number of people telling me they previously failed is higher right now than I ever remember before.
Only CompTIA knows for sure if that is true. It may be that the failure rate is still relatively the same.
An interesting note is that several people have told me they’ve received marketing emails after failing. These emails go something like this:
“Did you know you are not alone? Many IT pros do not pass the CompTIA
Security+ certification exam on the first try. Earning your certification
is hard work and a big accomplishment. A certification shows you have the
knowledge and skills needed to succeed in an IT career.
“We want you to succeed in your IT career. That’s why we are encouraging
you to retake the CompTIA Security+ certification exam! Buy Today!”
It includes a link to buy the CompTIA CertMaster Bundle. While I haven’t used the CertMaster bundle, the reviews I’ve read aren’t very favorable.
