Passed Sec + after 3 weeks of study!
Absolutely 0 IT background this was my first cert.
used Jason Dion's Udemy course and practice tests.
Averaged 70-75 on his practice tests before I took the exam
Used this subreddit a lot to for resources and to gauge how ready I am and just wanna thank yall!
Holy smokes that was hard. I took my test this morning and pass with just 1 point. I studied on and off for 4 months and zoned in on the last 3 weeks. I answered the PBQ's at the end as recommended. I also did not answer 1 PBQ since it was fill in the blank and I really had no idea. If I really didn't know a question, I answered it to the best of my knowledge and flagged it for later. Regardless, I had no time to go over the flagged questions since the time pretty much ended when I finished. I thought I failed the test since I flagged half the questions that seemed confusing. But I highly recommend you trust yourself if you really put the time and studied everyday.
I have no IT experience/ background and this is my first certification.
I used Jason Dion Udemy complete course and practice exams set 1 & 2 and CyberKraft and whatever else I can find on YouTube. And physical flash cards for everything. That's it.
My personal opinion:
- #1 is to understand every concept and to give an example in what it does. Say it out loud.
- learn all acronyms - they really throw in only acronyms
- look for key words and use process of elimination
- if you really don't know, take the best educated guess
- & pray - God really has a funny way of showing it with just 1 point pass. Regardless thank God.
Hope this post helps anyone. Open to answering questions!
I’ve completed the full course modules from Burning Ice Tech, and I’ve taken 4 separate Jason Dion practice exams and got an average of 83% on them. I feel as though I’m ready, but since I technically haven’t “passed” the Dion exams, I’m a little hesitant. I’d like to schedule my exam for next week, but I wanted a second opinion from someone who has taken the Dion practice exams and passed their official exam.
For those going to take the test the first time. Be sure to look over and practice PBQ’s. There are a lot of great examples out there. Also take the time to learn the terminology and recognize the ones that will actually be used. As you do practice questions, you will notice the same acronyms coming up over and over again… makes it easy to see which ones need to be memorized.
Use context clues, the questions may be worded strangely but pay attention to the situations. You got this.
Hi! I passed the Security+ exam in March with a score of 810. I’d like to start studying for CySA+ and would appreciate some study material recommendations. I noticed that Jason Dion’s updated course (CompTIA CySA+ (CS0-004)) was recently added on Udemy, and I plan to start with that. I also have the Sybex Practice Tests book by Mike Chappel and want to work through the questions.
Would you recommend rushing to take the exam before December 22, 2026 (when CySA+ V3 expires) or taking my time to prepare for CySA+ V4 (the new version) and taking that exam instead? Thanks a lot for your help!
I passed the CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 exam on August 16 with a score of 775, and I wanted to share what worked for me.
I actually started preparing around a year ago. I studied for a couple of months, but my preparation wasn’t consistent and eventually I stopped completely.
I came back to it in mid-July 2026, mainly because my exam voucher was expiring on August 19.
During my preparation, I initially tried some random free online practice tests. Honestly, they didn’t give me much confidence. So I decided to buy Dion’s SY0-701 practice exams, which included six practice tests.
My approach was slightly different from simply taking the tests and checking my score:
I took each practice exam in practice mode.
I noted down every keyword/term I didn’t understand.
I went back and studied each of those topics
on ChatGPT in detail with examples.
I made sure I understood the concept rather than just memorizing the answer.
By the end, I had become familiar with most of the terminology and concepts that appeared in the practice exams.
I revised the concepts that i studied on ChatGPT just before my exam and it stayed very fresh in my memory.
Then I took the actual exam on August 16 and passed with 775.
For anyone currently preparing, my biggest recommendation would be: don’t just memorize practice-test answers. If you encounter a term you don’t know, stop and learn what it means, why it is used, and how it differs from similar concepts.
Security+ has a lot of terminology, and understanding those keywords made the actual questions much easier for me.
My preparation wasn’t continuous, and I definitely wouldn’t recommend leaving your studying for the last few weeks like I did. But having a focused study period and systematically filling the gaps in my knowledge worked well for me.
Good luck to everyone preparing for SY0-701!
Edit: I watched Cyberkraft videos for pbq, 1 out of 3 pbqs came straight from what i already prepared from this channel.
I have about 6 1/2 weeks to take and pass the CySA exam, I have two years of security engineering experience and have take Sec+. Is it possible to take and pass the CySA+ in time? Any tips?
A little late but wanted to post. Studied for about 2 1/2 weeks and was stressing out before the test but I did it!
I used andrew ramdayal's course, cram book and tests for study materials.
I have no IT background/experience also
I just recently finished Dion’s training entire Security+ course in about 2 months. (With working 2 jobs and planning a wedding, I had to space out my studying.)
Took the practice exam at the end of the course.
1st attempt – I got a 61%. I realized I second-guessed myself a lot while taking the practice exam and got more than half of the questions I got wrong because I changed my answers. I kept thinking to myself, “What if it’s actually my second choice?” I went back through the answers to understand the why for the answer.
2nd attempt – I went in trusting my instincts and didn’t change any answers from my first choice (except for one question. I don’t know why I did that, and obviously, I got it wrong), and I ended up getting a 93%.
Problem I have with the practice exam is I don’t like how the practice exam is just the same questions scrambled around. I obviously went back through the first exam and studied the material because I didn’t know it would just be the same questions, so I easily got the 93%. I do think if I didn’t second-guess myself so much first go-around, I would’ve gotten at least an 80% on my first attempt.
I know people on the subreddit say that getting a 90% on Dion’s practice exams usually means you should be able to pass, but I just don’t feel confident enough because half of me feels like I just remembered the questions.
The question I have for people who passed the exam: What other FREE practice exams did you use to pass? If you have any can you please share them with me
Good morning/afternoon
I am currently a test specialist. Got my bachelor degree in logistics. I have been playing around and definitely been enjoying the cybersecurity course work. I am looking to go into being a security analyst. I started studying for security +. Just looking to seek advice to transition into the security field. I’m 35 so I would think this would be a good age to start fresh
Hi I need help I am struggling on where to take the exam? Home seems like the obvious choice but I am really concerned about my wi-fi so I was thinking to take it at the exam centre but I struggle with anxiety and places like that makes it worse. What y’all think I should do?
I built a PBQ practice simulator for CompTIA exams and I’m looking for some honest feedback from people currently studying.
The idea came from noticing that most practice tests are great for multiple-choice questions, but PBQs can feel completely different when you actually sit for the exam.
So I built PBQSimulator.com around interactive, hands-on PBQ-style practice rather than just giving you another set of multiple-choice questions.
There are a few simulations you can try free, so you don’t need to pay just to see how it works.
If you’re currently studying for A+, Network+, or Security+, I’d genuinely appreciate hearing:
Does the practice feel useful?
Is anything confusing?
What types of PBQs would you like to see added?
PBQSimulator.com
I’m actively improving it, so criticism is welcome.
Last week, I shared that we launched full Tech+ support on the web. This week, we took it to the finish line for everyone who prefers to study on the go.
If you are already tackling the new 6-domain Tech+ syllabus, you no longer have to wait until you're parked in front of a desktop to get your prep in.
Everything you need is now fully optimized for mobile:
The best part? Seamless cloud syncing. Start a practice test on your computer during lunch, pick up exactly where you left off on your phone while waiting in line, and review your progress metrics later.
If you’re a PassTIA Plus member, just open or update your app—the entire Tech+ suite is already waiting for you at no extra cost.
Take your IT prep anywhere. Check it out and let me know what you think of the mobile experience! 👇
📲 Download the Android App here:https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.passtia.app
#CompTIA #TechPlus #AndroidDev #MobileLearning #ITCertifications #EdTech #PassTIA
I took the exam today and failed with a score of 703. Any advice?
My school issued me two vouchers for the security plus, I just passed it today so I don't need the other one so im selling it dm
Hello everyone!
I just passed my CompTIA Security+ exam earlier this week! Due to delayed processing(something I have as an autistic person), I'm just now able to feel the excitement sinking in.
I was diagnosed with autism at age 3 and have always dealt with test-taking anxiety. I studied for about 3–4 weeks before taking the test. Make no mistake: this exam is not just for beginners. Even with 5+ years of tech experience, I found that several questions felt disconnected from actual real-world technical environments.(Disclaimer this from my experience, everyone everyone is different)
Here are a few takeaways and study strategies that made the difference for me:
As a speaker and advocate for the autism community, I’m thinking about starting a Security+ study and support group tailored for autistic and neurodivergent tech pros.
Let me know what y'all think—would anyone be interested in something like that?
Hello everyone I'm an cybersecurity student , I know this question may seem strange, but the cost of security and certification ($439 ) is equivalent to 3-4 months' salary in my country, so any failure will cost me a lot.
so I wanna ask if there is any alternative to reduce the cost .
