CompTIA A+ Study Plan: A 12-Week Roadmap Through Core 1 and Core 2

8 min read ยท 2026-10-14

A solid comptia a+ study plan fits in about 12 weeks at around 8 to 10 hours of study a week. You spend the first six weeks on Core 1 and sit that exam, then the next six weeks on Core 2 and sit the second one. You only earn the certification once you pass both.

The plan below is built for beginners who work or take classes on the side. Each phase has a clear goal, concrete steps and a milestone you can check. If you already work in IT support, you can shorten the content weeks and spend more time on practice tests.

The roadmap at a glance

Goal: Pass CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202) and earn the certification. Duration: 12 weeks, about 8 to 10 hours per week

  1. Baseline and Setup (Week 1)

    Find out what you already know and get your study tools ready before you start on the content.

    • Download the official exam objectives for both exams from CompTIA and save them as checklists.
    • Take one full-length practice test for Core 1 without studying, just to see where you stand.
    • Pick one main video course and one book or study guide, and stick to them.
    • Set up a lab: an old PC or laptop you can open, plus a free virtual machine tool for installing operating systems.

    Milestone: You have a baseline score, a working lab and a weekly study calendar.

  2. Core 1: Hardware and Mobile Devices (Weeks 2-3)

    Learn the physical side of computers and phones, the base you need for every troubleshooting question later.

    • Study motherboards, CPUs, RAM types, storage (HDD, SSD, NVMe) and power supplies.
    • Open your lab PC, remove and reseat the RAM and a drive, then boot it again.
    • Cover printers, display types, and cable and connector types.
    • Learn mobile device parts, accessories and how to set up email and syncing on a phone.

    Milestone: You can name every port and connector in your flash card deck and score 80% or more on a hardware quiz.

  3. Core 1: Networking, Cloud and Troubleshooting (Weeks 4-5)

    Understand how devices connect and how to fix them when they don't.

    • Book your Core 1 exam slot for the end of week 6, so you have a fixed date to work toward.
    • Learn TCP and UDP ports, IPv4 and IPv6 basics, DHCP, DNS and common Wi-Fi standards.
    • Set up a home router from its admin page and change the Wi-Fi settings yourself.
    • Study virtualization and cloud models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, public, private, hybrid).
    • Learn the CompTIA troubleshooting method by heart and apply it to hardware and network scenarios.

    Milestone: Your exam slot is booked, you can write the full port list from memory and you can explain the six troubleshooting steps in order.

  4. Core 1 Review and Exam (Week 6)

    Close your gaps and sit the first exam while the content is fresh.

    • Take two timed practice tests and list every question you got wrong by domain.
    • Go back to the objectives checklist and review only the weak lines.
    • Practice performance-based questions, which ask you to drag, match or configure.
    • Sit the Core 1 exam at the end of the week.

    Milestone: Core 1 passed (passing score: 675 on a scale of 900).

  5. Core 2: Operating Systems and Security (Weeks 7-9)

    Master the two domains that carry the most weight in Core 2.

    • Install Windows in a virtual machine and use Control Panel, Settings, Task Manager, Disk Management and the command line.
    • Learn the basics of macOS and Linux: file systems, common commands and system tools.
    • Study security: malware types, social engineering, authentication, wireless security and securing a workstation.
    • Practice account setup, permissions and BitLocker in your lab.

    Milestone: You can run the core Windows commands (ipconfig, ping, sfc, chkdsk, gpupdate) and explain what each one does.

  6. Core 2: Software Troubleshooting and Procedures (Weeks 10-11)

    Learn how a support technician works day to day.

    • Book your Core 2 exam slot for the end of week 12.
    • Troubleshoot common Windows, mobile app and security problems with the scenarios in your study guide.
    • Study operational procedures: documentation, change management, backups, safety, environmental rules and professional communication.
    • Learn basic scripting file types and remote access tools.
    • Take one full Core 2 practice test at the end of week 11.

    Milestone: Your exam slot is booked and you score at or above your target on a full Core 2 practice test.

  7. Core 2 Review and Exam (Week 12)

    Finish strong and earn the certification.

    • Take one more timed practice test and review every wrong answer.
    • Redo the performance-based questions you struggled with.
    • Rest the day before the exam.
    • Sit the Core 2 exam.

    Milestone: Core 2 passed (passing score: 700 on a scale of 900) and CompTIA A+ earned.

What the Two Exams Cover

According to CompTIA's official A+ exam pages on comptia.org, the current version (V15) has two exams: Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202). Each has a maximum of 90 questions and lasts 90 minutes. Questions are multiple choice (single and multiple response), drag-and-drop and performance-based. Both exams must come from the same version.

Core 1 is about hardware and connections. Core 2 is about software and how you work. The weights of each domain, listed below, show you where to spend your hours.

Troubleshooting is the biggest domain in Core 1, so the plan gives it time in weeks 4 and 5 and again in the review week. Hardware comes second, so it gets two full weeks of its own. In Core 2, operating systems and security share the top spot, so they get three full weeks.

  • Core 1: Mobile devices (13%)
  • Core 1: Networking (23%)
  • Core 1: Hardware (25%)
  • Core 1: Virtualization and cloud computing (11%)
  • Core 1: Hardware and network troubleshooting (28%)
  • Core 2: Operating systems (28%)
  • Core 2: Security (28%)
  • Core 2: Software troubleshooting (23%)
  • Core 2: Operational procedures (21%)

Why Core 1 First, Then Core 2

CompTIA lets you take the two exams in any order. This plan starts with Core 1 because hardware and networking give you the vocabulary Core 2 uses. It is hard to troubleshoot a Wi-Fi problem in Windows if you don't know what DHCP does.

Sitting Core 1 in week 6 also gives you an early win and real exam experience. You see how performance-based questions look on screen, how the timer feels and how to flag questions for later. That makes the Core 2 exam less stressful.

If you already use Windows every day and have never opened a PC, the reverse order can make sense. Whatever the order, keep the gap between the two exams short so you don't forget the format or lose momentum.

How to Split Your Weekly Hours

This plan is built around 8 to 10 hours a week, which you can fit next to a full-time job or full-time classes. The mix matters more than the total. Watching videos feels productive, but the exam asks you to do things and recall them under time pressure.

Spread your hours over five or six short sessions rather than one long weekend block. Short daily sessions help you remember port numbers, commands and acronyms, which come up again and again in the questions. A simple weekly split looks like this:

  • 3 hours of video or reading on the week's objectives
  • 2 to 3 hours of hands-on lab work
  • 2 hours of flash cards and short quizzes
  • 1 to 2 hours of timed practice questions

How to Use Practice Tests the Right Way

A practice test is a diagnostic tool, not a final grade. Take your first one in week 1 with no preparation. A low score at that point is expected. It shows you which domains to watch and gives you a starting point to measure progress.

After every practice test, write down each wrong answer and the objective it belongs to. Then review the objective, not just the question. If you only memorize answers, your score goes up on that test but not on the real exam.

Keep full-length, timed tests for the review weeks. Before that, use shorter quizzes by domain. Look for scores that are steady across several tests, not one lucky high score. If they are not steady a few days before your exam date, move your slot rather than gamble.

Build a Lab Without Spending Much

Hands-on practice is what makes performance-based questions feel easy. You don't need expensive gear. An old desktop or laptop is enough to practice opening a case, swapping RAM and replacing a drive.

For software, a free virtualization tool lets you install Windows and a Linux distribution side by side on your own computer. Break things on purpose: change a network setting or create a user with the wrong permissions, then fix it with the troubleshooting method. That habit is exactly what both exams test.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Studying only from videos. Swap one video hour a week for lab work and recall practice.
  • Leaving the port list and command list until the last week. Build flash cards from week 2 and review them daily.
  • Skipping performance-based questions in practice. Do a few every week from week 4 on.
  • Sitting the exam after one good practice score. Wait until your scores are steady across two or three timed tests, and reschedule if they are not.
  • Waiting months between Core 1 and Core 2. Book your Core 2 slot by week 10 and keep the same weekly rhythm.
  • Ignoring operational procedures because they look easy. Give them a full review, since they count for 21% of Core 2.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to study for CompTIA A+?

Plan for about 12 weeks at 8 to 10 hours a week to prepare for both exams. If you already work in IT support, you can shorten it to 6 to 8 weeks. If you can only study a few hours a week, stretch it to 16 to 20 weeks and keep the same order of phases.

Do I have to pass both Core 1 and Core 2?

Yes. You earn the CompTIA A+ certification only after passing both exams, and CompTIA requires both to come from the same version. Passing one exam alone does not give you the certification.

What is the passing score for CompTIA A+?

According to CompTIA, Core 1 (220-1201) needs 675 and Core 2 (220-1202) needs 700, both on a scale of 900. The score is scaled, so it is not a simple percentage of correct answers. Aim for steady practice test results above your target before exam day.

Can I pass CompTIA A+ with no IT experience?

Yes, the certification is designed as an entry point into IT support. Without experience, give more time to the hands-on lab work in each phase. Opening a real computer and installing operating systems yourself makes the scenario questions much easier.

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