Study method: I went hard at it for 3 weeks when I started studying for about 4+hrs/day (again on top of classes and work) then got burned out. I would take a half a week-week off and forget stuff. This cycled over until 1.5 weeks before my exam. The 1.5 weeks leading up to the actual exam, I had some time to study so I sat down and said "okay, we gotta take this before things get even busier" so I set a date to take it a 1.5 weeks later. I cannot recommend enough scheduling the exam when you go over all the objectives once, even just reading a book or watching a video course once. Schedule the exam early so you don't keep putting it off like I did.
I tried a bunch of different methods of studying but...
What actually helped me:
- Print the exam objectives and get familiar with them.
- Read All-in-One and highlighted to get acquainted with the material.
- Read GCGA and took some notes on paper but gave up.
- Took Dion's practice exams and scored between 50-55% first try then went over why my answers were incorrect.
- Read All-in-One again and took light handwritten notes based off the objectives (only notes on things I for sure didn't know and even they weren't too in-depth).
- Took Dion's practice exams and scored between 65-75% first try then went over why my answers were incorrect.
- Went over notes from All-in-One again.
- Did the questions that covered objective 1 then 2 and so on from Lachance and Clarke Practice Exams. The book isn't setup objective by objective but I did it objective-by-objective to find areas I needed more practice. I created an excel sheet with each objective and highlighted the ones I got wrong. I wrote out the reason why I got an answer wrong or why I struggled with a question. Why the answer is what it is and why it's not the one I thought it was or could be. This was by far the greatest method that helped me. Churning out questions and going over the choices. I absolutely think if I did this more than 4 days before my exam, I would have gotten a much higher score.
- Went through u/1unusualredditor's study guide and wrote out the things I did not have in my notes.
- Did the practice questions posted by u/digitalplanet_.
- More practice questions from Dion, and Lachance and Clarke
Testing experience: I had 81 questions total, 5 being PBQs. Mine didn't cover one topic more than another but there was a lot on types of attacks and networking which are a nice portion of the objectives. I looked at the PBQs at the beginning then skipped them keeping them in the back of my mind. I completed all the questions then went back to PBQs then flagged questions and submitted it with one second left. I didn't have any issues and cleared literally everything out of the room I took it in.
Sorry this is long but hopefully it helps someone in finding good resources or methods.
Resources:
(9/10) ComTIA Security+ All-in-One Exam Guide, Fifth Edition (Exam SY0-501) by WM. Arthur Conklin and Greg White: https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Security-Guide-Fifth-SY0-501/dp/1260019322/ref=pd_lpo_14_t_1/134-2959339-0566925?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1260019322&pd_rd_r=df6e608e-2cbf-4d34-a4a8-0ca377c099ee&pd_rd_w=dWlvp&pd_rd_wg=uq1wp&pf_rd_p=7b36d496-f366-4631-94d3-61b87b52511b&pf_rd_r=9PFT1KK0E1R592J4ESC5&psc=1&refRID=9PFT1KK0E1R592J4ESC5
(7/10) CompTIA Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-501 Study Guide 4th Edition by Darril Gibson: https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Security-Get-Certified-Ahead/dp/1939136059
(-50/10) CompTIA's CertMaster Practice.
(8/10) CompTIA Security+ (SY0-501) Practice Exams with Simulations by Jason Dion: https://www.udemy.com/course/comptia-security-practice-exams/
(10/10) CompTIA Security+ Certification Practice Exams, Third Edition (Exam SY0-501) by Daniel Lachance and Glen Clarke: https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Security-Certification-Practice-SY0-501/dp/1260026906
(10/10) InfoSec Institute posted by u/digitalplanet_: https://getcertified4less.com/uploads/file/SecurityMiniCourseHandbook.pdf
(10/10) u/1unusualredditor Study Guide: https://www.reddit.com/r/CompTIA/comments/hcv3sp/passed_security_2_hours_ago_with_844900/