How I Cleared the AWS Solutions Architect Certification Exam
Everyone has their own route, this was mine
Full disclosure; I’m not sponsored by any of the products mentioned in this post.
The first time I tried to tackle this exam I was an intern in 2018, and I didn’t make it past 20% of the Udemy course before my internship and motivation for this certification simultaneously ended. The second time I was a full time Tech Consultant with my firm incentivizing employees by waiving any cost incurred if the exam was cleared. I didn’t make it past the S3 section.
So what changed?
This time I was self-aware and knew I had to break this goal down into smaller tasks.
First, I aimed for and cleared the AWS Cloud Practitioner Certificate which isn’t required to obtain the AWS Solutions Architect (SA). However, I think even if you have prior AWS experience/knowledge it’s an easy win and gets you familiarized with the AWS examinations. Building confidence on the subject and consistent studying is what will help you clear the exam.
Second, I would set my eyes on the Linux Academy (LA) SA course to cover the breadth of topics within the exam. You will spend a bulk of your preparation on one of these courses that range anywhere from 15 to 30+ hours.
Very similar to my guide to pass the Cloud Practitioner exam I used LA to study; $50 monthly. I enjoy LA’s labs, flash notes and quizzes throughout their courses and since I had used it before I just continued using what worked for me. I know LA is more expensive than some options, so do explore others. One that was very popular amongst my peers is by Stéphane Maarek and you can find the course on sale for about $15 consistently here.
Note that you want to make sure whatever course or content you decide to study is up to date as AWS releases new exams periodically.
Third, a great practice exam platform that identifies weakness areas, so you have a keen focus moving forward. For example, Databases & Networking were the areas I struggled with the most. I’d usually jump back into the video sections in LA, but this time also tackle it with questions from Digital Cloud Training’s “Knowledge Review” practice exams pictured below.
As you can see in the image directly above, Digital Cloud Training was a great resource for sectional studying. You get a question wrong, well here’s not only the right answer but also an explanation and links for further references.
Fourth, usually I need to motivate myself through an external force (e.g. deadline, fear of failure, etc.). I prematurely purchased and scheduled my exam 6 weeks out. I had a hiatus after completing the Cloud Practitioner Cert and since a few of those topics overlap I assumed I could pick them back up quickly. If I’m honest the first couple of weeks I was inconsistent but as the 30-day mark neared I certainly felt the pressure. Definitely didn’t want to lose my money for both the exam fee and LA subscription 😂.
The next couple of weeks I spent, grinding through the course content and started using the flash cards feature LA offers. Studying sections like S3, Databases, Networking, etc. and then quickly quizzing myself.
Progress.
Actually complete the labs or if you’re watching a video series do it while you’re watching them!
I’ve heard of different strategies but one I recommend especially on key topics like “Building a VPC” is to watch and take notes the first time and the second time to actually build it/follow along while watching or give it a shot without the video. This will help internalize the content.
Here’s some of the key topics that if you internalize/learn and not just memorize will help you clear the exam and also assist you navigating the cloud:
Building a VPC| Difference between a VPC & Direct Connect| S3 Bucket Policies| Multi-Zone Replication/Read Replicas| Services used with Lambda Triggers
There’s a ton more, but I think if you master some of those especially VPCs I saw that come up pretty often in my exam you should be in good shape.
What’s Next? I might move over to Azure for personal reasons but just because we obtain these certifications do not necessarily mean we’re done learning. I view it more for what it is, a certification that signifies you’re familiar with the platform and a good test taker 😂. The learning never stops, especially at the rate that cloud services are evolving 📈 you must continue to have a growth mindset. And once you do clear it take a moment to celebrate!
Best of luck on your exam 🙏🏼
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“Once you stop learning, you start dying” — Albert Einstein
