Passed SAA-C03 just in time for New Year’s

I recertified for the SAA a year after my first cert expired but it was no less challenging the second time around. In fact, with so many new services introduced, I feel like it was even more challenging this time!

My tried and true method is this: I use Stephane Maarek’s Udemy course to study, take his sample test, then I move on to take TutorialsDojo sample tests one by one, read all the explanations, then I retake the tests until I get 90% and up on them.

The first time around I also studied A Cloud Guru’s course and Whizlabs (on top of SM and TJ on Udemy) but I didn’t like those so much so this second go round I streamlined as I had to recertify by EOY.

I wish I discovered the mind map earlier - I found it on this Reddit the night before the exam. That would have been super helpful since I suck at taking notes.

I did take notes by hand (somehow that helps me retain info better) and they are so disorganized but weirdly helped.

Exam time, I booked a conference room at work, put a sign on the door to not disturb me, unplugged all the electronics in the room, then covered all the posters and stickers with blank paper. Took awhile to check in and the greeter thoroughly checked the room via webcam.

I am recovering from the flu as well so I had unwrapped cough drops on the table and informed the proctor when I would take one. I gave the proctor a heads up on my coughing situation (it was bad) so that there are no surprises if I instinctively cover my mouth or take a cough drops.

Not going to lie, the exam was hard. No easy questions. I took so many sample tests and I feel like I could guess what options were going to be given to me, based on the questions. These questions were HARD and complex with layering of questions and answers. I flagged every answer I wasn’t sure about and finished the whole thing with about 65 mins left.

I went back to my flagged questions and noted I had 40 flagged questions!!! Panic! I reviewed them one by one and removed the flags when I thought I had the right answer. I changed a lot of my answers in the first 20 flagged questions. I realized I had mental block in the beginning of the exam but I was able to analyze things better as time went by.

I continued to review the flagged questions and removing flags when I felt more confident. In the end I had about 4 or 5 flagged questions and I couldn’t think anymore, so I ended the review with 4 seconds to spare.

At that point I really thought I failed. I only distinctively remember one of my flagged questions and I looked at my notes to realize I picked the wrong flavor of Elasticache for my answer. Super bummed. I was mentally preparing for a retake and how I would position this at work since I had to take it by EOY!

For me the layered questions on security and networking were the ones that made my brain hurt the most.

About 3 hours later I got the email from AWS and Credly about my passing the exam. Now I can relax!

Happy New Year!!!