How I Passed CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) on My First Try

How I Feel

On October 24th, I completed and passed my CompTIA Security+ exam on the first attempt, after about two months of consistent study, and I’m still enjoying the feeling of accomplishment. It’s a tough exam, but I genuinely enjoyed preparing for it. Since passing it, I’ve had a lot of people ask how I did it, so here’s my write-up, which is equal parts reflection and a roadmap for anyone about to start their own journey.

What Is CompTIA Security+?

CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) is a vendor-neutral certification that validates core cybersecurity knowledge and practical skills across domains like network and endpoint security, identity and access management, risk, cryptography, and incident response. It’s widely seen as a baseline credential for roles such as Security Analyst, SOC Analyst, Systems Administrator, or IT Auditor, especially if you’re building toward blue-team or GRC-adjacent paths.

How tough is it? I’d call it advanced-beginner to intermediate. It’s absolutely passable with consistency and good materials, but you’ll feel it if your networking or fundamental security concepts are rusty. Consistent practice and targeted review make all the difference.

My Study Method

Routine

• Monday–Friday after work: focused study sessions; weekends reserved for rest and reset.
• Alternated resources so I wasn’t stuck in one mode of learning.

Resources

• Video course: Dion Training Security+ Course
• Book: CompTIA Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-701 Study Guide by Joe Shelley & Darril Gibson — Get Certified Get Ahead (SY0-701)

Tactics

• Took handwritten notes and highlighted key terms and weak spots that could trip me up.
• In the final 2–3 weeks, I re-read my notes and chapter summaries daily to consolidate everything.
• In the final 2–3 weeks, I also did daily mock exams (weekdays) from the course provider and circled back to the book’s “Remember This” sections for any topics I missed.
• In the last two days, I switched gears, doing just one mock exam each day and reviewing the results followed up by eating good food, watching great shows and films and getting enough sleep.

Staying Focused and My Exam Mindset

I’ll admit, YouTube can be my biggest nemesis when I’m meant to be studying — the allure of their algorithmic temptations are real. One thing that helped me stay focused was using the Pomodoro Technique. It kept my sessions sharp and stopped me from drifting into “just one more video” territory.

As I mentioned earlier, in the final two days before the exam, I did something seemingly counterintuitive — I took it easy. At that point, I trusted the work I’d already done. I did one mock exam on both day respectively to stay sharp, then spent the rest of the time relaxing and setting up my room for the Pearson VUE at-home exam. It helped me stay calm and focused going in, without the burnout or panic that last-minute cramming can cause.

My Learning Rhythm

The approach I’ve outlined, created a steady feedback loop: learn → test → patch gaps → retest.

Two months later, I felt confident taking the online exam, not because I’d memorised everything, but because I’d trained my brain to think like a security professional.

Hindsight: What I’d Do Differently

I really enjoyed the videos because the real-world examples helped abstract concepts stick. But I feel I could’ve taken the exam sooner by being more targeted:

• Instead of watching the entire video course end-to-end, I’d selectively watch only to learn about and reinforce weak areas.
• I’d keep the book + handwritten notes + mocks as my main structure and use video only when I needed extra clarity.

Same understanding, less time and fewer late nights spent revisiting what I already knew.

Exam-Week Tips That Helped

• Short, sharp sessions: 45–60 minutes of tight focus beats marathon cramming.
• Active recall > passive reading: use flashcards or quiz yourself on weak areas.
• PBQ mindset: break down scenarios into clear steps — triage, isolate, contain, remediate — so you don’t freeze when the format looks different.
• Sleep and pacing: relax protect your rest the two nights before. During the exam, mark tricky items and move on, then circle back after banking the easy wins.

My Next Steps

I’m following up Security+ with Microsoft SC-200 (Security Operations Analyst Associate) to deepen hands-on skills in detection and response within the Microsoft security stack — Defender XDR, Sentinel, and beyond. It’s the natural evolution from the theory and governance foundation of Security+ toward real-world operational experience.

Final Thoughts

• Consistency beats intensity. A little every day compounds fast.
• Mix formats. Video for intuition, reading for depth, notes for memory, mocks for exam feel.
• Rest is part of the plan. Stepping away helps everything sink in.

Security+ is absolutely doable and the confidence boost afterward is real. If you’re on the path: trust your process, take breaks when you need them, and celebrate every bit of progress along the way.