I cleared the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Foundation exam[CLF-C01] with 84%, and my study time was around 7 days. At the risk of reducing the credibility of the test, I’m going to share what worked for me.
spoiler alert: A Plan.
But, a little context first:
I was looking forward to a four-day CNY (Chinese New Year) break, and I knew exactly what I would be doing: binge-watching Kdramas, cafe hopping, meeting friends who would talk about those dramas, and more cafe hopping. But I also knew I’d regret it after, because I had squandered another good opportunity to do something useful or complete a pending task. With this, I remembered that the AWS exam voucher had been collecting dust for half a year in my e-wallet and decided this might be a good window to check it out. And thus began my short odyssey through the cloud.
My arsenal of materials
- AWS
My first stop was the AWS certification website to understand the exam requirements (almost anyone can take the exam), question pattern (multiple choice and multiple responses), and a passing score (of 70%). The requirements led me to understand that it’s a primer before you deep dive into the cream of AWS exams and that it's essentially for people with non-IT backgrounds.
AWS Intro Resources: Sample Questions | Exam Guide
2. UDEMY
Armed with information, I went on to Udemy to land a course that would help me achieve my goal. I zeroed in on two, knowing they were the mavericks of the AWS world.
i. [NEW] Ultimate AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner — 2023 by Stephane Mareek
ii. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Exam Training [New] 2023 by Neal Davis
I chose one of them, but I won't say which one because you'll soon learn that I changed my mind midway for reasons I'll explain shortly.
I realized two days into the course that if I don't make a timeline, I could spend an eternity watching videos at their pace and at my mood or will. At this point, I was blatantly tricking myself into taking the exam in 4–5 days. So I needed a plan (a tailored one) urgently, or I was set to fail grandly.
Days spent: 2 days
3. Digital Cloud cheat sheets
Upon finishing each video in the course, I noticed a few references left at the end. I clicked on a couple of links (cheatsheets) and realized they were more of a summary of what the trainer was saying. Furthermore, the sheets contained more nuances and information at times. A huge help because the material covered in the course in video format was what I could learn here, divided into categories as highlighted in the AWS exam guide. I took two days to skim through these and make my own notes for later reference.
Note that this approach would mean missing out on the AWS demos and hands-on covered in the Udemy course, which would actually be a lot of help to anyone who is seriously considering getting an opportunity in the cloud or working to sincerely improve their knowledge.
I would only recommend cheat sheets for people who set impossible goals for themselves and have fun slaying them. Even so, after finishing these cheat sheets, I remember reviewing a few demos to see firsthand how to set up an S3 bucket or the possibilities of an IAM root/user role.
>>> Digital cloud references: Cheat Sheets
Days spent: 2 days [total: 4 days]
4. Udemy Exam Practice Questions
I then jumped right into the practice tests, enrolling in the following items as well as taking any free online exams on the topics on which I was rusty. billing and pricing, storage, and shared responsibility. I made it a point to thoroughly review the answers, take copious amounts of notes, and add remarks on things I was getting wrong repeatedly. I went online or to the original Udemy video (that I gave up midway) to learn and bridge those gaps.
i. 6 Practice Exams | AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C01 by Stephane Mareek
ii. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner 500 Practice Exam Questions by Neil Davis
Days spent: 3.5 days [ total: 7.5 days]
D Day
I wouldn’t say that sitting through the exam was a piece of cake. I had my moments of confusion as well as my moments of triumph. But, for the most part, I felt confident when I hit the submit button.
As a last note, I think I would owe the passing score to the practice exams. They nudge you to learn the art of making inferences from what you learn to apply in real-time, in addition to giving you a taste of the actual exam; and that has made all the difference.
ID: DDFBX3KCR1Q41ECY | Link to my credential
