How to pass AWS certified solutions achitect associate exam

Preparing for the Solutions Architect exam can be overwhelming since it is an important milestone in any cloud professional’s career. But don't worry, you can confidently clear the exam with the right strategy and helpful tips.

When I started preparing for the exam, I was felt completely drained three days into the preparation. However, some strategies were a game changer in my AWS preparation journey, which I'm sharing to help you succeed.

Preparing for the AWS Solutions Architect SAA-C03 exam#

Here are some tips to prepare for the exam:

1. Read the exam guide thoroughly#

The AWS Solutions Architect exam guide extensively explains what the exam intends to test and validate. Going through the exam guide will help you pinpoint your weak spots and narrow down the aspects of the exam you should focus on most.

2. Request exam accommodation for non-native English speakers#

The certification exam is time-bound, allowing 130 minutes for 65 questions with an average of 2 minutes per question. However, this leaves non-native English speakers at a slight disadvantage.

AWS offers exams in multiple but a limited number of languages. To compensate for the additional time required to comprehend the questions, AWS offers a 30-minute exam extension for non-native English speakers. Therefore, if English is your second language, request exam accommodation.

3. Choose a guide#

Achieving success, especially when preparing for certification exams, often requires guidance. These exams demand a targeted focus on specific aspects of the cloud, and having the right support can make all the difference.

Several online courses are available that will prepare you for the exam. These courses are designed according to the exam guidelines and are well-written to help you understand the question use case and answer accordingly.

At Educative, we provide a carefully crafted course that has helped several people prepare for their Solutions Architect SAA-C03 exam.

4. Focus on the important services#

AWS offers 200+ services and counting. Not all of them are important from the Solutions Architect’s point of view. Some services might require in-depth knowledge, while a surface-level understanding of others would be enough.

For example, Amazon SageMaker is not an important service from a solution architect exam perspective. However, it’s the foundational service for an AI practitioner certification.

Focus on mastering the concepts of the following services:

• EC2: Learn about AMIs, types of EC2 instances, security groups and EBS volumes. Also, explore placement groups and saving plans.

• S3: Explore methods to optimize costs and performance using object storage classes and lifecycle policies.

• VPC: Understand the components of a VPC, including subnets, route tables, NAT Gateways, and Internet Gateways. Also, learn how the networking of traditional 3-tier applications works using load balancers and Route 53.

• Lambda and serverless computing: Explore serverless and event-driven architectures thoroughly. Also, learn about the services used in event-driven designs, including Lambda functions, API Gateways, EventBridge, SNS, and more.

• IAM: Learn how to manage access through IAM and troubleshoot the access issues.

• RDS and Aurora: Thoroughly understand the fault-tolerant resilient architectures of RDS and Aurora. Learn the caching and failover strategies to use the service effectively.

• Kinesis: Learn about real-time data ingestion with Kinesis. Make sure you can differentiate between its services and pick the best one according to the use case.

But remember, memory only takes you so far. Do not just cram the features of the services; understand their place in the architectural patterns. The exam is scenario-based, so remember only the facts to help you choose the best pick.

5. Use flashcards and cheat sheets #

Flashcards and cheat sheets are a great way to summarize the features and architectural patterns. You can use the flashcards to recall and reinforce while attempting practice questions. They will also help you quickly review before the exam.

A good technique would be to design your flashcards after completing the study material related to each service to jot down the main concepts. However, several well-designed cheat sheets are available at Educative to help you prepare for your exam.

6. The power of practical learning: Hands-on Cloud Labs#

Do not underestimate the power of hands-on experience. Hands-on experience may seem unrelated to the multiple-choice exam format. However, they will deepen your understanding of services and give you an edge while solving scenario-based questions.

Remember, the Solutions Architect certification exam will assess your ability to apply your knowledge of AWS services and effectively integrate them to design solutions that meet specific business objectives. Educative Cloud Labs offers a great opportunity to deploy AWS services and design common architectures that deliver secure, resilient, and cost-effective solutions.

7. Simulate success: Attempt practice exams#

The saying “practice makes perfect” couldn't be more true here. Attempting sample practice exams will help you build familiarity with the exam format, identify areas for improvement, and boost your confidence for the actual test.

There are several exam simulations available online that closely replicate the format, style, and timing of the actual certification exams. Let's see how you can take full advantage of the practice exam to prepare for the Solutions Architect certification exam.

Break it down#

The trick to learn through practice exams is breaking them down into parts. Do not go through the 75 questions all in one go. Set up a Pomodoro timer. Break down your study time into 25–50 minutes with intermittent breaks of 5–10 minutes. Start by attempting 10–12 practice questions and build up from there.

When you feel you are prepared for at least 80% of the exam, take a proctored practice exam. Make sure you do this at least once before the exam day.

Do gap analysis#

Do not just sprint through the exam questions. Read the question thoroughly and try to understand the explanation. Do a proper gap analysis and narrow down your weak areas.

AWS certification exam questions are divided into four categories. Many practice question sets available online categorize their questions into these four domains. Figure out your deficiencies and work on them.

How to approach the SAA-C03 exam questions#

Having the right approach to a question is a game changer. It saves you time, aligns your thinking process, and helps you build confidence. But how should you approach the question in the Solutions Architect certification exam?

Let me break down the process of tackling the exam questions effectively.

Step 1: Read the question carefully and look for the keywords #

The scenario-based exam questions for the AWS Solutions Architect certification often include a large paragraph followed by a "kicker" sentence. These kicker sentences most often contain some common keywords, such as "least expensive," "most reliable," "resilient," "highly available," "least operational overhead," and so on.

Program your brain to determine the keywords and choose the best option that fulfills the criteria.

Step 2: Start by eliminating the irrelevant options#

You'll typically be asked to select one of two of the most relevant options. Often, exam questions contain irrelevant options that can be outright tossed in the bin. Start by eliminating those options to narrow down the options.

Attempt as many practice questions as possible until you can spot the key details and patterns at a glance. Remember, the goal is to cut through the noise and hone the actual answer in the least amount of time.

We have gathered the top AWS certification exam questions, which you should not miss out on before the exam.

Tips for the exam day#

Here are some of the tips for the exam day:

• Glance at the review material: Review your cheat sheets and flash cards. But remember not to overwhelm yourself with last-minute cramming.

• Use time mindfully: Aim to spend no more than 2 minutes on each question. However, don't worry if reading takes more than 2 minutes, as other questions might take a few seconds.

• Flag the questions: If a question is taking more than 3 minutes, flag it and move on to the next one. If you have time at the end, revisit and attempt the flagged questions.

• Attempt all the questions: AWS marks all the unattempted questions as wrong, deducting the mark. Therefore, if you are not sure about the answer, select the most relevant option or make an educated guess— trust your instincts!

Want to go the extra mile?#

The passing criteria for the exam is 720 marks out of 1000. However, if you don't want to only pass the exam but be a good Solutions Architect, learn how multiple companies have used the services of AWS in their architectural designs.

AWS offers whitepapers to discuss architectural concepts. These help you better understand concepts like well-architected frameworks and the AWS shared responsibility model, which is crucial not only for the exam but also for the role of the Solutions Architect.

Additionally, many companies have optimized their performance and costs by using AWS services. AWS has published multiple case studies on these success stories. One such example is the case study of Netflix showcasinghttps://aws.amazon.com/solutions/case-studies/innovators/netflix/#:~:text=Netflix%20Realizes%20Multi%2DRegion%20Resiliency%20on%20Amazon%20Route%2053 how they achieved Multi-Region Resiliency on Amazon Route 53. Learning from them will help you excel at your role too.

All in all, by combining confidence with strategic learning, you'll be well-equipped to conquer the AWS Solutions Architect certification exam. Remember, every question you practice, and every real-life scenario you solve brings you closer to not just passing the exam but excelling as a skilled Solutions Architect.