CompTIA study plan
220-1102 study plan
A step-by-step 220-1102 study plan: the exact order to study in, how long to spend on each stage, and when to start practice questions. Follow it top to bottom.
The real 220-1102 is Maximum of 90 questions questions in 90 minutes, pass mark 700 / 900. For the full domain-by-domain breakdown behind each stage, read the 220-1102 study guide.
Your step-by-step plan
Map the blueprint and set a date
Day 1Read the official Core 2 exam objectives and the four domains with their weights. Book a provisional exam date now: a fixed date turns open-ended study into a plan and is the strongest predictor of actually sitting the exam.
Master the ordered procedures early
Week 1The highest-value habit in Core 2 is knowing the fixed sequences cold. Learn the seven malware-removal steps, the change-management approval-before-implementation flow, and the six-step troubleshooting methodology until a reordered list looks wrong on sight. Use the recall prompts in this guide: cover the answer, retrieve from memory, then reveal.
Drill the security models (Security domain)
Weeks 1-2Lock the models that have one right answer under a constraint: the most-restrictive rule for combined NTFS and share permissions, the WPA and encryption pairings, and matching each data-destruction method to its assurance-or-reuse requirement. Practise WPA-with-TKIP and destruction-versus-sanitisation distractors until they read as wrong instantly.
Cover Operating Systems breadth
Weeks 2-3This is the largest domain. Learn each Windows command-line tool by the symptom it owns, the file systems and their limits including the exFAT and FAT32 4 GB distinction, GPT versus MBR, and the macOS and Linux equivalents. Drill scenario questions that hand you a symptom and ask for the correct utility.
Practise on scenarios with worked explanations
Week 3Move to full practice sets across Software Troubleshooting and Operational Procedures and read the explanation for every question, including the ones you got right. The exam rewards choosing the best action among plausible options, so understanding why each distractor is wrong is where the marks are.
Find and close your weak domains
Week 4Use your per-domain accuracy to drill the areas dragging you down rather than re-reading what you already know. Malware-removal ordering, incremental-versus-differential backups, and NTFS-versus-share permissions are common weak spots; repeat until every domain clears the pass line with margin.
Sit a timed mock and review it
Week 5Take at least one full timed mock to rehearse pacing and flag-and-return. Treat the score as a per-domain readiness signal, then review every missed question before booking or sitting.
Ready to start stage one?
Free 220-1102 questions with worked explanations. No sign-up.
Frequently asked questions
How long does this 220-1102 study plan take?
It is 7 stages, paced by how much time you can give it each week - most candidates work through it in 2 to 6 weeks. Each stage below has a suggested duration; slow down on any stage where the recall checks in the study guide are not landing before moving on.
What order should I study 220-1102 in?
Follow the stages in order below. They are sequenced deliberately: foundational material first, then the domains weighted heaviest on the exam, then timed practice, with review passes built in rather than left to the end.
Do I need practice questions as part of this plan?
Yes. Reading alone does not surface what you have not actually learned. This plan builds in graded practice, and the full 300-question bank is free to use as you work through each stage.
Is this plan enough on its own, or do I need the full study guide too?
This page is the plan: what to do and in what order. The study guide adds the domain-by-domain breakdown, easy-to-confuse traps, and worked examples behind each stage - read it alongside this plan, not instead of it.
Examworthy is not affiliated with or endorsed by CompTIA. This study plan is original material based on the public exam blueprint. We never reproduce live exam items. 220-1102 and related marks belong to their respective owners.