Cloud Computing

The Only Guide You Need For AWS SAA-C03

Lucas Bernardo

Lucas Bernardo

— 3 min read
The Only Guide You Need For AWS SAA-C03

9 months ago, I passed the AWS SAA without the experience AWS recommends you have. I wasn't lucky, I'm not a natural, and I don't work as a Cloud Architect. Yet I still managed to pass it on my first try, without too much of a hassle.

Why Should You Get Certified?

When I started working in Cybersecurity, I was told to complete the AWS SAA course and get familiar with Cloud technology.

The reasoning was quite simple. Sage has a lot of products in the cloud, and you can't protect something if you don't know it in detail.

But maybe you aren't working in Cybersecurity, I would still recommend getting certified if you are:

  • Working in CloudOps/Architecture
  • Wanting to build your own products
  • Want to understand how modern applications are made
  • Are you a software engineer looking to expand your talent pool

A solutions architect is someone who can create a solid draft of what an architectural diagram for a product should look like. After the AWS SAA Exam, you'll be able to do exactly that.

The Roadmap

Before anything, please just save your money and skip AWS CP.

I was probably as new as you could be to the cloud world. I had some understanding of Computer Science, but other than that, I was an infant in the world of tech. Skip AWS CP, give the AWS SAA your all, and you'll do great.

Firstly, find a course that sits within your budget.

Unfortunately, all the courses that were free I found didn't go into enough detail, or went into too much detail and therefore meant you were over-preparing for the exam.

If you are working on a tight budget, I would recommend choosing the following:

  •  AWS's own training service (Skillbuilder) – There is a free version, but also a paid tier. Skillbuilder only builds on the high-level topics, so you should pair this with the next resource.
  • FreeCodeCamp Free YouTube Course – A solid free 50-hour course that covers AWS SAA in a good amount of depth.

If budget isn't much of a concern, I would highly recommend:

❗
Avoid ACloudGuru/Pluralsight for the AWS SAA Examination!
I originally used them and their content went into nowhere near enough detail for you to pass the exam. They might be good for other things, but AWS SAA is not one of them.

Secondly, it's time to practice for the exam.

There are a select few exam providers I would recommend, and I wouldn't trust any other resources, simply because they can be too basic or not cover the right scope.

I've used all of the above practice exam resources, and all are very good. The unofficial AWS practice exams tend to be slightly harder; however, if you managed to get around 70% on these examinations, you are probably ready.

Unfortunately, there aren't many good free practice questions out there. I would highly recommend spending money on this area. The best bang for your buck is probably the Tutorials Dojo practice exams.

Final Tips

  • Focus – I would recommend you set aside a month to complete your AWS SAA exam. Make sure you go through all of the content and practice exams during this month. Keep it consistent. No need to make notes, apart from things you are failing on, and just stick to it for a month. I spent a lot of time going on and off this certification, and it delayed me from achieving the certification.
  • Cheatsheet – Go over a cheatsheet the day before your exam, and maybe on the same day if you have time. This will refresh all the foundations of each topic. I would recommend the Tutorials Dojo Cheat Sheet.
  • Practice Makes Perfect – If you are genuinely worried about passing the exam, just take practice exams (of course, once you've learned all the content). Don't buy more courses, buy more exams.
  • AWS Documentation – If you really want to push yourself, read the Well-Architected Framework and other whitepapers that AWS has. Personally, I didn't do this, but this is always recommended by people who have taken the exam.

A Quote To Give You Hope

"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out."
— Robert Collier

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