How I passed AWS Solution Architect Certification with just 2 months of preparation?
With My Study Plan and Essential Exam Tips
Photo by Nick Morrison on Unsplash
For years, I worked with AWS almost daily. But I never made time to get certified. Between work, deadlines, and life in general, the exam kept getting pushed back.
Earlier this year, I finally decided to stop delaying. It was time to earn my AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate certification.
I had a strong foundation, but I knew I needed a solid study plan. With just two months of focused preparation, I passed the exam. In this post, I’ll share my study plan, the resources I used, and what worked best for me. If you’re preparing for this exam, I hope my experience helps make your journey smoother.
Step 1: Make a Plan
1. Review the Official Exam Guide
The first thing I did was review AWS’s official exam guide. This helped me identify the topics I was already familiar with and those I needed to focus on. Understanding the scope of the exam made planning much easier.
2. Create a Study Plan
Once I knew my strengths and weaknesses, I put together a structured plan:
Daily Study Time: 2 hours on weekdays, 5 hours on weekends
Topic Prioritization: Spent more time on complex topics like AWS Organizations and Transit Gateway. Spent less time on easier ones like serverless computing.
Track Progress Visually: Checked off topics as I completed them. Seeing my progress kept me motivated.
3. Set a Target Exam Date
Using my study plan, I picked a date exactly two months away. Having a deadline gave me a clear goal to work toward.
4. Book the Exam
Once I scheduled the test, I had no choice but to stay on track. The commitment pushed me to study consistently.
Step 2: Work the Plan
Having a plan is great, but sticking to it is what really matters. Here’s how I made sure I stayed on course.
1. Get Hands-On with AWS
Reading about AWS services is helpful. But using them in real scenarios is even better. I spent time in the AWS console testing different services.
Most of them were free, but some, like Transit Gateway, had costs. To avoid unnecessary charges, I always deleted my resources after finishing a lab. I learned this lesson the hard way when I forgot a few and got surprise charges.
2. Set a Budget
To keep my spending in check, I set a budget in AWS Billing. I chose a $5 monthly limit. If I went over, AWS sent me an alert. I received a few emails when I forgot to delete lab resources. Some services are easy to overlook, so this reminder was helpful.
3. Leverage Free Learning Resources
There are plenty of free AWS study materials online. The ones I found most useful were:
AWS Skill Builder (for sample questions and practice exams)
4. Courses That Helped Me
I enrolled in Stephane Maarek’s AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate course on Udemy. The course was well-organized and regularly updated. It also included PDF slides, which were great for quick reviews. As of March 2025, the course came with a full-length practice exam.
5. Invest in a Good Study Guide
After testing a few prep books, I found AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Associate (SAA-C03) Cert Guide by Mark Wilkins to be the best fit. The explanations were clear, and the book focused on how AWS tests concepts rather than just listing services.
6. Take Practice Exams
Practice exams were one of the most helpful parts of my preparation. They helped me:
Get used to the timing of the real test
Identify weak areas and unfamiliar concepts
Understand how AWS phrases its questions
Resources I Used:
Paid practice exams: Udemy
Free practice questions: ExamTopics
7. Understand the “Why” Behind Each Answer
When I got a question wrong, I didn’t just move on. Instead, I researched why the correct answer was right and why the others were wrong. This helped me understand the concepts rather than just memorizing answers.
By doing this, I felt more confident when facing new questions on exam day.
8. Study Whenever Possible
The AWS Solutions Architect exam covers a lot of material. To reinforce what I learned, I made use of small pockets of time:
Reviewing one or two practice questions during short breaks
Watching AWS-related videos during commutes
Thinking through architecture scenarios when I had a few free minutes
These small efforts added up over time.
9. Take Notes
Writing things down helped me remember key concepts. I used an old-school notebook, but digital notes or mind maps work just as well. Use whatever method helps you learn best.
10. Learn from Others
Reading about other people’s exam experiences was extremely helpful. I checked forums, watched discussion videos, and paid attention to common mistakes others made. This helped me avoid the same pitfalls.
How I Knew I Was Ready
I knew I was ready for the real exam when I could consistently score 80% or higher on full-length practice tests. Each test had 75 questions and a 3-hour time limit, just like the actual exam.
Instead of memorizing answers, I focused on understanding the concepts. Each time I took a practice test, I reviewed every answer to deepen my learning. My goal wasn’t just to pass but to truly understand AWS architecture.
Exam Day Strategies
Manage Your Time
You get 180 minutes for 75 questions, which means about 2 minutes per question. Some questions are quicker, while others take longer. I checked my progress every 10 questions to stay on track. Timed practice exams helped me get comfortable with pacing before exam day.
Answer Smartly
Don’t get stuck. If a question seemed too difficult, I made my best guess and moved on. Wasting time on one question can hurt your chances on others.
Eliminate wrong answers first. This made it easier to pick the best choice.
There is no penalty for wrong answers. If I wasn’t sure, I still picked an answer and marked it for review in case I had time to revisit it later.
Stay Focused for Three Hours
Three hours is a long time to stay sharp. A small trick that worked for me was closing my eyes tightly for two seconds and then reopening them. This quick reset surprisingly helped me regain concentration.
Read Carefully and Look for Keywords
AWS questions can be tricky. I paid attention to keywords like:
“Serverless” — Lambda is an option, but not if the timeout exceeds 15 minutes.
“Cheapest” — Look for cost-efficient solutions.
“Capacity constraints” — Choose an option that scales automatically.
Taking a few extra seconds to understand what the question was really asking helped me avoid mistakes.
Extra Exam Tips
ESL Time Extension for non-Native English speakers
If English is not your first language, you can get 30 extra minutes for the exam. Here’s how:
Log in to your AWS Training & Certification account.
Select “Request Exam Accommodations” and then “Request Accommodation.”
Choose the ESL (English as a Second Language) option. It gets instantly approved and shows up in your profile.
Unscored Questions
The exam includes 15 unscored questions that don’t affect your final score. These are used by AWS for research and future exams. You won’t know which ones they are, so treat every question seriously.
Summary
The AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional is a tough exam but with the right preparation, it is very passable. Believe in yourself and push through mental blocks and you can do it!
I hope this article can help you pass your AWS exam and become an AWS Certified architect!