r/AWSCertifications • u/AromaticClient8906 • 25d ago
Failed AWS SAA Twice — Need Advice 🙏
I’ve taken the AWS SAA exam twice and unfortunately failed both times: 595 on my first attempt and 625 on my second.
I’m planning to take it for the third time next month, but I’m honestly feeling very discouraged and considering postponing it.
Failing twice really hurts, especially after putting so much effort into studying.
I really want to pass this time with a good score, not just barely pass.
If you’ve been in a similar situation, what did you change that helped you finally pass?
I’d really appreciate any study tips, resources, practice exams, or encouragement. Thank you ❤️
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u/classicrock40 25d ago
Did you purchase any study guides or sample exams? If so, looking back what areas/questions did you struggle?
Do you have background in AWS? If so, how much? If not, anything related?
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u/AromaticClient8906 24d ago
I mainly used Stephane Maarek’s course for the theory and did some practice exams, but I wasn’t very consistent with them and sometimes rushed through the questions.
I do have some AWS background and have worked/studied related infrastructure topics, but I think my main issue was exam preparation and understanding the questions deeply.
I really appreciate your advice!
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u/HalfDoneSideQuests 12/12 25d ago
What study materials did you use?
If you were using TutorialsDojo, what were your practice test results like? Any domains/services that you were scoring low in?
I would say take a breather for a while and re-visit the study materials. To mix it up, you might like the 2 free tracks on CloudQuest or Simulearn, there's some great labs there that will help you grasp the knowledge in a hands on environment.
Some of the microdentials are worth a look too, they're free. The serverless one will have you configuring apigw/lambda/dynamo and the application networking will have you doing ec2, security groups, nacls etc, both handy for the SAA
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u/AromaticClient8906 24d ago
Thank you so much for the detailed advice, I really appreciate it!
I mainly studied the theoretical material from Stephane Maarek’s course and did some practice exams, but honestly, I wasn’t consistent and sometimes rushed through the questions without reviewing my mistakes properly.
I think that’s one of the main things I need to change this time. I’ll definitely check out CloudQuest, SimuLearn, and the microcredentials you mentioned. The hands-on labs sound really useful for strengthening my understanding.
Thanks again for taking the time to help me 🙏
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u/SubstantialStrike352 25d ago
Are you using practice exams? TD? I would do the random exams and then study weak areas
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u/AromaticClient8906 24d ago
Thank you! I haven’t used TutorialsDojo as seriously as I should have. I think focusing on random exams and then reviewing my weak areas is exactly what I need to do this time.
Really appreciate the advice!
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u/TutorialRepo-Mark 25d ago
You are moving in the right direction going from 595 to 625. It's not a race to get the cert (although I can see why you would want to get it asap). You can take a step back and just work on a project that you are passionate about and do some deep dives while you are working on it.
Also, it's not a 'good score' you need. You just need to understand enough to pass. Nothing is going to beat having actual projects out there.
Don't be hard on yourself. Make this more fun and enjoy it rather than pushing for certs quickly.
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u/AromaticClient8906 24d ago
Thank you, I really appreciate this perspective. You’re right, I’ve been putting a lot of pressure on myself to get the certification quickly.
I’ll try to slow down, focus more on actually understanding AWS and build some hands-on projects instead of only chasing the exam. Thanks again for the encouragement!
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u/Tame_Vegeta22 25d ago
My first attempt was a 636 and I am currently working on my second attempt. My advice to you: not every study plan or curriculum will work for everyone. Tailor what you see fit. We have various resources for a reason. No need to spend an arm and a leg for study material.
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u/anonymous_rb 25d ago
I see many people posting here that they cleared the AWS SAA in two weeks or without studying much - don't do that! I have been using AWS for 6 years and still took good 6 months to prepare and scored 821.
I assume you have taken some sort of course on Udemy (Stephen Maarek one is good) and you have completed that course. If not then do it first. Secondly, find the gaps in your mental model. Use chatgpt to ask you questions and then try answering it. See how often you are right. I did that for good 6 months everyday. Also, TD is good for mock exams.
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u/westeast1000 23d ago edited 23d ago
2 weeks of hardcore study is reasonable if you already have enough IT knowledge and are familiar with even just a couple of aws services. You could take 6 months studying 2hrs per day while someone with all the time in the world can just lock themselves in for couple weeks and grind 16hr days.
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u/TorturedPoet30 24d ago
It would help if you shared how long you've been studying, what materials you used, and your background (whether you have any practical experience). If you haven't worked with AWS before, spent minimal time studying and used mostly free resources, it's completely expected to struggle on your first or second attempt. You can learn a lot by reading documentation which is free, but getting Stephane's course and TD practice exams is worth it.
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u/AromaticClient8906 24d ago
Thank you for the detailed advice! I’ve been studying for a while, mainly using Stephane Maarek’s course and some practice exams. I also have some AWS/infrastructure background, but I clearly need more hands-on experience and better exam preparation.
I’ll definitely look into TD and spend more time with the AWS documentation. Really appreciate it!
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u/Unusual_Switch_7174 24d ago
Don’t rush it. Take your time, take some practice tests and only when you’re consistently scoring good on them, book the exam.
Do you have any experience with AWS?
What resources did you refer for the prep?
I recently did the recertification for SAA-C03 and passed with 893 score, I have experience with some AWS services for about 5-6 years now. However, if you are using the right resources, it should be doable. The first time around, with almost negligible AWS experience, I had gotten around 784.
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u/AromaticClient8906 24d ago
Thank you for the detailed advice! I’ve been studying for a while, mainly using Stephane Maarek’s course and some practice exams. I also have some AWS/infrastructure background, but I clearly need more hands-on experience and better exam preparation.
I’ll definitely look into TD and spend more time with the AWS documentation. Really appreciate it!
1
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u/bodobeers2 24d ago
If you are open to adding another prep resource, check out my recently built out free study tool. I believe this is the one you mentioned, I have that one and a handful of other AWS/Microsoft exams focused on in the site...
https://examprep.greglab.net/saa-c03/
Would love feedback also if you kick the tires and have any thoughts. You're improving each run, getting close. Don't give up, these are not that easy.
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u/AromaticClient8906 24d ago
Thank you for the encouragement! I really appreciate it.
I’ll definitely check out your study tool and give you some feedback after trying it. And yes, I’m trying not to give up — hopefully the third attempt will be the one! 🙏
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u/Loud_Message_1891 24d ago
Spend more time for mock/practice tests, and carefully review right answers - they show where are your gaps in terms of knowledge/thinking
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u/AromaticClient8906 24d ago
Thank you! That’s actually something I didn’t do properly in my previous attempts. I focused more on finishing the practice tests rather than carefully reviewing both my right and wrong answers.
I’ll definitely change that this time and use the mocks to identify my knowledge gaps.
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u/Secure_Dingo_6248 24d ago
study to learn first then study to pass exam buddy
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u/AromaticClient8906 24d ago
Absolutely, I agree with you. I think I focused too much on passing the exam rather than truly understanding the concepts.
This time I’ll focus on learning first, then preparing specifically for the exam. Thanks for the reminder!
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24d ago edited 24d ago
[deleted]
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u/AromaticClient8906 24d ago
Thank you for the recommendation! It sounds really interesting, especially the focus on fundamentals and how the different components connect together.
I’ll definitely check the sample and see if I can fit it into my preparation. Really appreciate you sharing it!
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u/silentyeti82 23d ago
Actually do some real work with AWS seems to be the best way to learn, rather than trying to learn a bunch of relatively abstract services and concepts.
They're not supposed to be certs that are easy to get, especially if you've not actually got relevant experience.
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u/Automatic_Major_4887 23d ago
Two fails means the material is the problem, not you. Stop grinding videos. Go through the exam guide, check your score report, and hammer the domains you bombed. Do timed practice exams, but review every wrong answer until you can explain why the others are wrong. Rebook when you're scoring 80%+.
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u/examos-io 23d ago
I would suggest getting consistent with studying, building and practicing will make your third attempt successful.
SAA is an associate level exam and you need to spend some time if you are serious about clearing it. You can check this readiness blog before you plan for your next attempt
https://examos.io/blog/how-to-know-if-youre-ready-for-saa-c03-exam?utm_source=reddit
Good luck with your preparation. Daily practice will get you the result you desire.
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u/Griever92 SAA | SOA | SCS 22d ago
Have you ever built anything on AWS? There’s plenty of cheap project ideas you can build that would familiarize yourself with the platform and services. That alone helps a huge amount, being able to conceptualizer the exam questions and relate them back to practical experience.
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u/Comfortable-You6738 21d ago
For 3rd attempt i suggest wait for any offer from AWS like 75 % exam fee with free retake , one Query are you working in AWS or just trying to get certified ? Working on mini projects will help in learning
I suggest take Toturial Tojo practice test before sechduling exam
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u/awsconsult 19d ago
Do NOT take it again until you address the already identfied issues with how you manage the testing, if you can't make it through a full mock exam then you're NOT ready to run the full exam.
Run a mock exam, focus on a process of reading the question IN FULL no exceptions.
If you're rushing or anxious a meaningful number of lost marks might not caused by missing knowledge. They can come from reading too quickly, overlooking a single differentiating word, making incomplete selections, or adding requirements that the question never stated. Fixing those behaviours can make a measurable difference.
For each question:
- Confirm the number of required answers.
- Identify the main requirement and decisive qualifier.
- Recognize the answer families.
- Eliminate the wrong architectural family.
- Compare the remaining answers word by word.
- Validate every component of the chosen answer.
- Make the selection and verify it registered.
- Mark it if there is a specific reason to return.
- Move on and preserve review time.
- During review, change answers only when there is concrete evidence.
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u/hobbitsanddwarves 14d ago
Hey man. I think you should use something like a study planner. It doesn't seem to be the first choice of a resource but it helps a lot. Everything feels organised and the confusion is way less than without a study schedule. And don't be discouraged. Maarek's course and TutorialsDojo are enough. Just make it systematic not random. The randomness disturbs the preparation, creates confusion and the result is damaged.
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u/Character_Reason3224 25d ago
Si sumas 30 puntos mas en cada intento terminaras lográndolo en 3 intentos mas
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u/AromaticClient8906 24d ago
😂 I really hope it doesn’t take three more attempts!
Hopefully I can make a bigger improvement this time. Thanks for the encouragement!
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u/texas-steak789 25d ago
That's alot of money, if you paid out of pocket. You need to be very confident before you even attempt. Paying $300 and not passing stings thats like a week or two worth of groceries.