How I cleared the AWS Solutions Architect Associate Exam
Read This Before You Plan To Attempt the AWS Solutions Architect Associate Exam
What worked for me
Fifteen days. That is all I gave myself.
To crack the AWS Solutions Architect Associate Exam.
Why?
“Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.”
This is Parkinson’s Law, and it perfectly explains why setting tight deadlines can boost productivity and learning.
Anybody having the slightest idea of the exam content would know how insanely immense it is.
Because it entails:
900 pages of PDF + cheatsheets + flashcards…..
plus countless hours of video lectures, whitepapers overview, mock exams, and revisiting complex AWS concepts and so on…
Yes, I had a 50 percent voucher code that was expiring on May 21.
But that was not the ONLY reason I did this.
I wanted to stretch and push my limits to see what I could do in a short span of time. (See, I have prior AWS hands-on experience, this is definitely not the recommended amount of time to study and pass this exam).
Discipline, determination, strategy, zero distractions and two intense weeks.
Time management is crucial — every hour had to count.
So, everything I tried during my preparation had to be time-savvy.
That’s what I’m going to talk about today.
It may not have been perfect, but it served me well.
I know many of you might wonder how I managed to balance a full-time job while preparing.
Trust me, it was an uphill task for me too. That’s why I created a disciplined routine:
- Weekdays: I studied from 6 AM to 9 AM, then again from 8 PM to 10 PM
- Weekends: I stretched longer hours
If you’re curious about the lifestyle changes I made to make this work, I have written a story on that —
I Cut the Noise and Focused on JUST One Thing — Here’s What Happened
See, we all know about studying smart, productivity tips, hacks, techniques.
We read about it.
But how often do we actually put it into action?
And in the age of AI, if I don’t study and learn fast, I am gonna fall behind.
Simple as that.
So this was not just an exam.
It was like a learning comeback.
A reminder that even as adults —
We can still learn. We can still grow. If we give something our undivided attention.
Here is exactly how I did it.
🛠️ Resources I Used
Kept it simple because too much information overload hampers learning.
One notable mention is this course which I could not complete but this is an amazing series of consolidated lectures to watch.
📅 My 15-Day Study Plan
Day 1–2: Understanding the Exam Blueprint
I started by thoroughly reviewing the AWS official exam guide.
And got a printout of the exam guide.
There are 4 key domains:
- Design resilient architectures
- Design high-performing architectures
- Design secure applications and architectures
- Design cost-optimized architectures
And I used ChatGPT to underline the important AWS services in each domain.
Next, was to create a structured learning plan.
Day 3 to 5: Found my own style using the Eisenhower matrix
I designed my own version of the Eisenhower matrix and studied as per that. I made four quadrants — high priority, low priority, already known and unknown, and mapped out my study topics accordingly.
The topics that are of high priority and not known need to be tackled first.
Another thing I figured out early was that taking down handwritten notes for every new thing I learned would be too manual and tiring for my hands.
So I used a smart technique.
I used the voice feature of ChatGPT and recorded short snippets of whatever new I was learning — kind of like flashcards. Then I consolidated all of them into a pdf.
From that pdf, I planned to make final short handwritten notes closer to revision time.
Day 6 to 10: Mixed up learning with practice
I started alternating between watching videos and solving mock tests.
Actually I had downloaded the full 900 page pdf and would only watch video explanations for the parts I could not understand.
Otherwise I would study directly from the pdf.
Sometimes I would first watch the video explanation just to get a broad overview of the section, then dive into the pdf for details.
This approach saved me a lot of time.
On weekends I used to stretch and put in at least half a day to catch up or go deeper on the harder topics.
The challenge is to do only 1 kind of thing the entire day.
For example — if you plan to only learn or plan to only solve questions it would be tiring for the brain.
Best is to block out time and do 1 kind of thing for 1 hour and then switch.
What worked for me was — read pdf for 1 hour and then solve 20 questions and repeat.
Day 11 to 13: Mock tests, notes and reviewing the exam guide core AWS services
I spent the last couple of days solving mock tests in review mode or timed mode, whatever felt best in that moment.
Wherever I went wrong, I used to make a note of those points for later revision.
Actually this is the hardest part.
To wrap things up.
To feel ready.
At this point I felt like I had all the proper resources. PDF, cheatsheet, mock test answers, questions.
I had everything.
But still I was not able to cope with the last minute revision strategy.
I just felt the need for a cheatsheet that could help me remember the subtle differences between all AWS services, the tricky ones, all at a glance.
And you know I cannot sit with a problem. I have to find a solution.
So I found this cheatsheet from Tutorials Dojo also.
Helped a bit. But again, info overload.
So now I have started working on some resources custom designed by me.
To solve the problem of last minute revision.
So that everything settles in the brain.
If you are an aspiring Solutions Architect and would want exclusive access all of those resources-
Day 15: Exam Day
The day finally came.
I kept things super simple. No new topics. No panic.
Just went through my handwritten notes once in the morning, skimmed the pdf I had made from my voice notes, and reminded myself that whatever I knew till now was enough.
I focused on staying calm.
Ate on time.
Reached the center early.
During the exam, I did not rush. Marked the confusing ones for review. Tried to stay steady and trust my preparation.
Some questions were straightforward. Some were tricky.
But overall, I felt okay.
When I hit submit, I had the quiet confidence that I did my best.
Will see.
I came back home and watched a movie.
T+1 day : Results
It felt surreal. All those early mornings, the late nights, the voice notes, the pdfs, the trial and error, it all made sense.
Final Thoughts
If you are clear about what you want & why you want to do it, and if you can show up every day with some discipline, then yes, you can crack the AWS Solutions Architect Associate exam in 15 days.
In fact, you can learn any subject in a matter of days.
It will not be easy.
There will be moments of doubt, tiredness, and overload.
But if you stick to a simple plan, use your time wisely, and keep learning in ways that work for you, it is doable.
No magic.
Just small smart steps, daily.
Thanks for reading.
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