I passed the AWS Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-C03) exam in December 2025, and I’m not going to lie; it was one of the most technically challenging certifications I’ve earned. More difficult than the PMP, if we’re being honest. But here’s the thing: I had zero hands-on AWS experience when I started this journey back in May 2025.
I’m a Senior Business Systems Analyst and Technical Consultant with over four years of experience gathering business requirements and designing technical systems… but none of that involved AWS infrastructure. I understand how to architect systems based on business needs, I just didn’t know the AWS-specific services to make it happen.
If you’re in a similar position; technical background but no cloud experience; this post is for you. Here’s exactly how I went from AWS novice to certified Solutions Architect in seven months (with one very intense final month).
Why I Started with the AWS Cloud Practitioner Exam
Let me be clear: if you have legitimate AWS experience, you can skip the Cloud Practitioner (CCP) certification and go straight to Solutions Architect Associate. But I didn’t have that luxury.
I took the CCP exam in May 2025 because I needed to understand the foundational concepts of AWS before diving into the more complex SAA material. The Cloud Practitioner certification covers:
- Basic AWS terminology and services
- Cloud computing fundamentals
- AWS pricing and support models
- Core security concepts
- Basicq architectural principles
This foundation became critical later when I was studying for SAA. Without understanding the basics of regions, availability zones, IAM, and core services, I would have been completely lost in the Solutions Architect content.
My recommendation: If you’ve never touched AWS, take CCP first. If you’ve been working with AWS services for at least six months, skip it and save yourself the $100 exam fee.
The Hands-On Project That Changed Everything
After passing CCP, I knew I couldn’t just watch videos and expect to understand AWS deeply. I needed to actually build something.
When SEO Tanked My Traffic, AWS LightSail Became the Unexpected Fix | by Airess Rembert | Medium
I migrated my personal blog to AWS Lightsail, which forced me to:
- Set up and configure an AWS account
- Understand billing and cost management
- Work with compute instances
- Configure networking and security groups
- Set up domain routing
- Manage backups and snapshots
What Really Happened After Moving My WordPress Site to AWS LightSail – The Nerd Bae
This single project taught me more about AWS than hours of video content could have.
Key takeaway: Build something. Anything. A static website, a simple API, a database-backed application. The hands-on experience is non-negotiable.
The Study Resources That Actually Worked
Stephane Maarek’s Ultimate AWS SAA Course (Udemy)
This is the gold standard for SAA preparation, and for good reason. Stephane’s course is comprehensive, regularly updated, and explains complex concepts in a way that actually makes sense. The course covers:
- All exam domains in detail
- Hands-on labs for major services
- Real-world scenarios
- Service comparisons (when to use X vs Y)
- Security best practices
I went through the entire course at regular speed initially, then rewatched specific sections at .5 speed for topics I found challenging.
Course link: https://www.udemy.com/course/aws-certified-solutions-architect-associate-saa-c03/
Practice Exams (The Real Game-Changer)
Here’s where my preparation shifted into high gear. I used two practice exam resources:
- Stephane Maarek’s Practice Exams (available on Udemy separately or bundled with the course)
- AWS Official Practice Exam (available through your AWS Certification account)
I took 4-5 full practice exams and studied the explanations for every single question; correct answers AND incorrect answers. This is critical. The explanations teach you:
- Why the correct answer is correct
- Why the distractors are wrong
- The specific AWS documentation to reference
- Common exam traps and patterns
My scores progression:
- First practice exam: 40% (failing)
- Second practice exam: 55% (still failing)
- Third practice exam: 62% (barely passing)
- Fourth practice exam: 70% (comfortable)
- Fifth practice exam: 80% (ready)
NotebookLM for Complex Concepts
Some AWS concepts are genuinely difficult to visualize and understand. VPCs, subnets, routing tables, NACLs, VPNs; these networking concepts can be abstract when you’re just reading about them.
I used NotebookLM to:
- Upload AWS documentation
- Generate summaries of complex topics
- Create Q&A sessions to test my understanding
- Get different explanations of the same concept
This was particularly helpful for VPC architecture, which appears heavily on the exam.
The One-Month Intensive That Got Me Over the Finish Line
After passing CCP in May and doing my Lightsail project, I let my SAA studies slide. Life happened. Work got busy. I picked at the Stephane course here and there but wasn’t making real progress.
Then December hit, and I realized: I was not starting 2026 without this certification. I made a commitment to myself and locked tf in.
My November into December study schedule:
Week 1-2: Content Review
- 2 hours every single night
- Completed remaining Stephane course sections
- Took detailed notes on services I didn’t fully understand
- Focused heavily on scenario-based learning
Week 3: Deep Dives and Practice
- 2.5 hours nightly
- Reviewed AWS whitepapers (Well-Architected Framework is essential)
- Started practice exams
- Identified weak areas: primarily networking and database optimization
Week 4: Practice Exam Marathon
- 3 hours nightly
- One full practice exam every other day
- Reviewed every explanation thoroughly
- Made flashcards for services I kept confusing
Why I Rescheduled My Exam (And You Might Need To As Well)
I originally scheduled my exam for December 9th. One week before the test, I took a practice exam and scored too low. Barely passing; not comfortable.
I rescheduled for one week later.
That extra week made a massive difference. I used it to:
- Focus exclusively on my weakest domains
- Take two more practice exams
- Review all my notes one final time
- Get proper sleep (seriously underrated)
Don’t be afraid to reschedule. AWS charges $150 for this exam. If you’re not ready, pushing back by a week or two is worth it. You can reschedule up to 24 hours before your exam without penalty.
The Exam Itself: What You Need to Know
Format and Difficulty
- 65 questions (multiple choice and multiple response)
- 130 minutes to complete
- Passing score: 720 out of 1000
- Remote proctored or testing center options available
The exam is scenario-heavy. You won’t see many straightforward “What is EC2?” questions. Instead, expect:
“A company needs to migrate a legacy application to AWS. The application requires low-latency access to a MySQL database, must be highly available across multiple availability zones, and needs to handle traffic spikes during business hours. Which solution meets these requirements while optimizing for cost?”
Then you’ll get four answer choices that all seem reasonable but only one is the BEST answer based on the specific requirements.
Comparing SAA to PMP Difficulty
I’ve taken both the PMP and AWS SAA exams, and they’re difficult in completely different ways:
PMP: Difficult because of the sheer volume (180 questions over 230 minutes) and the mental endurance required. The questions test your understanding of project management processes and situational judgment.
AWS SAA: Difficult because of the technical depth required. You need to know not just what services exist, but when to use them, how they interact, and how to optimize for security, resilience, performance, and cost simultaneously. The scenarios are complex and require you to synthesize information across multiple AWS services.
In my opinion, SAA is the more technically challenging exam even though it’s half the length of PMP.
How My Non-AWS Background Actually Helped
Remember when I mentioned I have four years of experience gathering requirements and designing technical systems? That turned out to be a huge advantage.
The SAA exam is fundamentally about architectural decision-making:
- Understanding business requirements
- Identifying constraints (budget, time, compliance)
- Evaluating tradeoffs between solutions
- Choosing the optimal approach
I already knew how to do this; I just needed to learn which AWS services mapped to which requirements.
For example, when a question asks for a “highly available, cost-optimized solution for unpredictable workloads,” my brain automatically thinks:
- Highly available = multi-AZ deployment
- Cost-optimized = pay-for-what-you-use pricing
- Unpredictable workloads = auto-scaling capabilities
Then it’s just a matter of knowing which AWS services provide those characteristics (in this case: Auto Scaling Groups, Application Load Balancer, potentially Lambda for serverless).
The Process of Elimination Strategy
I didn’t feel completely ready when I sat for the exam. Even after all that studying, some questions were genuinely difficult.
But here’s what saved me: I’m exceptional at process of elimination.
For every question, I:
- Read the scenario carefully and underlined key requirements
- Immediately eliminated obviously wrong answers
- Identified the requirement the question is really testing (security? cost? performance?)
- Chose the answer that best addresses the primary requirement
AWS exam questions are designed with distractors; answers that seem correct but don’t fully meet the requirements. Learning to spot these is crucial.
What I Wish I’d Known Before Starting
1. Security is Everywhere
Security scenarios appear in every domain.
2. Cost Optimization is Critical
Many questions will present multiple architecturally sound solutions and ask you to choose the most cost-effective option.
Was It Worth It?
Absolutely. The AWS Solutions Architect Associate certification has already changed conversations in my current role. Even though my team doesn’t directly manage AWS infrastructure, I can now:
- Speak intelligently about cloud architecture in meetings
- Understand technical constraints and possibilities
- Contribute to architectural discussions
- Evaluate vendor solutions more critically
- Position myself for future cloud-focused roles
Plus, the process of studying for this exam genuinely made me a better technical professional. I understand distributed systems, scalability, security, and architectural tradeoffs at a much deeper level.
Your Action Plan: Start Here
If you’re ready to pursue the AWS Solutions Architect Associate certification, here’s what to do:
- Assess your current knowledge: If you’ve never used AWS, start with Cloud Practitioner. If you have some experience, jump straight to SAA prep.
- Get hands-on: Build a project using AWS services. Migrate a website, create a serverless API, set up a database; anything that forces you to actually use the console.
- Invest in quality study materials: Stephane Maarek’s course on Udemy is worth every penny. Don’t cheap out on practice exams.
- Create a study schedule: Consistency matters more than intensity. Two hours a day for a month beats eight-hour weekend cram sessions.
- Take practice exams seriously: Don’t just check your score and move on. Study every explanation, even for questions you got right.
- Schedule your exam: Having a date on the calendar creates accountability. You can always reschedule if needed.
- Trust the process: You don’t need to feel 100% ready. If you’re scoring consistently above 75% on practice exams, you’re ready enough.
The AWS Solutions Architect Associate certification is challenging, but it’s absolutely achievable even if you’re starting from zero AWS experience. The key is building a solid foundation, getting hands-on practice, and putting in consistent study time.
I locked in for one month and made it happen. You can too.
