Challenging AWS Certification SAA for the First Time in Three Years

Recently, I took the "AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate" (commonly known as SAA) exam. Although I had a gap in taking certification exams, I have summarized the background behind obtaining this certification and the efforts I made.

I had obtained the "Developer Associate" certification three years ago, but due to various life events and work priorities, it expired.

After that, I was involved in SaaS-related development and worked with technologies other than AWS, such as Azure, but when it was decided that I would be involved in AWS-related work again, I felt the need to relearn the fundamentals.

While gathering information about AWS exams, I came across the "Purpose of AWS Certification."

AWS Certification objectively demonstrates the AWS-related knowledge and skills you have acquired.
Not only do you input—learn—the knowledge and skills, but by outputting—taking the exam—you can assess your current state and deepen your understanding.
Rather than making certification the end goal, the primary purpose of AWS Certification is to enable you to fully leverage AWS in your work.

As stated here, certification exams serve as a defined metric and objective proof of your abilities.

They evaluate the practical experience you’ve gained through work by means of the exam, helping you understand your current standing. Even after obtaining one certification, you can challenge yourself with higher-level or specialist certifications, thereby balancing skill development, career advancement, and objective validation. This aligns with my personal philosophy and serves as a motivation boost.

I believe it’s worthwhile to focus not on the certification as the end goal, but rather on what you want to achieve through obtaining it.

In my case, because I have practical AWS experience and wanted to study the comprehensive range of AWS, I chose to take the "Solutions Architect Associate" exam.

The important thing is to try it first. The very first step is to register for the certification exam and set the exam date.

For many people, this might be the most challenging step (I experienced the same). As a working professional, you have less free time, and securing study time along with worries about passing the exam can feel overwhelming.

However, what’s important is to set a clear deadline and take action. I set my exam date for one month later and registered accordingly. Setting a deadline forced me to secure dedicated study time.

Make sure to read the SAA-C03 Exam Guide.

• Relevant knowledge and skills for each area
• AWS services and features within the scope
• AWS services and features outside the scope

Since SAA covers a wide array of AWS services, it is recommended to focus especially on the "AWS services and features within the scope."

I mainly utilized the following resources, all of which are available for free.

• solutions-architect-knowledge-badge-readiness-path
  • Although this one takes roughly 50 hours and is relatively extensive, I believe it covers a wide range and encompasses all the exam topics.
• Associate Official Practice Question Set

I chose one from a bookstore that personally provided detailed explanations.
AWS認定ソリューションアーキテクト－アソシエイト問題集

I used Notion for both input and output learning. The reasons I use Notion are as follows:

• I have been using it for over a year and am very familiar with it.
• It allows me to create study notes in Markdown format.
• Creating dashboards and similar features is simple, and it offers a wide range of functionalities.
• It is also optimized for mobile device viewing.

I usually do my studying and note-taking on my PC, but when I’m outdoors or have spare time, I use the Notion app on my iPhone or iPad mini. Therefore, Notion—which supports Markdown and is easily viewable on mobile devices—is highly recommended.

Below is a screenshot of the Notion interface I created on an iPhone 16. By tapping "Open" on the table view, you can access the linked Markdown notes.

I dedicated an average of 1.5 hours of study per day for approximately one month. I made use of Skill Builder and the official documentation, and for concepts that were hard to envision, I verified them in an actual AWS environment.

Work until 18:00.
Get a massage for body maintenance.
Go to bed by 22:00.

Wake up at 07:00 (getting a solid 9 hours of sleep).
Have breakfast.
From 09:00 to 12:00, head to a cafe near the test center.
At 13:00, take the AWS Certification exam.
Finish the exam at 14:45 and leave the test center.
Between 15:00 and 20:00, go shopping and hang out with friends.
Around 20:00, receive the exam results via email.

• Go to bed early the night before the exam to be in optimal condition.
• On the exam day, prioritize output-based learning (review what you've already learned rather than trying to memorize new things).
• Since you'll likely be anxious until the exam results are out, make sure to schedule something to keep yourself occupied.

I successfully passed the SAA and was able to systematically learn AWS-related knowledge. Relearning the fundamentals has given me even more confidence in my work. Moving forward, I plan to apply this knowledge in practice and challenge myself with more specialized certifications.

Our company has many individuals who have obtained multiple AWS certifications, and I, too, want to keep up with these AWS professionals by continuing to work hard every day.

I wish success to all certification candidates who have reached this developer site.