Every single day there is a question from someone here saying "where do I start for AWS Solutions Architect Associate" when there are a few hundred articles from those who passed already.
So here is a master list of resources to help those who have this question.
Cloud Practitioner version of this is here
If you find this post useful - upvote. I am happy to take feedback / suggestions / changes etc - please comment!

tl;dr

1. Get 1 video course and watch it end to end - the subreddit favourites are below / scroll down further for links

• I cannot afford any courses / need a free option - get Andrew Brown's YouTube course
• I want to just learn bare minimum to pass exam - Stephane Maarek on Udemy
• I really want to learn this AWS and cloud stuff well and be good at it - Adrian Cantrill

1. Read whitepapers / review new announcements from re:Invent 2023
2. Do one decent set of practice exams from one provider- subreddit favourites below / scroll down further for links

• Tutorialsdojo (personal favourite - I passed ALL my exams using "TD")
• Udemy (Stephane Maarek)

Take and Pass exam!

Subreddit Search

Following my own usual guidance, you can always use the subreddit search feature and read articles from everyone in the last month who posted about this exam / passed it. There is a wealth of detail / experience here to learn from :
Link : https://www.reddit.com/AWSCertifications/search/?q=saa+solutions+architect+associate+pass&type=link&t=month

Exam Details

If you have absolutely no clue about the exam - start here.
The exam code is SAA-C03
AWS page with all the details : https://aws.amazon.com/certification/certified-solutions-architect-associate/
Always read the Exam Guide (tells you whats in / out of scope) : https://d1.awsstatic.com/training-and-certification/docs-sa-assoc/AWS-Certified-Solutions-Architect-Associate_Exam-Guide.pdf

Minimum Viable Path to Certification

Most people usually need 3 things to pass the exam

1. A single video based course introducing AWS and all the key exam topics

Typically these are courses where someone reads from some slides, shows you the AWS console and how to use it and then gives you tips on what to remember - there are free and paid versions of these.

1. Additional material on key topics.

For SAA-C03 - there are some recommended whitepapers on WAF and also since 6 months have passed since the last re:Invent 2023 - any of the major announcements from then now are in scope for the exam. You wont see too many new things but there is a chance there are some random questions that were not covered in any practice exam / course.

1. One good quality practice exam

Note : do not fall for some random "dump" found on internet or a file your mate gave you to study.
Also note - you do NOT need more than 1 of each category. You can buy more than one practice exam for sure but doing one is enough IMHO.

1. Video Courses

Free Video based Courses

Free from AWS's own training service (Skillbuilder) :
There is an "Exam Prep" course from Skillbuilder but note that this just covers the high level domains but is not a comprehensive deep dive.
https://explore.skillbuilder.aws/learn/course/external/view/elearning/14760/exam-prep-aws-certified-solutions-architect-associate-saa-c03
Optional : There is a slightly extended version of this in the paid tier with additional exam-style questions, flashcards and more importantly FREE hands on labs and the official practice exam.
https://explore.skillbuilder.aws/learn/course/external/view/elearning/14776/exam-prep-aws-certified-solutions-architect-associate-saa-c03-with-practice-material
There is a 7 day (extended to 10 days sometimes) free trial for the paid tier which can help you cram this. You can subscribe, immediately cancel but still enjoy 7 days free.
Please note that this course is not enough on its own to pass and you may want to try additional material below.
YouTube based video course
This course below is a better alternative to the SkillBuilder course above but is about 50 hours.
Andrew Brown is an AWS community hero who runs his own training site called exampro.co but offers most of the material for free on FreeCodeCamp's YouTube channel.
The 2024 refresh of the SAA course is here : https://youtu.be/c3Cn4xYfxJY
Andrew also has additional (free / paid) content on his site to check out.

PAID Video based courses

Adrian Cantrill's courses :
Adrian Cantrill is an independent content creator and has his own site from where you can obtain courses.
His courses go above and beyond what the exam needs and this is exactly why the community loves these courses as you get more practical knowledge than just cramming for the exam. The additional coverage means these courses are longer and not as cheap as other courses that cover just the exam material but in the general opinion of everyone who has taken the course it is absolutely worth it.
Link : https://learn.cantrill.io/
Udemy Courses :
Udemy is a marketplace for courses created by independent authors.
Two of the well known authors are mentioned below but please note that Udemy's pricing model can be a bit weird. One day it may show 150 USD for a course and another day 15 USD. This price it high and discount it heavily model catches out most people - so NEVER pay more than USD 20 for anything on Udemy.
Just wait for a day or so and prices may change. Opening Udemy in another incognito browser etc usually yields a different price or follow the authors on social media for codes that shrink the cost.
Stephane Maarek :
Go via his site : https://courses.datacumulus.com/ for links to his Solutions Architect Associate with the best available coupon.
Neil Davis :
https://www.udemy.com/course/aws-certified-solutions-architect-associate-hands-on/
Either one of these Udemy courses is sufficient. You still need to combine it with practice exams but you do not need more than 1 video course.
Other sites :
Exampro.co
As mentioned above Andrew Brown has his own site with additional material over his YouTube course.
Cloud Academy
https://cloudacademy.com/learning-paths/aws-solutions-architect-associate-saa-c03-certification-preparation-for-aws-1-7446/ has both a learning plan and a practice exam at the end.

2. Additional Material

I will update this section soon with some additional guidance soon as I am not happy yet (please let me know in comments if there are key additional coverage I should include) - I am scouring recent exam pass posts to see whats current and also want to add links to re:Invent 2023 announcements. I also am thinking of adding in links to "cheat sheets" / docs - let me know if this would be useful.
WAF - Well Architected Framework
https://aws.amazon.com/architecture/well-architected/
You need to know at some decent depth on what the pillars are and what they do.
Read the whitpapers from https://aws.amazon.com/whitepapers/
Specifically I found the Reliability and Cost Optimization white papers very useful.

3. Practice Exams

Please do NOT fall for "dumps" - if anyone offers you the EXACT list of AWS questions or guarantees the question bank matches the exam - these are dumps. The links below are either official or well regarded sources.
Free :
AWS skillbuilder has one free official exam with just 20 free questions.
To be honest its not really worth it - you can search for "Official practic exam skillbuilder SAA-C03" using your favourite search engine to find it.
exampro.co
Has 1 free practice exam you can sign up to.
Paid :
Official Practice exam
https://explore.skillbuilder.aws/learn/course/external/view/elearning/13593/exam-prep-official-practice-exam-aws-certified-solutions-architect-associate-saa-c03-english - there is a free 7 day trial available for you to use as this exam may not be worth a month's subscription fee
Tutorialsdojo.com
Highly recommended independent resource for practice exam questions with a very useful "review mode" and every question comes with detailed explanations on answers
Udemy
Stephane Maarek : again go via his site : https://courses.datacumulus.com/
Neal Davis : https://www.udemy.com/course/aws-certified-solutions-architect-associate-hands-on/
Other popular sites :
Exampro.co
Andrew Brown has I believe 3 practice exams as well on his site. One is free - the other two you pay for.
Whizlabs
I havent used them personally but https://www.whizlabs.com/aws-solutions-architect-associate/
Cloud Academy
https://cloudacademy.com/learning-paths/aws-solutions-architect-associate-saa-c03-certification-preparation-for-aws-1-7446/ has both a learning plan and a practice exam at the end.

Not Recommended sites :

Sites that are sadly NOT recommended anymore - Avoid A Cloud Guru / Pluralsight as their courses are not considered the best anymore. They used to be leaders but somehow have fallen behind and their subscription model doesnt work in a world with cheap one time purchase courses.
If you want a sandbox to experiment - then ACG offers one but so do Whizlabs and Tutorialsdojo.

Optional / Complementary material

I have an article where you can find complementary / alternatives to the Solutions Architect Exam - most are free and includes the "AWS Knowledge : Architecting Free Digital Badge"
https://www.reddit.com/AWSCertifications/comments/1d1o522/no_payment_options_to_learn_aws_with_digital/
This material isnt exam focused but if you want some free alternatives / cannot afford to pay for the exam - then check out the link.

FAQ

Q. Do I need ALL this material
A. No. Just one of each is fine. Example : just Adrian's Course + tutorialsdojo
Q. Do I really need to do hands on work
A. Yes - it is recommended that you get some hands on work at the Associate level. You can use one of the sandboxes but be careful using your own free tier account that you dont end up with leaving resources running too long and getting a big bill. Always secure your account and set billing alarms and dont create an account till you know how to do these!
Q. Where can I find vouchers for the exam
A. check this thread : https://www.reddit.com/AWSCertifications/comments/18woit6/2024_aws_vouchers_exam_discounts_othe?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
Q. Can I cheat my way using Dumps that I found online / my mate gave me / found on GitHub / YouTube?
A. Using dumps there is a high chance you fail and/or get caught / banned - the risk isnt worth it. Stick with genuine resources.
Q. Can I pass with just free resources as I cannot afford the resources
A. Its possible but please it is recommended to atleast spend on decent practice exams. If you cannot afford the exam / resources - just get the free digital badges (Architecting) for the interim
Q. I skipped CCP / CLF - is that okay
A. Yes - its okay to have skipped the foundational level - almost all the courses above teach you from scratch.
Q. Can someone who is new to IT do this exam
A. Yes - Many people start from scratch and get to the Associate level. Just make sure you are investing the time required.
Q. Is it worth it?
A. Plenty of threads on this subreddit covering this. You have to make up your own mind if its worth it to you or not.
Q. I dont code or want to - is this course for me?
A. While there is no coding involved in the course - knowing how to use the AWS CLI / being able to do some basic scripting would be very helpful anyway. You can also use free tools like CoPilot / Code Whisperer to help you with pieces you struggle with.
Q. Can I use ChatGPT / Amazon Q etc to learn
A. Many of these Generative AI tools can still give you incorrect answers. So do not rely on them but if it helps you to quickly get the concept - go ahead and double check the results against official docs.
Q. Are there books to learn from instead of videos
A. Books get out of date too quickly and I do not recommend learning from them. However there is an official Sybex Guide to the exam and tutorialsdojo / Neal Davis (Digital Cloud) also have an ebook. You can google for links to these.
Good Luck folks!

I am an international student, currently studying in 10th grade. Today I took my first ever exam just as an experiment to feel the atmosphere there. I am not expecting more than 1450, ig around 1400-1420. My super score is 1470 from practice tests is (EBWR: 690, Math: 780). I am planning to take the test in August and I need to take at least 1500. I have a whole summer ahead, so detailed plan is needed to accomplish my goal. I almost have completed Panda 400 vocab words. Did 4 practice tests. Completed erica's writing and reading. Completed all khan academy english and math and that book with 300 questions for verbal part. I also did some of the sqbs. I did not prepare that much for Math though. I focused more on my english. Now it is around 650-680. I have to improve it to 750. For math, i have to beat 800 in every test. Thank you in advance!

The eye clinic is booked until September so I asked to have community care find me a doctor. I got a call from someone who works at Optima(?). She did the usual waht days are you not available and of course I work Monday-Friday 730-400 so I told her to make an appointment and I will see about getting the time off. I believe this company is the same one that schedules appointments for C&P exams. When did the VA start using an outside company for community care? Last year I was contacted by a regular VA employee.

Hey all, just a question about spec con and medical certificates. It’s probably going to seem like a fucking sob-story but pls don’t shit on me for it lol.
Essentially I’ve had a pretty tough couple of weeks, I’m stressed about some final exams and essays due this week. It’s not even an inordinate amount of work I have to do (3000 words over the next week) but I just feel like I have hit a wall and it seems like an absolute mountain that I won’t be able to climb in time, so instead I’m just constantly anxious about it to the point where I can’t even focus on it at times. Plus I’m likely to lose a couple of days to family obligations… it just feels like I’m fucked lol, and I can’t stop stressing about it.
I haven’t really been able to sleep more than a couple hours over the past 4 or so nights bc I’m constantly worried about it, and I’ve had some sort of migraine or headache on or off over that past couple days. I sat down to do work today and 5 minutes later was throwing up, I’m not sure from what but I’m guessing either stress or lack of sleep. I just feel constantly stress-dizzy about things.
I was on meds for anxiety and depression between about 14-18, but after I started Uni and my living conditions changed things got a fair bit better until late 2023. I haven’t seen a psych for like 2-3 years and don’t have contact with one in Melbourne, so I’m not on DSS and it’s probably too late to begin that process. Things have been alright until about last semester when I think I probs started getting anxious again but have been able to muscle thru it until now.
Is this grounds at all for a medical certificate or something? How would I express this to a doc anyway without it seeming fake or opportunistic or like I’m lying? I’m familiar with the Monash medical centre at Caulfield and would probably be able to book in there but the last thing I want is to tell someone all this and be told there’s nothing anyone can do for the next week. I get that I’m not special and other people have to deal with this and push thru but I’m just not sure how I can.
Sorry for the rant! Thanks for any responses. Good luck with the exam period too.

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Hi everyone, I want to make an emergency inquiry regarding my digital performance exam (Grade 5 piano)In my performance video, I accidentally said my preferred name instead of my actual/legal name. I do know that you do not need ID for Grade 5 and below but just to be sure, do I really need to re-record my performance? I have not yet uploaded the video, so there is still time to either edit my preferred name in the exam booking details (if that is possible) or redo the whole thing or do I have any other choice?

Hey guys, I'm a L1 candidate giving my exam this August. Does schweser 2024 give us a prerequisite book for preparing? I only have the normal books and not the prerequisite books, for chapters like Application of fsa prerequisites are important and i only have the institute books for those and it is so lengthy, please help.

Hello
My MacBook Pro (2016) died due to an bike accident I had yesterday.
Should I repair it or buy a new one?
I've got all my school work on it and with my exams in just two weeks I hope I'll be able to recover it.
I was thinking of removing the SSD and get an adapter to save my work. If anyone has experience or suggestions let me know.

Hi guys, I've just starred prepping for the GRE exam and I covered a bunch of topics in quant from the official GRE book as well as other random prep material. I realised im weak in certain topics such as Work and Time, Mensuration, Exponents and Functions. My target is to take the exam by July 1st week and hopefully get 160 and so I want to strategize prep accordingly. What topics should I prioritize based on exam weightage?
Thanks in advance for the help!

I have been studying and working at the same time for the past year. I was worried about my exams so I tried finishing all classes beforehand. I used to panic a lot and hence studied as much as I could after and before work.
But suddenly two weeks before my exams, I started feeling like I won't pass this time and no matter how much I tried, I could not focus at all and haven't touched my books. I suddenly don't care whether I pass or not and have become very carefree.
I don't understand what happened to me all of a sudden.
P.S.
The course I am taking is considered difficult and has very less pass percentage. I wonder if I am just overwhelmed by course content.

I have been studying and working at the same time for the past year. I was worried about my exams so I tried finishing all classes beforehand. I used to panic a lot and hence studied as much as I could after and before work.
But suddenly two weeks before my exams, I started feeling like I won't pass this time and no matter how much I tried, I could not focus at all and haven't touched my books. I suddenly don't care whether I pass or not and have become very carefree.
I don't understand what happened to me all of a sudden.
P.S.
The course I am taking is considered difficult and has very less pass percentage. I wonder if I am just overwhelmed by course content.

Here, you can find:

• Study Materials: Access notes, books, and other study materials shared by fellow aspirants.
• Tips & Strategies: Learn effective preparation techniques and strategies to excel in your exams.
• Exam Notifications & Updates: Stay informed about important dates, notifications, and changes in the exam pattern.
• Success Stories & Motivation: Read success stories of those who have cleared the exams and gain motivation from their journeys.
• Doubt Clearing: Ask questions and clear your doubts with the help of experienced members and mentors.

Salut, I'm planning to take the B2 in November of this year as I'll roughly be done with the course in that time and was hoping to spend the summer preparing and revisiting grammar etc..Are there any specific books or study "techniques" you recommend for preparation or any advice regarding the exam in general?

So I really wanted to write this post because I think it’s extremely beneficial for everyone to hear this. It doesn’t matter what NCLEX resource you use. It doesn’t matter what your “readiness” scores are. I really want to tell you that what you learned the entire time you were in school is all you need.
Listen, I am type A personality all the way. Let me tell you I was STRESSED studying for this test. And you know what? Not one thing I studied was on the test. My school used ATI and I didn’t even make it past 1000 of their quiz bank. I also used the NCLEX ATI book we got for their 2 live review that I sat through. There was absolutely no way I could remember everything that was in it.
This is what I did - I did 100 questions a day for a little bit using the ATI. I did the CAT on there too quite a few times (waste of time btw - very inaccurate prediction). I went through the entire med surg chapter and highlighted again. I used the free bootcamp and what it had on there, but only did one of the case studies. And I tried the 7 day free trial on Uworld and took that test they had. I never made it past the 89th percentile for moderate on the ATI board vitals CAT. My dashboard told me I was at 68%. Did pretty bad on the Uworld thing. Did great on the bootcamp 100 question test. I also watched their videos on how to do case studies. BUT THEN 3 days before my exam I found Dr. Sharon’s YouTube channel. & let me tell you… the interview she did with mark klimek really eased my anxiety. I started watching her videos and tbh I think that’s what really helped me the most. Also, I didn’t do the extra case study offered on free bootcamp until after I watched Dr Sharon to see if what she was telling me was doable - it was!
So this is what I WISH I had done from the get go - use ATI board vitals on study mode to assist in reviewing content and reading rationales (because I barely ever went back to review the tests I did). - Just use the bootcamp for their tests (again, to review content) and also the case study walk through. - And had just watched Dr. Sharon’s YouTube channel for strategies and watch her do a bunch of SATA. I also found the day before my test, that there is a 3 day trial to get access to the updated NGN videos she’s done. I only watched the case studies she went through on there. - Possibly throw in a couple of the ATI CAT tests, but only to get used to the level of questions fluctuating and that is really all that would be good for.
Now this one’s for you, who is also stalking Reddit trying to figure out wtf it is your supposed to do and how to do it; I was you too!
You do NOT need to spend anymore money than what you have already emptied your pockets in order to pay for your BON app & NCLEX. You DO however, need to learn how to answer these questions on the NCLEX. Because they were like nothing I was expecting. The klimek review channel with Dr. Sharon explains the priorities of the questions. She explains how to read the question and understand what it is asking from you. And also, because you ARE going to have to do this, she tells you how to make educated guess and use a great process of elimination when you don’t have a clue what the answer is. I even looked up the answers to some of the questions that I had to guess on, and those strategies really DO work.
There are sooo many free resources you can use online to assist you in passing the NCLEX. Don’t even worry about finding out what your “readiness” is. Go to Dr. Sharon’s YouTube channel and start with her interview with Mark. Take that advice and go from there. I honestly wish I had done that from the beginning instead of wasting a lot of time trying to cram an extreme amount of information in my head for a few weeks.
Don’t rush through the nclex, take your time! I finished 85q in 2 hours and 10 minutes and I have no shame in saying that 🤷🏼‍♀️ read the question make sure you understand what you’re being asked. Read the answers, unbiased. Read the question again, then choose your answers. It’s basically almost all common sense. Don’t be anxious! I promise you, it’s not going to be as bad as you think.
One more thing - when I got back to my car I sat there and thought wtf even was that? Want to know why? Because I thought it was going to be SO much harder than it was. Even the “higher level” questions! I thought I failed it tbh LOL. Because they honestly weren’t even that bad. I’m not going to deny it wasn’t hard, but you just need to think more in depth without reading too much into it. There truly is really no way to study for this exam. All my questions were all over the place about so many different things!
So I really hope someone found this useful and takes at least some of my advice! Because you are more than capable to pass this NCLEX! Everything you need you already learned! You graduated from nursing school right? So breathe, take a deep breath, and learn the strategies!! You got this!

What the fuck is up with them, I recently gave my ca inter both groups and unable to find ICITSS IT training in Mumbai! Like I had called the bkc center, this bitch on call said the bookings will open today, but it is of OC not fucking IT, when I had specifically made it clear that I want IT. I had called the vashi center, all I got was unclear instructions. The thane center bitch does not even pick up calls, and andheri center number is of some random shopkeeper! Every single fucking day from the last week of exam till now I've been religiously checking the list but have NOT been succesful. And the thing except fucking western, all the other regions like eastern, centeral etc have centers available in main cities starting from june/july etc and all. I don't know how to fucking deal with this issue guys, can I just directly visit icai's office with my parents and give them a fucking tight lecture about their shit ass mangement? I cannot wait, and neither should I. It is their fucking responsiblilty not mine to fucking increase their centers.
Suggest me something serious and helpful guys, I'm at the verge of breaking into rage and fucking going there and killing them.