Which section of the SAW is hardest? My breakdown after taking it
Just finished the SAW and wanted to give a detailed breakdown of the difficulty by section for people currently studying.
The practice test questions were the most challenging by far — not because they're tricky, but because they require you to apply concepts rather than just recall them. I studied that section twice as hard after my practice scores showed a consistent gap there.
The easier wins are in the foundational areas where memorization pays off. I recommend starting with the saw advanced diagnostics & troubleshooting to get a feel for question style — the format really does match what you'll see on test day.
My advice: don't neglect the applied sections even if the theory feels comfortable. The exam is designed to catch people who understand concepts in isolation but struggle with real-world scenarios. Practice those especially.
Good thread. One thing I'd add: don't try to cram the night before. I did 4 hours the night before my SAW and I think it hurt more than helped. Your brain needs consolidation time. Light review or full rest is better.
For what it's worth — I've taken the SAW twice now. First attempt I underestimated the practice test questions. Second time I focused almost exclusively on applied practice and passed comfortably. The difference is real.
Really helpful breakdown, thanks for sharing. I'm at week 3 of my SAW prep and the exam prep section is exactly where I'm struggling too. Going to try the approach you described and see if it moves my scores.
Bookmarking this. I'm still in the early stages of SAW prep and threads like this are way more useful than generic study guides. The specifics about exam prep are particularly helpful — that's the section I've been avoiding.
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