I Survived AWS SAA-C03 — Here’s What Actually Helped Me Pass

In September 2026, I triumphantly passed the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03) exam. Initially, I believed my AWS knowledge had grown, but the SAA exam proved otherwise. It was vastly different from the AWS Certified AI Practitioner exam I had aced a few months earlier. SAA required understanding which architecture best solved specific scenarios, not just memorizing the definition of each service.

To prepare, I used Stéphane Maarek’s AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate course as my primary learning resource. I focused on understanding the purpose of each service rather than memorizing them. To reinforce my knowledge, I created 21 revision cards, each covering a specific topic, such as IAM, VPC, security, load balancing, and disaster recovery.

Additionally, I utilized ChatGPT to gain deeper insights into why certain answers were correct or incorrect. I practiced with multiple practice exams, including those from Stéphane Maarek, TutorialsDojo, YouTube, and CloudNinja. I also built a web app called SAA-Quiz to practice questions in a more interactive manner. In the final days before the exam, I shifted my focus to refining weak areas, reviewing questions I had previously answered incorrectly, and comparing similar services to strengthen my understanding. This approach proved effective, and I emerged victorious in the SAA-C03 exam.