Wow, great post! Congratulations Akintayoo! You've made the first step towards the exciting world of cloud. :-) I was a newbie as well when I first studied for the Solutions Architect Associate exam late last year, and I managed to pass the tough exam on my first attempt last Feb. If you're planning to take the Solutions Architect Associate exam next, here's my study guide and exam tips which can help you in your exam review:

https://www.reddit.com/r/AWSCertifications/comments/axfo7k/how_i_passed_the_aws_certified_solutions/

Thank you for this.

Someone posted this as a response to a similar question and I found it very sensible.

AWS gives you a 50% off voucher for passing a cert exam which you can use towards the next exam. Most people get exam fees reimbursed so this probably won’t apply to them.

The CCP is $100. If you pass it, you can schedule the CSAA for 150/2 ie $75. So instead of diving straight into the unknown of CSAA and spending $150, you get some experience with AWS exams and are better prepared for the CSAA if you take the CCP first, costing you $175.

CCP covers fundamentals which are extremely helpful for someone just getting familiar to the world of public cloud. You can prepare for it within a month. You’ll be in a better position to take the CSAA if you studied for the CCP and more importantly you can have meaningful conversations with your peers about cloud.

All the best!