So, here goes my Lessons Learned, which I would like to share with my friends. I am posting this with a disclaimer note that this is my personal experience only. This should not be followed as guidance. This should be picked up as per the suitability of the PMP aspirant.
My PMP Journey started since the 3rd week of Feb.’2014. I was having a faint knowledge about the training contents or study materials about the PMP Certification before that. Just like a blank page!!! Only the handy tool available with me was the Google Search Engine. I got some YouTube presentations while searching. That was the beginning!!!
Chronological major events while achieving my Milestones:
• Registered in PMI web site : 22nd Feb.’2014
• Ordered the PMBOK Guide Fifth Edition at PMI site Online: 22nd of Feb.’2014
• Became PMI Registered Member: 25th of Feb.’2014
• Received my copy of Andy Crowe’s Book titled “PMP Exam – How to Pass on Your First Try” :
3rd of March, 2014
• Purchased the PM Precast by Cornelius Fitchner : 4th of March,2014. (Thankful to him)
• Received my copy of the PMBOK Guide Fifth Edition : 26th of March’2014
• Became PMI West Bengal Chapter Member : 27th March, 2014
• Joined the Linkedin Forum titled “I want to be a PMP® : 27th March,2014
• Got the 35 Contact Hours Certificate: 22nd of April, 2014 (Passed online end-of- course
assessment with 92%)
• Applied to PMI for PMP Credential : 19th May,2014
• Confirmation for PMP Application acceptance from PMI (without Audit): 24th May, 2014
• Email from PMI for PMI Eligibility ID : 25th May,2014
• Exam Scheduled at Prometric Site : 25th May’2014
• Purchased the CertGear's Practice Exam Software: 6th June’2014
• Exam Scheduled Date: 31st July,2014
• Ordered Rita Mulcahy’s Book Titled “PMP Exam Prep – Eighth Edition” : 1st Aug,’2014
• Received my copy of Rita’s Book : 16th Aug,’2014
• Email from PMI for (2nd attempt) PMI Eligibility ID : 8th Nov.’2014
• Exam Scheduled (2nd Attempt)at Prometric Site : 29th Dec’2014
• Passed the PMP Exam on the 2nd Attempt( instant result at the Test Center) : 29th Dec.’2014
• Got the Hard Copy of signed and embossed Examination Report instantly at the Test Center
with : 3 MPs + 2 BPs
• Confirmation Email from PMI regarding the Exam Result: 30th Dec.’2014
Books referred (Hard and Soft Copy/Online):
(a) Main: PMBOK Guide 5th Edition + Christopher Scordo (available in PMI web site) + Rita Mulcahy’s 8th Edition
(b) Reference Books (Hard/soft/online Copy): Kim Heldman + Head First PMP + Frank T Ambari (available in PMI web site) + Andy Crowe
Forums: (a)” I want to be a PMP ®” in Linkedin , (b) iZenBridge , (c) PMZilla
Blogs : (a) ) iZenBridge (b) Deep Fried Brain (c) Tutorials Point etc.
Videos/Youtube presentations: (a) PM Prepcast (Paid) (b) iZenBridge (Free) (c) Ricardo Vargas (Free and mainly for the 47 processes) etc.
Practice Exam Simulations:
(a) Oliver F. Lehmann (Free – Online) : (a) For 75 Qs – Scored 79% (b) For 175 Qs – Scored 79%
(b) PM Study (Free- Online)- 200 Qs : Scored 79.43%
(c) iZenBridge (Free-Online)- 100 Qs: Scored 84%
(d) Exam Central (Free-Online): Scored 84%
(e) PMP Den (Free- Online): Scored av. 90.83 %
(f) Simplilearn (Free – Online)- 200 Qs : Scored 67.50 %
(g) CertGear (Paid - Offline) : Scored av. 87%
Miscellaneous sources: Wikipedia, Twitter, Facebook , PMI Chapters etc.
Before the Exam Day:
I fell sick three days before the Exam with loss of appetite, severe body pain , headache and vomiting. This caused me much tensed and physically weak. This might be mainly due to the spicy & oily food taken on the 25th Dec night in a Birthday Party. Since my Prometric Test Center (for Computer Based Test) was located at Kolkata (India) around 600 Kms away from my home city Guwahati (India) and there is no facility for the PMP Exam in my City, I left for the Test one day before the Scheduled Exam date by flight. After reaching there I visited the location of the Test Center from my Hotel to assess the time required so that next morning it will be convenient to proceed for the exam. During this travel period, I only took sufficient warm water and light food like Mushroom soup etc.
On the Exam Day:
My exam starts from 8:00 AM. So, I got up early in the morning at 5:00 AM. After getting fresh, I
did some light physical exercise so as to warn up my body and sat sometime for meditation. It was utmost important for me to stabilized my adrenalin level stable and make my mind focused though I was not 100% physically fit. I took very light breakfast. I reached the Test Center around 30 minutes before the scheduled time. After completing all the exam formalities I sat for the exam. In three and half hours I could complete only 155 nos. of questions. Pressure started mounting on as the remaining 45 questions needed to be completed in 30 minutes. This time even I took another set of scrape paper for rough work. When I completed 175 Questions, there only 10 minutes left to answer 25 questions which seemed impossible for me. Then I just prayed God and started to answer the rest of the answer on simple guessing only, even no time to read the full questions!!! After finishing all the 200 Questions, just some 15 secs time left. In the meantime, I just consoled myself that if I fail this time also, still one more attempt is left which I will schedule after recovering my physical fitness and may be after immediate 7 days. I was also thinking that there is a possibility to pass the Exam , because the 1st three hours were covered with more lengthy questions and calculation which I did more confidently compared to the final hour. Then I pressed the Exam Finish Button skipping the Survey Option. To my great relief I passed!!! The Congratulations screen appeared after a blank pause for few secs.
So, what I would like to suggest from my experience is that one should keep a balance between the Study and the Physical Fitness.
This has been really a great experience of Professional Study while staying with family members, though most of the Social functions had to be avoided. Now, it is over and Cheers!!!
Finally I would like to thank you all for reading this Story of mine which might be helpful a bit somewhere to the aspirants, though I am not a good Writer or a Blogger!!!
My best wishes to all the PMP aspirants for a mega success in the forth coming year, 2015!!!
Best regards,
Ranjit
