I passed my PMI-ACP exam yesterday after 8 months of serious study with above target in 6 out of 7 domains. Here is how I did it:
Exam Prep:
1. Cornelius is amazing in walking through what you need to know for the exam. He is also great at deep diving into what you need to know for the practical application of the subject matter. It can be different than the examination itself. Nevertheless, I literally wrote down everything he said. It was a GIANT help when I took the exam since I was able to remember his voice and the notes like second nature.
2. Created a study plan. Mine was Tuesday/Thursday nights after work for three hours and Sat/Sun mornings before 9am for 3 hours. I am an early bird, so this was not a huge sacrifice for me. Follow the study plan religiously!
3. Took several practice exams. Who cares if you pass any of them? The most important lesson is that you LEARN the concepts. Understand what you may have misread, overlook, misinterpreted and focus on your trouble areas. They will come up on the exam and you do not want to be caught not fully understanding it.
4. Index cards and notes help. However, the most important technique is continuous repetition. Read the question and the right answer SEVERAL times. I even incorporated it into my daily lingo (yep...I was in the grocery store with a Kanban graph on my piece of paper and a burndown chart on the back).
Exam Day:
1. Get there early. It settles the nerves. Eat a little something (not a big meal and certainly not fast food), but enough to keep your mind active. Mine was a buffalo chicken wrap sans the sauces.
2. Stay well hydrated. You can not take your water into the testing room itself, but drink big gulps before you go in. Your brain works better when it has enough water.
3. Read each question thoroughly. Don't skip over anything.
4. Read each answer choice once. Not twice. Once. Very important. Too much rumination will lead you to second guess, which is the enemy of proctored exams. There is a saying, "Avoid the paralysis of overanalysis!" Rather, eliminate the wrong answers first. It leaves you with a 50/50 chance.
5. They give you a LONG time to take this exam. If you know the material well, it won't take that long. I was in and out in less than two hours.
6. They give you exam scores right there! Best feeling in the world walking out the door knowing you passed.
Good luck everyone!
