TOPIC: Passed 3/31/2021 AT/AT/AT

Hi Everyone,
I passed the exam AT/AT/AT.
I'd like to share with you how I prepared for the exam.
Most people don't want to set a date until they feel read. I read that you will never be ready if you don't set a date. I'm a good example of that. I took a week boot camp in Apr last year. I put off setting a date until I was ready. I never set a date and I never really studied until the day before Thanksgiving when my boss said I need to pass before the end of the performance period. At that point I set the exam date on 28 Dec 2020. I studied only about 3 weeks and failed the exam.
In Dec I learned of PM Prepcast but it was too late to do anything in Dec so I started a study group here in PM Prepcast.
Step 1. Get Prepcast
Step 2 Join a study group
I put together a study plan to keep us on schedule to test in April. We collaborated on the schedule and came out with a final study plan. We started the study group and met twice a week.
Step 3 Put together study plan
I was with the group until my co worker told me that I have to pass before the end of the rating period which is Mar 31. So I had to hurry up and set a test date. It was a compressed schedule compared to what the group prepared. I had to leave the group.
I developed a new schedule with the target of taking 100 question quiz in a specific process every three days after listening to the PM Prepcast lecture and the matching Udemy PMP prep class section. I did that for maybe 5 processes. Then a fellow study group member passed the exam in late Feb/early Mar. She said she focused on the 4 practice exams. I was doing well on the quizzes that I took so I decided to take my first practice exam. I failed 60%. I then studied the exam for 3 days or something like that and took another practice exam. I passed 75%. The questions are not the same but the style and content are. I then studied exam 2 and a few days later took exam 3 and barely passed 71%. By then I was probably 3 weeks from exam day.
Step 4 Take practice exams in PM Prepcast simulator
Step 5 Study and understand what was right and what was wrong. Don't memorize. That won't do you any go. You have to understand the concept. This exam tests your understanding. Not whether or not you're book smart.
I was studying late into the night every night and found myself staring blankly at the practice exams. I thought this is not getting me anywhere. I started taking short breaks say 15-30 minutes just to break up the time. Stay focus. Don't have anything going on like a tv or radio. Listen to those during the breaks. I started feeling better.
Step 6 Get rest
Then after taking the 4th exam I failed 68% but this time I didn't study the answers right away. Instead I restudied exams 1 and 2 and then re-took exam 4 without knowing what the answers were. Still failed 69%. I reminded myself its not what you get in the practice exams. Its whether or not I pass the real exam that matters. So I stayed focus and not let my scores get me down.
Step 7 Don't worry about your practice exam scores.
Then for the last two weeks I went over the exams and covered the answers to see if I could give generally the right answer without looking at the choices. I began knowing the concept better as I was explaining it outloud to myself. I started to explain to myself why an answer was right and why the others were wrong. I did that for all 4 exams (this was after I had gone over the 4 exams the first time).
Step 8 Go over the exams again and explain to yourself what the right and wrong answers were.
Before I forget, be watchful of the time when you take the practice exam. Take it as if it were the exam. It's good practice to go 4 hours in a test.
Step 9 Practice mock exams, timed as if they were the real exam.
Now that I had a decent understanding of the content, I started paying closer attention to how different words that say the same thing give different answers such as what would you do first as opposed to what would you do immediately. Words made a difference in the mock exams and the real exam.
Step 10 Study question styles/wording
I think after you study the 4 exams and really just the 4 exams for a solid month including weekends you start seeing how small nuances make a difference in the outcome.

When you get to the point where you feel ready and just want to get it over with, you are ready for the exam.

I went to the test center for the exam. The questions were all short; not a lot of detail. As mentioned I thought I was going to fail. Stay positive and read the questions slowly. You're smarter than you think.

Step 11 Stay positive

Hi Sharon,
I am about to take the PMP exam, I wonder how did you manage learning the Business Environment Domain on the new ECO 2021? I´ve found a few things on PMBOK 6th edition and Agile practice Guide...and can you please
give us a hint on the type of questions you faced related to the Business Environment? Thank you !! Miguel Angel Rodiruez.

At first I tried very hard to map the ECO with a chapter in the book. It would have been impossible to do. Instead I spent the last 30 days before the exam studying the 4 mock exams. I'm not just saying it. It is true. The prepcast simulator 2021 and the APG are the best resources to pass the exam. All I did was study not memorize the 4 mock exams and read the APG twice. I don't know which question went in which domain. I just studied the exams. I madecsure I understood the right and wrong answers. I did not memorize anything. Memorizing will do no good. You have to understand the concept. Practice taking the mock exams as if they were the real exam. Get used to monitoring your time and sitting for 4 hours. Don't focus on what is in which domain. I think the questions are a mix between all domains. Every question, nearly every question deals with people. Each question you have to know the process from a practical standpoint. Then you have to have your business hat on. That's the 3rd domain. Each question is really a blend of all domains.

You have to know how to make assumptions. The questions gave less details so you have to make assumptions.

Congratulations Sharon! I will be taking my exam in 6 weeks. Quick question - You didn't mention anything about reading RITA's New book or any other book for preparing except reading APG and taking Mock exams on Simulator and reviewing the answers. I have RITA's book (9th edition) which I haven't completed reading. I am wondering if I have to purchase RITA's 10th edition for new exam pattern. Is it even required? Could you please share your thoughts on this?

I didn't use the Rita book for prepping for the class. I used the PM BOK, APG, and Simulator 2021. I read the APG twice and read sections separately when I needed to understand a concept better. I read the PM BOK once, almost but I read sections in PM BOK a lot. I used the PM Prepcast 2021 simulator for prepping for the exam. You need to understand the concepts of the processes but not to the ITTO level. For the last 4 weeks (2-30 Mar) I only used the PM Prepcast simulator 2021 and used the PM BOK and APG for reference. I did all 4 exams. Then I went through each exam for several days to understand why answers were wrong and why correct answers were right. I did that for each of exams. Then I started again to go over each exam question. I got to re-do 2 exams twice before it was time for my exam. Bear in mind I am not memorizing anything. In fact I couldn't remember the any formulas when I went in the exam. Basically I was willing to take the hit for not knowing formulas because I felt I would have more concept questions than formula questions. After you do the exams back to back, you will begin to see how questions relate. When I say relate I mean conceptually relate. When I was going through the exams the second time (I only was able to cover 2 for a second round) I covered the answers on the screen by holding a paper in front. Then I answered the question by giving the conceptual answer. I did not memorize any questions. That would be hard because there are 180 X4 . Then after explaining to myself what was the correct answer I would uncover the choices and explain to myself why the other 3 answers were wrong. If I didn't know why an answer was wrong I'd uncover the explanation and go over why and answer was wrong. Remember I am answering the questions conceptually; not an exact answer so my "conceptual" answer was more in depth than a single word answer. This exam you have to understand concepts. They really didn't have any questions that were just definitions. Even the matching. That was a scenario. There were several questions that you have to relate your real life. I don't think the answer would be in a book. Of course I don't know what I answered right or wrong so I don't know if I got those right or not. All through out the exam I thought for sure I failed. When I did the second third I still thought I failed. By the last third I figure I had nothing to lose. I was s shocked that I passed. That's why I think we all know more than you think you know. These last few weeks I recommend do the 4 mock exams. Don't go through through them too quickly when you review each question. Understand the concept. Read the explanation that PM Prepcast gives you. Don't think about pass or fail when you're in the exam. Focus on the questions. Put yourself in the scenario. After the first third, I started to think about how I was going to tell my boss I failed and how would I tell my friends. That distracted me. So don't think about anything other than the question you are answering at the time. Stay focused. I'm sure you'll pass.

Thanks for your reply Sharon!