TOPIC: PMP exam is changing on 11.01.2016 (6th edition?)

Dear PMP experts,

I am a long term student and have done the following beside my work:

- read PMBok guide, 5th edition
- listened to Cornelius' videos and made notes with my pencil in parallel
- digitalised (extra work) all my notes in order to search keywords easier and to create a shorter memorable summary of it

I have almost finished the digitalising preparation and I am ready to take the "3 month simulator" exercise of Cornelius. After that I want to do Cornelius' 35 hours exam.

I am not happy with the newly announced exam changes because changes are too fast in order to keep track with my exam preparation.

Now my question:

- What do you recommend because Cornelius has to update his videos, preparation exams too?
- Shall I take the new or old PMP exam?

I also need to calculate for an exam fail. In October I have holidays where I need to put my preparation on hold.

Thanks!

It sounds like you have a good gameplan. I recommend you signing up for the current exam.

Dear Michael, I will continue as normal. If I need more time for preparation I will do the next exam version.

How much will it cost if I need to do the new exam version? Currently I have bought:

• 1 x The PM PrepCast (For PMBOK Guide 5th Edition) & PM Exam Simulator (90-Day Access)
• 1 x PMP Exam Formula Study Guide (Special Offer)

Thanks!

Stay confident and it would cost you a whole year's worth of studying time. Version changes are significant enought that you have to re-learn several concepts in the PMBOK. Plus you'd have to buy the new book and take new practice exams.

Agreed - it sounds like you've already done quite a bit of work and preparation, and are likely more prepared than you realize. The simulator will be a good indicator of how ready you are, and you still have enough time between now and the new exam that you should be able to identify and focus on any trouble areas with plenty of time to spare.

Even if you still have work to do to get ready, it's probably still a good idea to target the current exam, as you will likely have to do a lot of "unlearning" of 5th Edition knowledge as Michael said.

Assuming you plan to take the current exam, I would take the PrepCast final exam ASAP if you're using the completion hours for your application, as you definitely don't want to wait until the last minute to sign up in case you get picked for an audit.

Debating when to get the PMP? Here are three reasons to do it now...
1. Take advantage of end-of-year time to squeeze in some extra preparation.
2. Check this important item off your development plan and set yourself up for a stellar end-of-year review. What’s better than earning your PMP to finish 2015 on a high note?
3. After 11 January, the PMP exam changes and 25% of the exam will focus on new content topics that may not be part of your original study plan.

You can find all the information about the UPCOMING CHANGES regarding PMP here:

PMP CERTIFICATION EXAM UPDATES 2015/16: What You Need to Know … :
☛ wren.cf/6t
… and what they mean to you (in detail!):
☛ wren.cf/84

Regards,

Markus

Hello Daniel,

I agree with the previous comments, you have already made good progress and the remaining time is more then enough to take and pass the exam. my advise is take the exam no later than end of November so that if you fail you will have time to plan the re-examination.

stay confident and focus on understanding more than memorizing and practice as much as you can.

Hi Daniel,

1) Finish the test for the 35hr credit first. It is not that difficult, especially if you have been studying for some time now. Submit your application at the earliest and hope that you don't get selected for an audit (for the sake of time, I mean). If you start now, this stage can be completed at the most in a month (assuming you are yet to begin collecting information for your application), if not less.

2) As soon as your application is approved, book you exam date right away! Don't delay. Just book it! That will serve as a motivator for you to keep going. Like Ahmed said, have an early date to allow time for retries.

3) Get started on the simulator tests ASAP. I suggest you start with one exam (any one from no.1- no. and then the ITTO exam. That will tell you where your significant gaps in knowledge are. Based on that, tweak your study plan. I personally wouldn't suggest retaking the same exams again... do the other ones that are not done yet. If you planned correctly, you will see your score improve or stabilize. That will give a confidence boost for you.

Good luck!

Hi Daniel,

I,too, agree with the other comments. It sounds like you are very well prepared...just take as many simulated exams as you can to increase your confidence and get a solid understanding of the material. Best of luck to you!

Hi Daniel:

Your plan is solid and I agree with the others that you are setup well to pass your Prepcast test and submit your application. I would recommend trying to get the exam done in November. With your prep work, you should have ample time to prepare without stressing.

Best of luck!
Tracey

I have just decided to move forward with seeking my PMP Certification, but I'm wondering if I have enough time before the exam changes? I see some people saying they were able to complete their studies in ~2 months...is this realistic?

Hi ADowling, It may be possible, but at this point I would recommended taking your time and waiting to study for the newer exam. There can be a lot of stress involved in trying the meet the test change deadline. Also, it's important to get a good understanding of the material and that may be challenging with such a short window of time to study. Best of luck!

It's certainly possible, though whether it's realistic is really up to you - what works best for you as far as pace and learning style, how much "book knowledge" you have coming in, and how comfortable you are taking tests. I took my exam about a month after I started studying in earnest, but I'm very comfortable taking those sorts of exams and am generally a pretty quick study. I also didn't have any particular deadline for getting certified - I had the luxury of scheduling the exam as early or as late as I felt ready to take it.I know there are plenty of people who would tell you that they needed several months of highly structured study and review before they were comfortable, and that signing up for an exam date that close wouldn't have been wise for them.

So short version is that you're the best person to be able to make that determination. Just keep in mind that given the timelines you don't have a lot of margin for error. If you don't pass the first time around, or get started studying for the current version but later feel you need to reschedule to give yourself more time, you may end up having to schedule your exam for after the cutover, which means un-learning the older content. So unless you're under a time crunch to get certified (e.g. wanting to have it before your current project wraps up and you hit the job market) or you're very confident that you can ramp up quickly and pass on your first attempt, it may make sense to just plan to take it in the first few months of 2016 and and prepare using the new materials, if only to minimize your risk and stress levels.

Thank you Dawn and Jonathan for the feedback. I really appreciate your time!

According to Will I get a free update of The PM PrepCast? the current students get a free upgrade. I don't know if this applies also to the exam simulator. But I will ask Cornelius...

I started with the sample questions of the videos... I will ask myself if I am willing to take the exam before 12.1.16 in the middle of December 2015. But I would like to decide on my own and not based on PMI's decision when to take the exam. So, learning the other extra new stuff maybe also OK for me. Taking the exam before 10.12.2015 to avoid the crowd/rush is not realistic for me.

Thanks!

According to Will I get a free update of The PM PrepCast? the current students get a free upgrade of the PM PrepCast.
According to Will I get these new questions for free? the current students get a free upgrade of the exam simulator too.

Thanks Cornelius!

You're doing great buddy. Please visit below link for most precise information on changing the exam pattern:
www.pmi.org/PMBOK-Guide-and-Standards/St...ndards-Projects.aspx

You still have time to work on concepts and give your exam. You can go ahead with any exam either with 5th edition or upgraded one next year.
All the best for your exam.