TOPIC: Passed my PMP exam above target in 4 domains

On 29 August 2017 I have passed the Project Management Proficiency PMP Exam with Above Target in 4 Domains and Below Target in 1 domain. My Closing domain knowledge was Below Target.

Being PMP was something in my mind since I first became the member of PMI in March 2011.

Thanks to my tutors in

- Construction Planning and Construction Economics courses in METU Civil Engineering department.
- Business Strategy, Organizational Behaviour (HRM), Decision Science (Optimization), Finance (NPV, ROI), Investment Management (IRR), Business Law, Production (Quality Managment), Inventory Management (Lean, JIT), Financial Accounting (Code of Accounts), courses in Bilkent MBA Program.
- Law of Obligations and Contract Law, Arbitration Law, Arbitration Practice and Procedure courses at Robert Gordon University.

Thanks,
- to my experience with many PMI isms (project management framework, plans, method statements, risk assessments, work authorization systems, configuration management system, meeting management, meeting minutes, agenda, action items, prevention over inspection, performance measurement baselines, progress reporting day by day, being single point of contact, everybody being on the same page .

and Thanks to
- to www.pm-exam-simulator.com , Rita Mulcahy, Headfirst, Andy Crowe, Kim Heldman, Levin Ginger, Christopher Scordo (pmtraining) and PMI’s PMBOK for their valuable narratives and questions.

which helped me to develop a holistic approach as mentioned in Project Integration Management.

Below I provide you with my strategy (also the sequence) and lessons learned; I accept it is a bit brute force
1. Read Rita and solved the chapter end test immediately after reading each chapter. Success rates were around 70-80%.
2. Practiced Rita process game (online version) many times till I understand and remember the sequence.
3. Read Headfirst PMP, solved questions, Success rates were around 80-85%.
4. Read PMBOK. Read in parallel Andy Crowe’s book and solved chapter end questions of Andy Crowe, Success rates were around 75-85%.
5. Solved Rita PM Fast Track 200 question PMP test Success rate was around 71%.
6. Bought www.pm-exam-simulator.com and solved 7 each 200 question mock-up tests. Success rates were around 83-90%.
7. Bought pmtraining.com and solved 16 each 50 question mock-up test, Success rates were around 75-94%.
8. Checked for where I am missing continuously. Read Kim Heldman Exam Review 3rd edition. Solved chapter end tests.
9. Tried memorising ITTOs. Studied by writing. I did not understand everything completely but I knew that I did not knew. You get used to the concept although you don’t understand thoroughly.
10. Solved Oliver Lehman 75 Success rate 72%.
11. Solved Lehman 175 Success rate 75%
12. Solved Kim Heldman Project Management Professional Exam Study Guide: Updated for the 2015 Exam, 8th Edition sybextestbanks.wiley.com/ 200 question PMP mock up exam. Was hard. Success rate 65%.
13. Solved Rita PM Fast Track 200 question Super PMP test Success rates % 58. Was hard, could not finish on time, left questions blank. Real PMP exam is not like this.
14. Solved Levin, Ginger; Ward, J. LeRoy PMP® Exam Practice Test and Study Guide, Tenth Edition 200 question PMP mock up exam. Success rates 63%..
15. Solved Levin Ginger questions where I was weak in Ginger’s mock-up test.

In total, I solved more than 4000 questions and I studied around 500 hours. Please note that I am a Planning, Scheduling and Cost Control Specialist, a civil engineer with MBA degree with 20 years experience. Please note that before starting studying I already knew what a critical path is, how it is found and how cost control is implemented in a project.
Consequently, I did not study these concepts but solved questions. So, you may need more than 500 hours.

Ask your self at every question: about which domain is this question or in which process I am? Then try solving it.

Good luck,

Believe me, good things happen when you are with PMI.

Mustafa