I purchased PM Prepcast in October 2018 and started to somewhat study but then the holidays came and I stopped studying.
In March 2019 I told myself to get serious on my studies if I wanted to get my PMP certification. I created my PMP Study plan and diligently followed the study plan. I cannot emphasize the importance of creating a Study Plan and following it. Without one you just kind go all over with your studies and don't really know if you are making progress.
I studied the Rita Mulcahy book along with the PM Prepcast courses. I also used the PMBOK in my studies. I did not study other sources and created my own flashcards. I made sure I understood the Rita Mulcahy process chart as recommended in her book. I took multiple timed quizzes on the PM Prepcast and the quizzes at the end of the Rita Mulcahy book before starting the exam simulations. I took six of the exam simulations and passed all six on my 1st attempt averaging scores in the upper 70's. I took off from work the week prior to my PMP examination so I could focusing on my studies and nothing else. I took one exam simulation each day.
My scores on the official PMP examination are as follows:
Initiating - Above Target
Planning - Above Target
Executing - Target
Monitoring and Controlling - Target
Closing - Above Target
The Pearson VUE does not give you sheets of paper, you get one 8 x 14 laminated sheet to use with a non-permanent marker. I had seen comments in the forums regarding not being able to strike through a wrong answer to narrow your answers. This is not an option at Pearson VUE but did not impact me as I did not use that option on exam simulations.
One technique I used on the PM Prepcast exam simulators, I marked any question that I wasn't positive about and left them marked even after I reviewed all of them. Once I got my score I focused on the ones I missed that I hadn't marked (why had I thought I knew the answer but it was wrong) and then on all the other questions I had gotten wrong. This gave me a game plan on focus due to my lack of confidence in answering a question to mark it as questionable. If I got it right, then I was lucky but what made me hesitant.
The PMP exam is definitely a grueling test. I finished all 200 questions in 3 hours and then took a bathroom/water break. Left me with under an hour to review questions I had marked for review. As others have stated, do not under-estimate the endurance required to sit and pound your brain for 4 hours!
Keep up the hard work everyone. You can do it!
Thanks PM Prepcast being a key factor in my successful completion.
