TOPIC: Why I failed the PMP Exam the first attempt

I am posting this on behalf of Stephanie Gentle who wrote to us about her experience failing the PMP exam

Subject: Why I Failed the PMP Exam the First Attempt

I did NOT use the PM PrepCast to prepare for the PMP exam. I used a number of other materials, including sample exams from a different company.
This week I took the PMP Exam for the first time and failed. In general, my performance ratings were Below Target and Needs Improvement. It felt terrible to see the “Unfortunately, you failed the Project Management Professional exam…” So what went wrong?

I spent ample time on exam preparation and scored well on my sample exams. I feel like I did everything right in terms of my preparation, and I felt confident on exam day. However, when I took the actual exam, I quickly realized that the question style on the real exam was radically different from the types of questions I was accustomed to in my book and simulator exams. I kept waiting for familiar types of questions to pop up on the screen, but they were all a different style and much more difficult than what I was used to.

I immediately started reading about other people who have recovered after a failed PMP exam. There are many reasons, but the one that resonated with me is that the sample tests and question format were very different from the actual exam. While I still liked the book I used (Andy Crowe’s materials + PMBOK Guide) and I don’t regret using it as one of my study resources, I should have diversified my exam simulators more. I feel like I spent so much time preparing for a totally different type of exam. You don’t want that to happen to you!

Today I purchased the PM PrepCast Elite I already feel like I made the right choice. My recommendation is to diversify your study materials, read about lessons learned from people who have failed the exam, and re-examine your PMP study plan every once in a while and make adjustments if needed. Lastly, take several full-length practice exams from a variety of sources so you experience different question styles and scenarios. I plan to go through the PrepCast Elite video courses and take all eight mock exams before my re-take, and I won’t schedule it until I have passed several mock exams with a good score. Hopefully, in a few weeks, I will write again and share good news

-Stephanie
Stephanie Gentle