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Well, the sprint is over. FInished my at-Home PMP exam this past Saturday (10/17/20).
Passed. AT/AT/AT/AT/AT. Excited to finish it and get my Certification.
First off, I want to thank Cornelius for the PM Prepcast videos. Not only did they present the PMBOK guide and processes in an expert fashion but set the foundations for taking the exam with confidence; quickly.
I began the PM Prepcast videos on Jul 27, 2020. I went through them all and took copious notes noting the takeaways from each section. A rather robust notebook was produced and it served me well for my studying. I finished all the videos within 30 days and then crafted my study plan with a target date of Mid-Oct. I planned out a study schedule where every day I deep dived into a Knowledge area and then covered a group of T&Ts. I also began doing a small daily timed quiz (usually 20-40 Q’s each)
After two weeks and 1 full exam simulator complete. I scheduled my PMP exam. That set the target at 30 days. From there I dug into the plan and kept a good lesson learned register for every quiz and test. After the next two weeks, I consistently scored in the 80-85% range and mostly ATs. Some things I have done regularly that helped immensely:
Had a paper copy of the PMBOK Glossary and always had it with me and would review it whenever I had a few free minutes.
Process flow: Watched the video from Ricardo Vargas
I bought a large foam presentation board and created my own process flow board. I used the cutouts in the link below. I then mirrored it on the other side with the ITTOs for every process. And also every formula. It was a constant presence for continuous review.
PMBOK® Guide 6th Ed Processes Explained with Ricardo Vargas!
Created Formula Flashcards and memorized all the formulas and used them regularly so it was automatic. Then I took as many formula related questions as possible. The 105 question formula test from Cornelius is great. If you can do and understand that, then the PMP exam is easy.
EAC/ETC formulas: Understand the nuances of what to use and when. Should be an easy correct answer.
Exam Simulator: The exam simulator is critical for your success! It teaches you how to process the question methodology and determine first what process group and the process you are in and then you can use your knowledge to answer whatever the questions asked. Another critical thing I did was to read the bottom part first (The actual question): What is the actual question? Then I read the whole question and began to eliminate wrong answers. I generally would not look at the MC answers until I knew where I was in the process flow.
I took 5 of the full exams. Time was never an issue for me. I practiced using the right-click to quickly eliminate 2 of the 4 answers to almost every question. Although it was slightly different on the actual at-home exam software. I got in the habit of marking every question where I didn’t know the answer or was unsure of the answer. What I found out was that my instincts were good and I had the right answer for those marked questions far more often than not. That gave me the confidence to trust myself and not fill myself with self-doubt. Point here: Put the time in and trust yourself. DON’T change answers unless you originally missed something or are certain that you had it wrong. Preparation and repetitive exams will get you there.
I took 5-10 timed quizzes a week. Various lengths. Sometimes I would target a Knowledge area and towards the end I would select the unanswered questions that I hadn’t yet seen. These quizzes help build confidence but also continuously help identify weak areas or areas where further focus is required. The goal was continuous process improvement and my scores continued to improve to the point where I was regularly 85-90%. That is when I knew I was ready.
One thing worth noting. I traditionally like having scratch paper and working out the formulas on paper. Also doing network diagrams for Critical path questions. Since I scheduled my exam online, that option was removed so I practiced the Pearson VUE whiteboard for these problems before the actual exam and planned that feature out to improve comfort and timeliness. If you like blank paper to write on, consider taking the exam at a test center. For me, that was the worst part of the exam. Although on the actual test, I only used the whiteboard for 3 problems. (i didn’t do a brain dump).
Exam: The Pearson at-home exam went well. The test was essentially the exam simulator with some small variations between the applications. Putting in the time on the exam simulator is critical. Expose yourself to as many questions as possible.
I put in about 20 hours/week into studying and relied primarily on my notes, the PMBOK Guide and the exam simulator. I also reviewed this video to memorize all the Outputs and it was great for all the “what’s Next?” questions.
Again, Thanks to Cornelius and all the PMPrepcast staff. Your program and products are exceptional!!!
The following user(s) said Thank You: Pradeep Soni, Matthew Ingles
Congratulations! Great Advice, I actually began studying in Early July and originally began by reviewing videos on LinkedIn Learning course, then transitioned to reading the PMBOC cover to cover and then began using Wiley/Sybex PMP Study Guide and Exam preparation text book. I'm scheduled for the exam on 11/9. Right now I am in the process of taking mock-exams and hope I am able to score in the 80-90% range to show that I am ready for the final test.
Great job on finishing Above Target in all of the Process Groups!
Training for Project Management Professional (PMP)®, PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)®, and Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)®
