Yesterday, I passed my exam with ATs in all the areas. I started this journey in 2018 by buying a study book, I started studying got busy with work and put it away. In January 2020, I decided to pick it back up, consistently study and fulfill this personal goal in 2020. I learned the PMBOK guide on my own and then completed the prepcast. The study book I used (Kim Heldmen's Study Guide) really humbled me and I consistently had poor scores on the chapter reviews. I then subscribed to the PrepCast and went through lesson by lesson. I then used the exam simulator and did much better than how I did on the book reviews.
Here are my lessons learned:
-I wish I had scheduled my exam further in advance, with my computer and home office not suitable for taking the exam at home I was only able to get one reservation at my local Pearson Vue Center before the end of the year and exam change.
-I wish I actually bought the PMBOK guide.... I only used a study guide that referenced the PMBOK guide, I balked at the price. The difference in practice question difficulty can greatly vary, I found simulator most like the exam.
-I wrote my own flashcards for each process, this worked out great for quickly looking up inputs, outputs and T&T. I even had my wife quiz me on a long drive.
-I did memorize formulas and prepared a brain dump though I did not need to reference it.
-I wish I had studied the exam tasks earlier, they are key to picking the BEST answer!
-I only found the time to do three full practice exams, I've been out of the classroom for a while and sitting in front of the laptop, no cell phones and no other distractions was a challenge but prepared me for the environment.
-While doing the exam simulators I would write down question numbers to go back and review and why I had not selected the BEST answer.
Thanks again to the Prepcast! Worth every penny and not having to do a retake!
