I passed 11/24/2020 on my first attempt via the online exam with 4 ATs and 1 T.
Study Materials:
I used the PMBOK guide, the PM PrepCast, and the PM Exam Simulator.
Study Method:
The PrepCast videos take quite a long time to get through. I spent about 2 months working through the videos. My approach was to read the PMBOK chapter first then watch the corresponding videos. This worked well for me so that I was familiar with the material that was being covered in the video. I also took extensive notes on the videos, which helped me to retain the material better than just watching or listening via the podcast option. I did the quizzes at the end of each module and created flash cards off those as I went along. Once I completed all the videos, I passed the final test to get the contact hours certificate. This was very simple and straight forward. I then moved on to practice questions. I started out by doing short learning quizzes of 20 questions by knowledge area to get a feel for the format and style of the questions. I then moved on to a few 50 and 100 question timed quizzes covering all knowledge areas. I did well on these, so I moved on to the full practice exams. I did three practice exams total. I scored 78, 82, and 85. I felt the practice exams were pretty easy. I completed them in 2.5 to 3 hours each time. I did not want to over study so I went ahead and booked my online exam for a few days after that. The day before the exam, I reviewed all of my notes and terms I tended to get mixed up. I memorized the basic formulas, and that was it!
The Exam:
I did the exam via the online proctored option. The set up went smoothly for me. I prepared my desk area the night before. When you schedule your exam, they will test your computer system, webcam, and microphone so you can be sure your set up will work for your exam day. I did not have any issues. You get a 10 minute break at question #90. I found the exam process via online to be pretty smooth and painless. I did lean a bit too far out of the camera view while thinking on a tough question, so the proctor sent me a message to make sure I stayed centered in the view of the camera. Otherwise, there were not any issues or problems! I found the exam to be much more difficult than the practice exams. The questions were much more tricky than the practice questions. I didn't feel very confident after I submitted my exam, but it turned out I did very well! I would advise you to stick to your gut, and if you did well on the practice exams, you should do okay on the real thing!
