I'm happy to report that I received my score report yesterday (10/13) and have passed the PMP exam on my first try. I took the exam on 10/3 and had to wait agonizingly until now to know whether I passed. I started this process on August 10th and was able to complete it in less than 2 months. I'll summarize my study plan below, as I feel that it utilizes the best of the best of what's out there:
1. PM PrepCast. I can't say enough good things about this product. Not only did it give me the 35 contact hours, but I felt that it explained the concepts and terms in a way that the PMBOK Guide alone cannot do. Most of the terminology was new to me, so this was extremely helpful. I watched 2-3 hours/day until I had completed the videos. After that, I listened to them in my car when driving, etc.
2. PMBOK Guide. I read this cover to cover twice. I read the first 3 chapters 3 times. It's not supposed to be entertaining, but it is important. The first time I read it concurrent with the PM PrepCast videos (usually after I would watch the videos for an area, I would read the corresponding chapter). I also read the glossary twice.
3. Rita Mulcahy's 7th Edition. I read this cover to cover, twice. Took all the practice exams after the first pass, did all the exercises on the second pass. Great resource to use in conjunction with the PMBOK guide.
4. PMP Exam Simulator. I took (7) full 4-hour exams. This may seem like a lot, but there is no better way to prepare for the mental drain of a 4 hour exam than using the PMP Exam Simulator. I did take a few quizzes when I had spare time, but I found that practicing staying focused in the last hour of a 4-hour exam was much more important than taking the learning quizzes. By this point, it's all a mental challenge. Hopefully you know the material, but are you prepared to answer 200 questions without stopping. That was the hardest part for me. I would be drained after taking a practice exam, but doing this was the most important step in the process (provided you know the material). Also, the cost of the PMP Exam Simulator is a fraction of what you'll pay anywhere else. Great product.
Don't stress about the formulas. Read and re-read the material and the formulas will become intuitive. Also, the RMC book has quite a few good mnemonics for memorizing the formulas. I did a brain dump sheet prior to the exam, but I didn't practice doing it until the day before the exam. By this point, it's going to be second nature hopefully.
I hope this helps someone study and prepare.
