TOPIC: Passed the PMP exam on first try

Hi everyone,

Here I would like to share my experience on how I prepared for and pass the PMP exam, and as following:

1) Set PMP exam day as a key milestone: When I started in October last year (2014) preparing for the PMP exam, I set approximately end of February to March (2015) as the key milestone to go for the PMP exam, and in the beginning of February I updated the day of the Milestone to make it more precise. And the day I passed the PMP exam (March 26th) was the key milestone I set in my schedule plan.

2) In addition to a key milestone, make a time plan: Everything was and is about balance (my case: full-time work, private-time -kids and family... friends-, and time for PMP preparations, and then if some little time is left, then it would be for yourself

3) Set a work plan in a structured way: mine was like following: first phase is watch, learn from and take important notes and key understanding points of the PM PrepCast. Second phase (after finishing first phase), read the PMBOK Guide 5th Edition while using PM Exam Simulator (I combined reading the PMBOK Guide 5th Edition and practicing PM Exam Simulator in the same phase), then last phase (which was short: summarizing and get myself together for a final go for the PMP exam). So you might see that my structured way was following phases or like sub-phases, just like a project

4) One key point that was a given advice repeatedly by Cornelius during the PM PrepCast videos: DO NOT MEMORIZE, BUT UNDERSTAND. And that is what I think it is a key to your success in PMP exam, if you focus on understanding the PMBOK Guide 5th Edition. Understanding the PMBOK Guide 5th Edition is not easily reached by reading the guide, but by practicing and practicing and practicing a lot questions, it helps you understand the guide more and more.

Passing the PMP exam, meaning one project phase is close! The next project phase is EARN PDUs!

I wish all candidates good preparations for the PMP exam.

Rachid