TOPIC: Passed PMP - First Attempt - 18Aug16

Total Cost
- PMI Member Ship Fees : $ 139
- PMI-PMP Exam Fees : $ 405
- PM PrepCast + 35 Hours training course and certificate (all online): $ 265
- PMBOK – Free with PMI membership
- Kim Heldman – Project Management Professional Exam Study Guide - $40

Total Prep Time
· 3 months duration
· 1-2 hours of effort on week days
· 8-10 hours effort on weekends

Resources
PMBOK
- Read it twice, once early on to get understanding – read it simultaneously with Kim Heldman, and then a second time after a few weeks gap of completing read 1
- Read 2 should run quicker, and you should feel that sense of already knowing this
Kim Heldman – Project Management Professional Exam Study Guide
- Most people don’t like this book because it tends to be tough, but a mentor recommended and I chose to go with this. It doesn’t follow PMBOK order of processes coverage, but rather how a real life project would be done. So it’s a good complement to read along with PMBOK when you are doing the 1st PMBOK read. Helped build perspective for someone like me, also helped with building structure around Project Management approach
- Chapter end tests are tough, if you get more than 55-60% it means you are doing well
PM Prepcast – Cornelius Fichtner
- Picked up this resource about a month through studying, but it offered the following
o 35 hour training certificate which is a must for application
o 1800 mock test questions i.e. 9 mock PMP tests
o The entire PMBOK is covered as a audiobook with visual aids, i.e. I could download this as a podcast and use it when I was driving to and from work (wife hated this a lot when she travelled with me )
- If you are getting more than 80% on the tests you are good
o First 4 tests I ranged between 76-78%
o Last 4 was 81-85% so I felt ready!

Last month and a half I only did mock tests, and revised specific content where required.

Learnings
- Don’t mug up the ITTO, better to understand the concepts and process interactions. PMP will ask questions which you won’t be able to answer even if you mug up successfully
- More tests the better, but spend 4 hours per test to run through both the wrong and right answers. Builds confidences and rounds out rough edges of understanding
- Actual PMP exam is only 80-85% from PMBOK, so make sure you use Heldman/PMPrepcast well, they add what PMBOK doesn’t cover

Thanks Rohit!!

So that does mean that one can pass without reading Rita's PM guide. Thanks for LL.

Sarmistha,

I too passed the exam without reading Rita's book. I would use it if I had to do it over again but you can definitely pass the exam without using her guide.

Mark

Thanks Mark !!
I hope I pass. I am really nervous. I know PMP exam makes everyone nervous
I scored:
PMP Exam 1 77.5%
PMP Exam 2 81%
PMP Exam 3 86.5%
PMP Exam 4 84.5%
PMP Exam 5 84.5%
PMP Exam 6 89.5%
PMP Exam 7 84%
PMP Exam 8 88%
PMP Exam 9 (ITTO) 98%
But I am still unsure whether I would pass or not. I definitely didn't take any of the Rita's mock exams because I find them too wordy. I don't know, maybe I am wrong, but it's just the way I feel. .I hope I don't disappoint myself.
I have been using PrepCast podcasts, PMBOK and simulators exclusively and just loved it.

Sarmistha,

Be confident. You have some really solid scores in the simulator exams which says that you have been studying hard and are very knowledgeable. Keep it up and I'm sure you will be sharing your success story and lessons learned with us very soon. Remember to give yourself some time to relax before you take the exam. Best of luck to you!

Mark

Congratulations!

Did you find the PrepCast simulator easier or harder than the real exam?

Thanks

Sarmistha,

Your test scores are consistently higher than mine when I took the exam, and passed. I was really nervous as well prior to the exam, and followed what others recommended prior to the exam. I made sure that I was well rested and hydrated the day I took the exam. The day before the exam, I stopped studying around 1:00 p.m., and went to the gym for a long work out, had a nice dinner, and went to bed early. Getting plenty of rest the day before is important. On the day of the exam, I was up early went for a quick walk to clear my mind and off the to take the exam. Keep thinking positive thoughts!

Good Luck to YOU!

Thank you Kevin and Mark !!
I am a PMP now . Passed this afternoon. Will post my lessons learned soon.

Sarmistha,

Congratulations!!! Look forward to your lessons learned. Time to raise a toast to your success!

Cheers,

Mark

Sarmistha

Congratulations!! Welcome to the PMP Club!!

Kevin