TOPIC: Passed the PMP 1st attempt Oct 31, 2016

Hello everyone...

As you can tell from the title - I passed the PMP 1st attempt on Oct 31, 2016. What a relief. Just the day before I got an email saying no more brain dumps... of course - just how my luck goes. Even the person from the testing center who called me that morning advised me there were no more brain dumps before the actual test started. Once the timer kicked off for the test you can write whatever you want - which for me was about 8 formulas (of which I needed 2 for the test). So yes it eats into your test time, but the few seconds it took me to write it out wasn't an issue. I figured if I didn't know it now - I wasn't going to.

Here is how I prepared:
! took an in person class - boot camp style 8 4 hour classes at night. When I finished that I was more confused than when I started, so I looked elsewhere and came across the PMP Prep Cast and decided that it would be a good idea. I watched all the videos, but didn't do any of the workbook. I read Rita's book once and the PMBOK almost once. I didn't do any of Rita's games, nor many of the end of chapter quizzes. I am typically not great at math and worse at math word problems so that part had me a bit nervous. I memorized CV, SV, CPI, SPI, ETC, TCPI, EAC and VAC as well as what the answers mean (ahead or behind, etc). I did not memorize all the knowledge area/process groups chart nor the ITTOs, but I was quite familiar with the flow. I did answer a metric ton of test questions via simulators - the PM Exam Sim as well as one I had access to from the 1st class I took. I did 5 full exam sims and the rest of the time (which was pretty much daily) I did 50-100 questions - typically in learning mode. I learn better if I can check the answer right away and then see why I got it wrong. I could get through 50 questions in about 40-45 mins so I was confident that 200 in 4 hours wouldn't be an issue. I started my 1st class at the end of May and took the exam on Oct 31. I was probably over prepared, but that's better than not prepared enough.

At the testing center, I checked in, wait, got called into the other room, filled out some paperwork then got scanned by a metal detector. Finally I got to go into the testing room and got to it. At about question 151 my brain said - yeah - I'm done. I said oh no you don't get back here we have 49 more to go. The last 50 were a bit of a struggle to stay focused. I had plenty of time to get up and go walk around, but decided to stick it out. At about question 190 or so I got really nervous. Wow - 10 left then I find out how bad I did... I finished the exam - went back to the 1 I marked for review and hit end exam. The computer thought for a bit (in my head it needed time to calculate all the wrong answers I had) then I had to do a survey about my experience at the testing center. What?!? A survey? I want my results! They knew they had a very captive audience at this point. I don't even remember how many questions there were, but it seemed like too many. Great - survey done... then the computer thought a bit more... Can we draw this out any more? At this point, I really didn't want to see the screen so I looked at the ceiling. Eventually I looked back to the monitor to see "Congratulations!" A dumb smile crossed my face and instantly a huge weight was lifted off of me. One the way out, I stopped at the desk to check out - and get my results sheet. 4 Proficients and 1 Moderately Proficient. I'll take it! Now I can get my life back

Overall - I studied a lot. Didn't memorize anything but formulas. Answered a LOT of simulator questions. Was it difficult? Yes. Was it as bad as I had thought? No.

Now... to earn the continuing ed credits...

Good Luck!

Chris Love, PMP

Congratulations Chris!! Welcome to the PMP Club!