TOPIC: Passed PMP first attempt.

Passed the PMP exam first attempt with MP in all areas.
Utilized Rita exam prep in parallel with PM Prepcast exam simulator.
Simulator scores leading up to exam between 76-80%.
Due to poor planning on my behalf, study period and exam was over 12 day period. Suggestion to everyone else, don't leave it till the end to study and perform exam.

Feedback on exam:
- Very few calculations on exam and basic in nature.
- Very few ethical questions.
- Questions are worded slightly differently than Simulator.

Simulator feedback:
- Simulator questions are often more misleading or wordy than actual exam questions.
- Simulator worth the money to prepare yourself for the type of questions to be encountered.

Hi Matt,

Congratulations on passing the exam! When you decompress from all of the studying and test preparation it would be much appreciated if you could post your lessons learned and experience.

Thank you for the congrats.
As alluded to above for the exam I encountered;
Lessons learned
- Spend less time on formulas. The exam questions are quite easy in this regard. Even if you don't remember the formulas you can work out the correct answers by using logic reasoning.
- If you work in countries with ethical behaviors, it should be second nature and there was very few questions on this.
- If you can get your head around ITTO it is worth it considering there is a number of questions around inputs/outputs. Especially if you are weak on practical experience for situational questions.
- If you are a logical thinker, the PMP process & exam will be easier. If you aren't, unfortunate but you are going to have to work harder.

Experience wise:
Definitely worthwhile completing the PMP process. I have worked on a few mega projects and this has opened my eyes to certain aspects that were missing in the early management approach and explained where the later issues came from.

As an aside, worthwhile reading which highlights basic failures of Project management is Industrial Megaprojects by Edward W Merrow. this ties in quite well and will assist with understanding.