TOPIC: Passed PMP on first attempt on May 16, 2017

Thank you...Mr. Cornelius Fichtner for your wonderful PM Prepcast and exam simulation application. Those helped me a lot to pass my PMP exam on my first attempt. I spent around one and half month to prepare for PMP exam. In beginning, I purchased Rita book and PMBOK guide. But I couldn't finish it and several time I went to sleep mode when start reading PMBOK guide. I was googling to find out study materials, user reviews for different study materials and luckily found PM Prepcast and hoped it would suitable for me and it did. Here is what I did to prepare for my PMP exam...

1) I started with reading first three chapters of PMBOK guide (Introduction, Org. Influences and life cycle and PM processes) to understand basics. (Totally 61 pages) It was little bit boring to read sometimes , but helped to understand the basic concepts and PM terminologies.

2) Page no. 61 (Table no. 3-1), Knowledge and process group mapping table - Every day before I start preparation I go through this table for few minutes and automatically registered in my memory in couple of days. And also Table 4-1 on page no. 78 (difference between PM plan and documents).

3) I used Prepcast video lessons in process group based although it's been arranged KA based. First, I focused on Initiating and Closing process group ( 4 processes). Since around 40 questions of exam are expected from just 4 processes alone. I ensured myself that I am thorough on this two process group. And did practice questions on learning quiz in exam simulation for these two process group.

4) Next, focused on planning, executing and m&c process group using prepcast videos and practice exam questions.

5) Overall, I just understood the concepts behind each processes and process flow across all process group (Data flow diagram for each processes in PMBOK helped me to understand the flow of the processes and input and output). I did not memorize any tools, techniques, input and outputs. And I did not memorize any formulas and just understood all EV formulas. Cornelius's formula guide was very helpful and used his 105 formula questions study guide to practice formula questions.

6) I spent 20 days (4-5 hours in each day) for learning concepts and processes in each PG and after that I stopped using prepcast videos and text book. I spent more time on practice exam questions in simulation, I did more than 800 questions practice and reviewed each wrong and right answers with explanation and this helped me to finish my final exam on time and avoid stress and nervousness.

7) I scheduled my exam on May 16, 2017. Just two days before of exam day, I visited testing center and clarified some questions regarding acceptable identification document, allowed breaking period during test etc., with exam administrator.

I stopped all my preparation 1 day before the exam and spent time on leisure activities and had good sleep before exam day.

9) On exam day, I was there 30 minutes before in testing center. I am advised to not to write down on scratch paper during tutorial time. So I used all 15 minutes of exam tutorial in the beginning of the exam to relax myself and learned some text highlighting and striking options in that tutorial that helped to highlight keywords in exam questions and striking the wrong answer options during exam. After answered first question, I started write down all earned value, total float, free float and communication formulas only in given scratch paper. I did not write down anything else.

10) If I find any question hard to understand, I marked it and moved to next. I also did marking for math questions and completed at the end. I took a break during exam. I used all 4 hours of the exam and got only 30 minutes to review marked questions (were only few). Finally clicked end exam button and skipped survey and got Congratulation message in the screen.

11) Got exam result printout and found 1P in initiating process group and 4MP in other PGs. Returned back to home with full of energy, smile and was happiest day, celebrated with party.

THANKS ONCE AGAIN TO CORNELIUS FICHTNER AND HIS PREPCAST, EXAM SIMULATION AND FORMULA GUIDE WERE VERY HELPFUL .

BR.
Khalid Thaha, PMP

Welcome to the team! Congrats!

Thank you