Thank you PMP Exam Simulator. I passed on Wednesday, 10/4/17, with 3 Above target in Planning, Executing, and closing and 2 target in M&C and Initiating. I honestly would not have been prepared to pass it without PMP Exam Simulator. I hereby offer my highest recommendation.
Prior I took a SANS PMP Exam prep class about 3 years ago I didn't really start studying for PMP until about 2.5 months ago. That is when I bought and I read Head First PMP and completed all their chapter exams and the final. I read as much as I could stand of Rita's book which was just about 3 chapters. I didn't think it aligned perfectly with the 47 processes I was memorizing...
In addition to the PMP Exam Simulator practice and exams, memorized the process groups chart, or rather the ability to recreate it in 10 minutes.
I also memorized 19 of the formulas:
CSI
Spi
Cv
SV
Eac
Eac
Eac
Eac
Etc
Vac
TCpi bac
TCpi eac
Pert
3-point
Sd
Variance
Total float
Free float
I could recreate these in 5 minutes.
i went through all of the questions once in learning mode then took the 9 exams Stats show I spent around 62 hours in the simulator total. My average of exams 1-8 was a shade over 87%, and those exams took me between 3 & 3.5 hours each, and my score on the ITTO exam was 78%. I kind of ran through it quickly in a little over two hours. I was so tired and my exam was coming up in 2 days so I just let a few easy points get away from me there.
The itto questions throughout the simulator was very helpful identifying how the itto's relate to the process groups and helping me identify that the possible answers for an input might actually contain an output of the same process. Very tricky so it is important that you know the process flows or you will not have good luck on the test.
Process chart and formulas took me 15 minutes after the clock started on the exam.
I found the questions on the exam to be in general a little harder, at least harder to feel comfortable with my answers as I was testing than the Simulator. So much thinking was required that I didn't have time really to review any of my questions I was fighting the clock the entire time and when I finished #200, I only had 1 minute remaining so I just skipped the review of the questions I marked thinking I was not going to pass and resigning myself of having at least seen the exam and gotten valuable experience for the next attempt in a month.
When the survey showed up immediately afterwards I was sure I had failed. I hurried through that and got the congratulations message. The final tally had me just barely below above target for the entire test so that think. I barely missed the above target for the ones I got target on.
The PMP Exam Simulator definitely helped me with figuring out how to identify what the question is actually asking, like what knowledge area or process groups should the right answer actually be coming from. If you do not know how the processes interrelate with inputs and outputs you need to go back and study. Being able to recreate the process chart was EXTREMELY important to me for figuring these things out. I found the detailed explanations on the simulator helpful as well for the PMBOK references and pointing me to where I could get more info by reading the applicable PMBOK sections. I also used Rita and Head first for more detailed references if the PMBOK was too obtuse . In this respect I found Rita extremely valuable for explaining the items I was messing up on the simulator questions.
Overall the Exam Simulator got me exactly what I needed to pass the exam and I am very grateful for getting a tip from somewhere to look into it, and do not for a second regret spending the money.
Thanks Cornelius and the group for your system!!
