Cleared my PMP exam yesterday with an overall above target score!!! I plan to write a detailed blog on my study plan and methodologies, while I will share soon. for the time being, here is what I did:
Study time: 4 months with approximately 10 hours per week.
Study material: I started reading PMBOK guide but found it confusing. Started reading Rita Mulcahy's book and it is more structured and it helps you understand the concepts better. Once I finished reading it, I went back to PMBOK and read it cover to cover. It was much more easier to understand PMBOK now. One important thing I did was, while reading PMBOK the second time, I took detailed handwritten notes. By the end of the reading, I had about 75 pages handwritten! I never went back to PMBOK again. The 75 page notebook was my pocket guide for revision and I stuck to it throughout my remaining time.
Study methodology: I referred to process chart and video that is provided by Richardo Vargas:
ricardo-vargas.com/pmbok6-processes-flow/
Also, I did not read the chapters as is. I followed this chart and read the chapters in the same sequence. i.e. After reading Develop Project Charter I read Identify Stakeholders section of Rita and PMBOK as opposed to reading develop project management plan. Following the sequence from the process chart made much more sense to me. This is how actual work happens so it was very helpful in understanding the flow. Also, I drew the process chart provided by Vargas everyday for the last one month with trying to remember what output to each process was. Along with that I followed and wrote the formulas from the formula guide provided by PM Prepcast crew. Writing the formulas everyday for a month helped me in memorizing the harder formulas.
For the last two weeks, I took the simulation exams provided by PM Prepcast. This was the most important aspect of me passing the exam on first attempt! Thanks a lot PM Prepcast for a wonderful set of simulation exams! They prepared me well for the real exam. After giving the simulation exams, I went back and reviewed the answers that I answered incorrectly. I tried to understand why I answered them wrong and read the explanation that the exam provides so as to why the answer is wrong (PM Prepcast has done a wonderful job explaining this). As I did this, I hand wrote lessons learned from each exam and then worked on those concepts by referring either to my hand written notes or PMBOK guide.
I took 5 exams total and here are my scores:
Exam 1: 71.5%
Exam 2: 69%
Exam 3: 76.5%
Exam 4: 74.5%
Exam 5: 78%
Actual Exam: The actual exam is very similar to the PM Prepcast simulation exams. If you work hard on the simulation exams and learn how to catch the tricks in the questions, the real exam wouldn't be that difficult. The length of most questions is short as opposed to simulation exam. I had to use formulas for a few questions but the calculation was pretty straight forward.
Well thats it from my end! Sorry for the lengthy post but I had to write it because I have been reading posts from other successful candidates throughout this process and they helped me build my motivation factor. I hope my story helps many others on this forum. ALL THE BEST and crack that exam!
Until next time,
Prith Bhosale
