TOPIC: Passed PMP on May 10th 2019 - My Study Plan

Hi everyone,

I am so excited to share that I passed the PMP yesterday on my first try!

Since I used this forum extensively for my studying support I thought I would come back and share my "winner's notes" and lessons learned.

1. Block out your personal life for a solid three months. Yes, become a hermit.
2. Create a study plan and stick to it, ensure it's reasonable and fits within your life if you have kids or play sports, etc.
3. Find a good environment to study in. Note in my PMP exam setting they provided headphones that everyone wore as there were construction, firetrucks, and sirens going past the building I was testing in.
4. I read the PMBOK fully and for each chapter wrote out all the ITTOs - note that this was NOT because I was going to memorize them, don't do that honestly don't worry about memorizing what is the input to X because understanding the process chart as a tool is soooo much more valuable.
5. I picked up Rita's book and skimmed through chapters I was having a hard time with
6. I started writing out the process chart (PMBOK, pg. 25) daily for three months and formulas so when the time came I didn't need to stress about memorizing them because it was done! This was a nice feeling in the test center to not be second-guessing what is on your brain dump.
7. I got the PMP Simulator and did all 1600 questions in a variety of forms. Worth every penny.
- I used this PMP form and searched topics and read threads on what people thought of the exam, if they passed, and read some of their notes on their study plan. It really helped to gain perspective as I initially thought I could study for a month and try and write. Tip - you need way more than a month.
- First I did the entire simulator per knowledge area and then wrote notes for all the questions I got wrong
- Then by process area
- Then once I felt confident, about a 1400 questions in I started writing the pre-exams
- The PMP Prepcast is very similar to the exam, so thank you PrepCast! The PMP Prepcast simulated exams will help you try to manage your time. It is VERY important to keep a watch on the clock to determine how long you have left and how you are tracking. I was finishing the pre-exams in three hours and I finished the actual exam with three MINUTES to go! My advice, do the exams!!
- In total, I did the questions in the simulator all once and sometimes twice as they were used in the exams. I spent a total of 31 hours in the simulator and probably more writing about all the things I got wrong.

8. I found a set of YouTube videos that were really helpful and I reviewed them frequently
- How to understand the ITTO's and how they interact. Super helpful!
- Critical Path, Free Float, and Total Float
- How to memorize the formulas
- How to memorize the process chart -

9. The week before your exam
- Focus on your mental health
- Create a plan for how you will prepare the night before
- Focus on your physical health, eat well and sleep really well the night before
- Ensure you are very well versed on the Perform Integrated Change Control PG. I had so many questions on that topic!

10. The day before your exam
- I drove to the test center early figured out where it was and then just read over my notes
- Try breathing exercises if you are really nervous but know that it will all be over soon!

During the exam
- Stay calm and complete your brain dump
- Read the question very thoroughly and try to understand which process group you are in
- Remember the PM Ethics Code and in questions that put you in an ethical dilemma focus on what you are obligated to withhold
- Keep track of your time and don't spend a ton of time on questions you don't know the answer to. There absolutely will be questions where every answer is correct or you have no clue.
- Press submit and just know that you're done.

In summary, these are the steps that worked for me.
I scored AT/AT/AT/T/AT on the final exam couldn't be happier!

I am grateful for PMP PrepCast Simulator as they are really good at explaining what you got wrong and WHY. The why is so important as you'll remember it during the exam.

Best of luck!
G