I started this journey about a year ago with very little business acumen even though I had been leading projects for years. Yesterday I passed the PMP exam for certification, my second attempt.
I wish I would have invested in PrepCast first. Prior to my first attempt, I started with reading the PMBOK and then I entered into an online course through a local university. It was nothing like PrepCast. It was 99.99% reading on your own with no audio or video...not the way I learn. After that first certification attempt I gave myself a month off. I then turned to PrepCast. I heard a number of people that passed the exam on first attempt when using the program.
At the beginning of each week I committed myself to completing a certain number of videos and or time based on my work/life schedule. I would at times allow myself a day off. I also purchased the test simulator. I completed most of the simulator through the learning format, not timed. Then, once I finished all test questions once, I took exams of only questions I answered incorrectly. Marking the wrong questions to correct answer if answered wrong again-taking advice from others not to review wrong answers multiple times. My test scores on first attempts were around 75%. Test scores were consistent and I had done all that I could studying and reviewing. I was ready. It took approximately a month to complete the videos and a month of test simulate.
Suggestions, in no particular order:
-invest time in support- network,
-the application completion takes a lot of time - before opening application, gather details, prepare your 500 word descriptions of projects and review details/give heads up to your contacts on application,
-brain dump formulas at start of exam even if you think you know it,
-make a firm commitment to study time,
-discuss extreme test anxiety with your doctor and PMI,
-do not memorize ITTOs - understand why such and such is an ITTO,
-understand that what needs to be done next for an iterative process is not necessarily in the flow of the process chart,
-spend time on understanding the change management process,
-there are number of ways that you can graphically see a critical path, free float or total float question, be prepared,
-success in this process will need to be achieved in your own manner, lessons learned are not the Bible,
-treat your preparation, test day and entire process like the project manager you are!
Thank you.
