TOPIC: Passed in 2nd attempt (2 weeks for each attempt)

Thanks PMP Prepcast. I cleared my PMP yesterday (27th Sep 2019 - 2nd attempt), First attempt on 14th Sep 2019.

Study Plan:

Become member of PM Prepcast Sep 2018. Seriously gone thru lessons of the prepcast till Dec 2018. Because of different priorities not able to continue.

Again started 1st Sep 2019 and did the following (1st attempt)
1. Started taking exams from Simulator. As I am experienced project manager wanted to give a shot to understand my score. In all exams I scored around 60%
2. Made a plan to review all wrong questions and read all other choices too for all the 7 exams.
3. This helped me a lot to understand better of PMP.
4. Again taken exam and started scoring around 80%
5. As I am on grace period I studied daily around 6 hours for 2 weeks.
6. But I rushed a bit to appear for the exam in 2 weeks time.
7. Failed on 14th Sep 2019. Surprisingly I haven’t scored well in initiation. Did bad and don’t know the reason till now.

2nd attempt:
1. Disappointed for few hours, but determined to take it again in2 weeks time.
2. This time I changed my methodology by not taking simulator exams, instead used the quiz which is part of simulator. Bcos this has got 100 questions to the max, so I found it easy and also tested my knowledge in PMP knowledge areas rather on groups.
3. Thanks for that option of selecting either knowledge areas or process groups.
4. Before starting quiz I have run through the knowledge area for an hour in PMBOK and importantly took notes.
5. 1 page note for each knowledge area but I did this for Stakeholder, Risk, Quality, Resource, Communications management also as I found that these areas are more important.
6. I advise better to include the Schedule and Procurement areas too.
7. 1st week studied for an hour and then took quiz of 100 questions. Started scoring 90 and above consistently.
8. 2nd week started hitting the simulator and started scoring 90% and above consistently.
9. Appeared on 27th and cleared the exam

Conclusion:
1. To clear your exam in 1st attempt please follow my 2nd attempt steps explained above.
2. In 1 page note please write the important tool notes like Simulation, Sensitivity and associated diagrams of those like Tornado diagram, histogram etc., Clearly differentiate in your mind between data analysis and data representation.
3. Give importance to interpersonal skills especially in Stakeholder tools and techniques.
4. Understand differences clearly about develop team, manage team, control resources.
5. Approved change requests are input to only three processes. Direct and Manage project work, Control Quality and Control Procurements… those key things please identify and take a note.
6. It’s important to understand relation between stakeholder and communication knowledge areas. More questions there and it’s very important to understand clearly between Manage and control communication.
7. Understand clearly the difference between work performance data, work performance information and work performance reports. Report is output of 1 process (Monitor and control project work) and input to 3 processes (Perform Integrated change control, Manage team, Manage communications). WPD is input to almost all control processes and WPI is output of all control processes except integrated change control.
8. Same way understand where PMIS plays important role as T&T.
9. Rest all read in detail of all choices where you scored wrong during the quiz or simulator exams.
10. Just PMBOK and PM Prepcast simulator is good enough to clear the exam.

Good luck guys. It’s nervous but easy and I never had extra time to review the questions. But I intentionally took more time to ensure that I answer correctly. I scored Target still in initiation , but rest all above target.

I will post the notes photograph later as I am running out of time. Thanks guys.

Thank you so much for sharing your insights. I have failed my first attempt too, and I'm planning to apply what you have experienced.

Much appreciated !

Looking forward for the notes/photos