I had taken a PMP prep course at a local University earlier this year for a few months but when it ended, I felt it was a basic overview.
I purchased and started watching videos from PMP Prepcast at the beginning of September. I watched ALL the videos and took notes for all videos.
After watching all videos, I read most of the PMBOK. I also read Head First PMP. I used Aileen Ellis's study books (How to get every Contract Calculation right on the PMP exam,
How to get every Earned Value Question Right on the PMP exam, How to get every Network Diagram question right on the PMP exam.)
I also used Rita Mulcahay's Process Chart Game. Before the test, I was able to dump all 49 processes as well as all of the EMV formulas and estimating formulas.
I took the Practice Exam 4 times in the Exam Simulator and was glad that I did because it prepared me for how the real test was. It also made my reading more interesting because I seemed to pick
up more information after knowing which questions I missed. I also went back and rewatched some of the Prep Cast videos after viewing my test results on the exam simulator. It was helpful for clarification.
I studied 1-4 hours every single day from the beginning of September until I took the test at the beginning of December.
When I took my test at Pearson Vue, I did not have extra time to do a brain dump at all. But I did take the time at the start of the test to dump my formulas only. I was given a pad of erasable laminated pages
that I wasn't allowed to erase. There were people coming and going during my exam but I felt that they did a good job at keeping it to a minimum noise level. Nothing was distracting to me.
As for the test itself, most every single question was a situation based question and I was surprised that I didn't have hardly any on Earned Value or Scheduling but I assume that every test is different.
I did have to get up and use the restroom once. I had to go through the process of checking my pockets, etc. when I came back. I only used the restroom once because I felt I was beating the timer at the end
to get the test done on time.
