Hi All,
My name is David and I am happy to report I passed my PMP exam two weeks ago on my first try. Here is how I did it:
FIRST I decided early on that I would not simply study to pass the exam, but rather to internalize the material and find ways to apply it in my current position. I knew that this meant studying would take longer (it took me approximately 6 moths at 2 hours per day), but I'm not the type of person to do something half way. If I commit to something, I'm all in.
SECOND I made the choice to not just read the PMBOK Guide, but also to paraphrase each section of the book by hand. I literally wrote all 536 pages of the PMBOK in my own words. When I would finish a section/process I would watch the corresponding videos on the PM Prepcast, which helped put the information into context. I can't imagine being able to piece together the interrelationships between all 49 processes without expert guidance. I found the PM Prepcast to be useful in this way.
THIRD I purchased Rita Mulcahy's PMP Exam Prep 9th Edition. She has a very conversational style, which was helpful for me since I knew no other PMPs that I could ask questions. I read through her book twice and did all of the exercises. I highly recommend her book as a supplement to the PM Prepcast.
FOURTH Once I made it through all of the textbook/study material, I decided it was time to begin taking the PM Prepcast Exam Simulator. My first attempt was nerve-racking as, even though I had prepared exhaustively, I still felt unsure about the material. I was surprised to find that I scored an 86.5%. On my subsequent attempt, I received a score of 85.5%. I was above target in all categories, so I decided it was time to finally apply and schedule my exam (I did not take the recommended four practice exams).
FIFTH I submitted my application to PMI, which was cleared within 5 days (I was not audited). When scheduling my exam, I discovered that PMI now allows aspirants to the exam virtually due to COVID-19. I decided to take a leap of faith and schedule it for the same day a couple hours later. I had studied so much by that point I just wanted the process to be over. I passed with above target scores.
My biggest suggestion would be to find others who are willing to go through the study process with you, with whom you can discuss the material. The way that I chose to study was necessary for me because I didn't know anyone with the certification, or studying for the certification, who could help me. It is NOT my natural way of learning, and I feel I would have learned the material more thoroughly had I been able to discuss it with friends.
Good luck to everyone who is studying currently and thank you to Cornelius Fichtner and the PM Prepcast team.
Respectfully,
David Richard, PMP
