Schedule your PMP® Certification Exam as early as possible
One of the more important steps in preparing for the PMP exam is to schedule your exam date as soon as you meet all the eligibility requirements.
This step will give you a specific date toward which you can work. Now you have a deadline - a big red "X" on your calendar -, and this will motivate you in your studies. If you don't have the date scheduled, you can always find excuses for not studying and delaying things. But having the date in your mind and calendar will drive you to study regularly.
Now that you see your exam approaching, here are a few good study activities:
Read the PMBOK® Guide. Read it twice. Because the PMP exam is based mainly on the PMBOK® Guide contents, it makes sense to know what it says. However, the PMP exam requires far more than just recounting facts. You can't just memorize the PMBOK® Guide and pass the exam. You must understand how each of the 49 PMBOK® Guide processes, along with their inputs, outputs, and tools and techniques, would be applied in real-life project situations. So an excellent way to enhance your studies is to apply the concepts you learn from the PMBOK® Guide to your projects right away.
Next, read the Agile Practice Guide. This publication from the PMI provides tools, situational guidelines, and an understanding of the various agile approaches available to enable better results. Since 50% of the PMP exam will represent agile or hybrid approaches, it is important to be knowledgeable about agile.
Then, read the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, and as with the PMBOK, read it at least twice. Think of project scenarios for each topic that will be more meaningful and help you remember the concepts as you study the Code. Learn how each section in the Code is different and why each is necessary for the project management profession.
And lastly, don't forget to discuss project management topics with others to learn the material. We suggest finding a local or online study group and meeting with them as you study for the exam.
Check out this YouTube video for more valuable tips and increase your chance of a successful PMP Exam.