TOPIC: Crack PMP Exam in 100 hours

Experience, Knowledge and Logical Reasoning , three mantras for cracking PMP exam. As we have been out of academics for a while now, it would be challenging to read any subject related books for a long period. Just sharing few of my thoughts here to help PMP aspirants and these experiences might vary from person to person. And these learnings are with regard to PMBOK 5th edition.

Point 1 - Created a time table with required time covering portion of book and mocks that will be completed in next 100 hours and key to success is sticking on to this schedule without fail. The right schedule will help you to be on right track as it avoids you from undue pressure when you are nearing the exam dates and minimizes the pilling of pending portions. It's always good to schedule exam date on priority and then plan your time table backwards. Taking couple of days personal leave exclusively before exam might be worth to study peacefully. It's good that you stay from any distractions like cell phones, TV's , radio, etc. during the study period.

Point 2 - Studied PMBOK in detailed once and second time on improving the core areas post the mock tests. There are lot of definitions, key terminologies and formulas please understand and remember them. Cumulative of ~75 hours would would be recommended for reading the book from page 1 to 416 .

Point 3 - Took only free mock tests from PMstudy, SimpliLearn, Oliver’s 75 and Google question bank. Range of 700-750 questions. Important aspect is going through the scores and focusing on areas of improvement for revising those chapters again. I scored in these close to 65-70%. And these scores doesn’t assure you to pass the real exam, its just for practice purposes. Please keep ~25 hours aside for these mock tests.

Reference list of mock tests which were taken :

A. Simplilearn - You can pause and give the test anytime 200 questions

simplilearn.com/pmp-exam-prep-free-practice-test

B. PMStudy - Valid login for 3 days for free trial mock exam, you get 10 PDU's on passing 200 questions

pmstudy.com/PMP-Exam-Resources/freeSimulatedTest.asp

C. Google mock papers - 200 questions

sites.google.com/site/pmpbank/pmpquestionbank

D. Prepare PM - 75 questions

preparepm.com/mock1.html

E. Oliver Lehmann - 75 questions

oliverlehmann.com/pmp-self-test/75-free-questions.htm

Point 4 - Please note these hours are subjective, it would depend on the reading styles one possesses. It can be reading a para twice or reading the full chapter at once and reading it back. So all depends on yourself how do you manage these. Please don't mug up, kindly relate and visualize each aspect and relate it to the flow charts. During the exam give max 1- 1.5 minutes to a question (200 questions in 240 minutes), what strikes to you first always choose that answer and going back and forth or rethinking to change the answer will be of little use to you. Keep yourself free on the day of your exam, just relax or meditate for a while. Last minute rush to remember something will be of little value add.

Overall have the confidence in you and believe that you will clear the exam. Best wishes and hope this might help you in some way or other.

Raman,

Congrats on passing the exam! Can you shed some light on the breakdown of your 100 hours? For example, how many hours per night did you study, how many weeks, etc.

For most students, 100 hours may not be enough - I recommend a spread-out study plan of at least 3 months (though the hourly breakdown will vary based on each individual's comprehension).

- Steven

Thank you.

Dear Steven,

Thanks for your wishes.

As I mentioned 100 hours was good for me and this is subjective to experience and understanding of the each chapter /subjects.
For me less around 2 weeks was good for study., some points for reference which might benefit the exam candidates:
1. ~50 pages per day, so covered 416 pages of PMBOK 5th edition in 8 days 8 hours per day (8* (Days*hours)
2. 2 days of mock tests covering ~700 questions 10 hours per day (2*
3. Revision for a day on weak knowledge areas where one has to improve basis the mock tests given (1*10)
So overall 8 (8*+2 (10*2)+1 (1*10) =11 days which is like less than 2 weeks and ~100 hours.

Hope this helps. Please let me know if you need further clarification or details from my end.

Raman,

You are the Hercules of PMP preparation! If the PMP exam were the Augean Stables, you cleaned up handily.

There is no way I would have been prepared in 100 hours myself (and, in fact I had to take it earlier than planned due to a sudden external commitment that would have precluded study time and forced me to finish up about 10 days sooner than planned when I was planning for twice that). Nevertheless, I don't think there is any doubt that personal knowledge, experience and style are huge factors that need to be accounted for in a successful preparation plan. It's very individualistic even though there are likely mostly common elements in every plan.

You, my friend, are on the opposite side of the bell curve from me!

Congrats to you!

Tracy

Thank you Tracy for your wishes and your views, I could so that I have been fortunate to do so. I wish luck to all the aspirants.
As you well said it's subjective to personal knowledge, experience and style of study.

Thanks Tracy for your wishes. Absolutely agreed that one's experience, knowledge and reading style would be subjective.