TOPIC: Failed PMP twice ! Next exam scheduled for next week

I studied the PMBOK guide very well this time, and I failed the PMP on 7 September 2018. However, I didn't take a single simulation test and also didn't review the marked questions- Reckon this led to my failure?
My grades (for the 2nd test) were as follows:
a. Initiating- Needs Improvement
b. Planning- Below Target
c. Execution- Target
d. M&C- Target
e. Closing- Below Target

What shocked me was the proficiency score for Initiating and Closing as I knew everything well in relation to these topics (all ITTOs/concepts).

Please advise the way forward as I'm at the point of a disaster now.

Hi Jacob,

From what I gathered in your post, there are quite a number of red flags in your study plan. First of all, is it possible to reschedule your next exam to a later date, so you will have more time to study? Do remember that after the 3rd exam attempt, you will have to re-apply again. Also it will take away a lot of your stress.

You mentioned you have a good grasp of the PMBOK guide, but I think there is still room for improvement in that regard. Try getting other types of study materials (PrepCast, Rita Exam Prep, PMI Exam Content Outline, Udemy courses, local PMP workshops) to reinforce your understanding of the concepts.

Practice exams are very important for your exam success, most of the success stories I gathered have at least done 6-8 exams before walking into the exam hall. My advise is do a lot of these mock tests, try a variety of different mock exam providers too.

Last but not least, staying stress-free and relaxed will help you tremendously during your exam preparation as well as during the 4-hour exam. Try to get rid of all sources of stress and worries and you will achieve max efficiency.

Best,
Joe

Hi Joe,
These results are shocking to me as well. Initiation/Closing are very small process groups so it is very hard for me to get the cause of Need Improvement or Below Target result. Reading and Grasping PMBOK should cover most of the concept and should get Target grades at least. Do you think that PMBOK is not enough to get the Target in these two process groups?

Deepak
I do not believe that The PMBOK will get you there. Over 35 yrs of program experience and the PMBOK was not enough for me! I needed all the other study methods noted by almost every one of the lesssons learned.
Best Wishes
Jfw

Hi Deepak,

To me it is all about maximizing the chance to pass the exam. If reading the PMBOK guide will get you to On Target, why not add a little bit of assurance by reading the other materials? Every extra effort you put towards the exam preparation adds up, and you may find information from other materials that the PMBOK guide does not include, or such concept is vaguely mentioned in the PMBOK.

After I finished the exam, I feel like the PMBOK guide is only a table of content to the PM world. The exam is only the first step of becoming a successful project manager, don't settle on becoming an On Target PM and instead aim to become an Above Target PM, and never stop learning

Cheers,
Joe

Thanks John/Joe,
So adding Rita M book will be a nice idea?
I am referring to PMBOK and PrepCast simulator at present and planning to take the exam by Oct end.

I think the Rita book is a smart investment

Although it says 'Exam Prep' on the cover, I still refer to the book for my own projects from time to time.

Is the PMI Exam outline in a particular order, specifically for the Initiating & Closing Process groups?

Hello Jacob, today I have had a PMP exam, same think happen to me. I asked PMP, why? Because I'm sure initiating and closing but I'm not sure many questions in executionand M&C. I wonder, did you pass or not?
a. Initiating- Needs Improvement
b. Planning- Below Target
c. Execution- Target
d. M&C- Target
e. Closing- Needs Improvement

I cleared the PMP 10 days later - thanks !

Please read my lessons learnt in another thread. Just follow the PMI Exam Content outline. Thanks.

Jacob,
Can you please share what you did differently this time. You mentioned follow the PMI Exam Content outline. Can you please clarify more as the outline has tasks in each process group and no other detail.

Hey folks,

I passed the exam on the first try, but reading the PMBOK was not enough.

Here was my approach:

1. Read PMBOK for the first time - didn't worry too much about understanding everything. I focused on becoming familiar with the PMI terminology, which is very esoteric.
2. I bought RIta Mulcahy's PMP prep book. It's available on Amazon.
3. I re-read the the PMBOK by reading one chapter and then reading the corresponding chapter in Rita's book, completing the respective exercises, and practice exam at the end of each chapter.
4. I took a few PMP courses at the local university (many colleges have extensions that offer PMP classes) so that I could further understand the material. This step is optional as there are other ways to acquire the 35 contact hours needed to sit for the test. Some of the courses help and some didn't (due mainly to poor instruction).
6. I joined a PMP study group (4 people) to help understand the topics more effectively. The PMI website or your local PMI chapter can help you help you find a study group if you're interested. Each person was responsible for summarizing and presenting a topic each week; we met over a course of a few months.
5. This step was the most crucial one: I completed close to 2,000 practice questions, which I got from multiple books that are available from different sources, including Amazon. I think studying the PMBOK and Rita's stuff alone would have not gotten me there. Although the practice questions were not the same as the ones on the actual exams, after doing many of them, I noticed the same patterns emerge in the question types, which helped me answer the actual questions.

For the last step, I placed myself in the situation to try and complete 200 questions in the 4 hour timeframe (to simulate the actual exam). Doing so helped me build endurance. By the time I took the test, I felt as though I had already taken the real test multiple times before. Overall, I spent around 6 months studying for the exam, but I was working full-time at the time, so I was dedicating a certain number of hours each week to studying.

Hope this helps.

Frank

Hi Frank,

Congratulations on passing the PMP Exam! Thank you very much for sharing your lessons learned here with us.

Yesterday I failed PMP for the 3rd time. I have 2 master degrees!!!. I am very disappointed . During the exam the same questions appeared 2 twice. Is this normal? I prepared very well this time. My result showed failed
and it showed where I just graphically. I am very close to target box!!!

Debie.

I failed my first attempt last weekend. I read the PMBOK Guide 3 times, did 1400+ practice exams on the Prep Cast Simulator. Wrote down brain dumps of all 49 processes related to 5 domains and knowledge areas, and all formulas for Chapter 7. Perhaps reading RIta's book, and reading Section II PM Standards, to get an understanding of how all 10 knowledge areas come together in the 5 PM domains: Initiating, Planning, M&C and Closing. Need a a better study strategy and plan. Any suggestions ?

Hi Dhanya,

First of all sorry to hear that your exam did not go too well.

I am sure we can help you form a study strategy, but first we are going to need more information.

How did you do on the Prepcast exam? Did you complete in full sessions? Do you mind posting the scores?

In the actual exam, did you feel any different compared to when you were in the simulations? (ex. stress, trouble reading questions). What was your score for the actual exam.

Meanwhile, I strongly recommend getting the Rita book, like you said it helps you tie all the knowledge areas together.

Cheers,
Joe

Thanks Joe for your response! My exam scores on the simulator practice exams were 48%, 50%, 46%, 43%, 54%, 50% and 55%. Scores have not been great for these tests, although I continuously kept doing the exams. In between exams I reviewed the incorrect answers in detail and cross referenced PMBOK guide for all the weak areas.

My PMP exam scores were:
Initiating- Below Target
Planning- Target
Executing Needs Improvement
Montoring & Controling- Needs Improvement
Closing- Target

What should be my best approach for my next attempt? And how long do you think I should wait until I re-take this exam?

Cheers,

Dhanya

Today I appeared PMP examination second time after gap of five months.,but I failed in second attempt. I have so much devastated that I thought why I have wasted so much of money.i am aged 48. I work in private organization.i get little time to study. But I have studied since five months. I studied rita.i attempted mock questions from Christopher screwdo. I also studied PMBOk. PMP is quite costly. I have taken training from two places.now I think that PMP is not for me. One from regional REP and another from reputed organization.i wasted in 80,000 which is 12000 usd.is it worth to appear for 3rd.pls advice.

Jayanta bhattacharya wrote: Today I appeared PMP examination second time after gap of five months.,but I failed in second attempt. I have so much devastated that I thought why I have wasted so much of money.i am aged 48. I work in private organization.i get little time to study. But I have studied since five months. I studied rita.i attempted mock questions from Christopher screwdo. I also studied PMBOk. PMP is quite costly. I have taken training from two places.now I think that PMP is not for me. One from regional REP and another from reputed organization.i wasted in 80,000 which is 12000 usd.is it worth to appear for 3rd.pls advice.

Well I guess you have a sunk cost, but it's not all a waste, think of the valuable knowledge you have gained from the studies over time...

Thomas Edison once said: Many of life's failures are people who did not realise how close they were to success when they gave up.

Don't give up!

Heelo,

I just went this morning for my third attempt to pass the PMP. Last week I almost got it, I was slightly below target on 2 processes and like you, I got "need improvment" on the initiatig and closing which make no sense after all the preparation hours. Last week I had almost above target for executing and today need improvement! I also had an above target for closing when last week it needed improvement. This exam is brutal, I have no idea what to do next as now I will have to wait a year and then the exam change in June 2020. If I combine my good marks from last week and this morning I would pass but PMI won't see it this way. I am well over 60 so maybe this is too demanding for me to stress for 4 hours in front of a computer non-stop. I am a security integration project manager, I need this certification as it starts to be a requirement from governments and big companies RFP's although I don't know a single PM in the security business with a PMP certification. I think what is hard to take is the shame at home, I have 2 very supportive kids who were waiting for the results this morning and DAD failed again ! I think thats where it hurt the most.

When you took the exam the second time were the questions the same?

Hang in there, your hard work will pay off.

I'm sure your children love and support you whether you pass the PMP or not. I do understand it may sting a bit, but this could be a great lesson for them in the future when they want to give up and remember how you stuck it out and worked hard until you accomplished your goal!

Read for one year and only study Rita and Andrew Ramdayal Udemy PMP Q and A

Hi Jacob,

I am sorry to hear that you failed your PMP exam twice, but I like how you are not giving up and still reaching out for help. Like most people mentioned it here, using PMBOK alone will not be sufficient to pass your PMP exam. I will recommend using other PMP study resources and materials such Agile Practice guide, PMBOK 7th Edition, PMI chapter, PMP exam prep simulator, PMP APP (i.e.: PMI PMP Exam Prep and PMP Handbook, these are free apps), and I also recently learned that PMI now offered PMP Exam prep simulator for $99 USD. I will recommend giving yourself enough time to study before you register for your next and final PMP exam. You have already taken the exam before, so you already know what to expect. And with a very detailed study plan, you would be ready to pass your PMP. Best of luck!

Sorry to hear this. For anyone out there who is struggling to pass the PMP exam, the PMBOK is not enough. The PMBOK is exactly what the title says, it’s a “body of knowledge,” not a study guide. If you are studying for the PMP exam, you need a solid study guide (I used Andy Crowe’s guide, but many use Rita Mulcahy’s book and have success) and a good exam simulator. I was 8-10 practice exams deep before I went to the testing center, all of which were on PrepCast. The PMBOK is a fine study resource, and using it isn’t a bad idea, but you MUST use multiple sources. Best of luck!