Thanks for your post. It always interests me to learn about other people's study habits. I definitely couldn't do it in one month. Great job!

Tracey

Congratulations Nereo

Hi all,

I passed the PMP exam mid of December 2015. In total, I spent 4 weeks of preparation (not counting the elegibility process, only study time).
This is what I've done:

1. Attended to a 40h prep course (one week an a half)
2. Read Rita's book twice during this month.
3. Bought a subscription from PM Exam Simulator and did a lot of tests (at least once each of the 9 available full tests)
4. Memorize the formulas and the Processes and Knowledge Areas Chart

Now, in terms of actual tips for the preparation and the exam:

• Don't try to know everything by heart. When studying, link the content to your every-day experience. Understanding and linking concepts makes it easier than memorizing
• Write several times all the formulas and the Processes and Knowledge Areas chart in a blank paper, until you can do it in 5 minutes and without checking.
• If you get stuck in a question, mark it and continue the exam. You can come back to it/them at the end (I did this with long questions that required calculations or drawings).
• Check your rythm while doing the simulation tests. In the beginning you'll feel pushed by the timer, but then you'll realize that you have almost 2 hours left after answering all the questions. In the exam, I did not do any break/pause. I just went slower in every question.
• Always read all the possible answers. Sometimes is not enough with a good one, but with the best one!

I have to say that I took 2 weeks off (the two previous to the scheduled exam appointment) to fully prepare the exam, and I was full time focused during those two weeks on that.

If you are familiar in your daily work with Project Management, reading Rita's book at least twice, and doing some simulation tests will help you to be ready to show your PM skills

Hope it helps!

Nereo