TOPIC: Passed PMP exam on first attempt

I didn't take any courses to study for the PMP exam. I started by borrowing a couple books from the local library. After perusing them, one stood out as the best book to study from. I purchased Project Management Professional Deluxe Study Guide by Kim Heldman. It came with lots of questions as the end of each chapter with explanations for the correct answer. It also included free online tests, but when a question was answered incorrectly, it didn't explain why the answer was incorrect. So after six months of study and taking the free online tests, I was clearly still not ready as I was scoring around 72-75%. At the local PMI chapter, the PMPs told me that although 85% is a good idea, 90% on practice exams would be better. So I looked around online and I opted to purchase PM PrepCast two weeks prior to my exam date. I took a test pretty much every day and then spent the remainder of my study time reviewing all the explanations (which referenced the source).

The PM PrepCast was the missing piece that helped me pull all the information together. It showed me where I needed to focus. The only thing I would have done differently would have been to start taking the tests earlier in the process. I watched my test scores go up with each PM PrepCast test and review until I was finally at the place where I was confident I could pass on the first try.

The exam was about the same level of difficulty as the PM PrepCast, and I was super excited to see the majority of the categories as "Proficient" with zero below proficient. I find tests to be a non-stressful event but it is a long exam - it took me 3 hours 45 minutes.

Jeanie,

Congrats on passing the exam! Thanks for sharing your experience and lessons learned. I too found the PM Exam Simulator to be the key piece of the puzzle for me in passing the exam. I would not have passed without it! Best of luck to you as a newly certified PMP.

Cheers,

Mark

Jeanie,
Congratulations. That is a nice explanation of PMP study experience.

Cheers

Thanks for the feedback Jeanie,PMP congrats . Please concerning process flows and situational questions and especially ITTOs, what wold you advice me? Your kind revert is most appreciated. Thanks. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Understanding process flows is key to being able to perform those tasks as well as for taking the exam. Situational questions are another necessity. At work and on projects, the problems are always situational. For the exam the goal is to understand the PMBOK guidlines under those conditions. In real life, there are time I would deviate given the situation but that's because the answer on the job is often "it depends." Taking the time to understand the flow, understand the PMBOK guide will allow you to understand what ITTO are needed. I didn't memorize the ITTO with the exception of Integration. If you understand the goals of the process, the ITTOs make sense given the place in the process.

My suggestion for study would be to get a book. Go through it twice but read the PMBOK guide in between. Then read the PMBOK guide from beginning to end again. Study regularly. Take practice exams and then decide if you're ready. If you're not sure, then you're not ready.

PMI suggests you allow four months of study. However, if you're working full-time and have a family, it could take a bit longer.

Thanks alot Jeanie, i will follow though on your advice.