Michael,
Congratulations for your successful PMP certification and well articulated lesson learnt.
Happy New Year

Tajudeen

Michael,

Congrats on passing the exam! Thanks for taking the time to post your lessons learned. Best of luck you as a newly certified PMP.

Cheers and Happy New Year!

Mark

I passed my PMP Exam on the first attempt yesterday. I would like to thank Cornelius Fichtner for the excellent support and extremely reasonable cost of assisting me in my PMP preparation. The PM PrepCast was a very good tool and the ongoing support that I received in the steady stream of emails was invaluable. Take advantage of the advice and links that Cornelius provides.
My “Lessons Learned” prior to the Test:
1. First, do not procrastinate. I was “qualified” to take the exam as of January 2, 2016. I was qualified but not prepared. In September 2016 I realized that unless I started to prepare, I would not ever be a PMP.
2. I signed up and downloaded the PM PrepCast materials to my computer and my High Resolution portable storage device. I also downloaded material from Daud Nasir and Crosswind Learning. These are quite reasonable on Amazon and everyone should pay their minimal fees even though I am sure they can be found elsewhere for free.
3. In November I started a consistent pattern of study and preparation. I would dedicate two hours a day to study in my office. I would recommend more but I am not very good at studying for long periods of time.
4. I stopped listening to music and would only listen to the various downloads while I drove the car. I do not believe this was a distraction but I remember suddenly becoming aware of significant points on more than one occasion.
5. I stopped drinking any alcohol. I did not have a drinking problem but found myself less likely to study after a beer or at least not as alert. I also found my sleep patterns improved without alcohol in my system.
6. I read the PMBOK twice, Andy Crowe’s book, and Aileen Ellis’s book as well. The broader range of perspectives also helps in understanding concepts and terminology.
7. Take numerous practice tests. I did not take any full length test but I can see that it would have been helpful. I only scored 65% on Oliver Lehmann’s 75 questions! Always look up your wrong answers and any that you guessed.
8. Try and get some sleep the night before the test. I was not well rested for the test but I was not in a sleep deficit from previous nights.
9. Eat a light meal at least two hours prior to the test.
My Test “Lessons Learned:
1. Take water and some type of snack into the center.
2. Although a “Mind Dump” is not allowed prior to taking the test, DO IT BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE ! Allocate the first 10-15 minutes to write down your formulas and Process Group and Knowledge Area Mapping (p. 61 PMBOK). I would not have passed if I had not performed this task. I used these as reference material on numerous occasions during the test and did not have to change my pace to think of a formula or a process location as answered the questions.
3. In the first 90 minutes I answered as many easy questions and used the “Highlight Function” extensively on hard questions that I marked for review. I checked an answer but did not perform any calculation on my first path.
4. I took two breaks during the test. These only were 5-6 minutes in length but, I used the restroom, ate some chocolate, and drank water each time.
5. I completed the entire test with approximately 40 minutes left. I then reviewed all “ Marked” questions and probably changed 10-15% of my previous answers. This left me with 15 minutes. I was tempted to hit the End Exam button but I used it to check random questions.
6. I used the Center’s ear muffs but probably should have taken soft ear plugs. The sound of individuals rapidly typing for their respective tests was prevalent.

My test was 90% situational with most questions appearing to have two good answers. Understand at least basic EV and Critical Path. It is essential to have a good working knowledge of the ITTO’s. Many questions evolve around them. Do not think about how you might respond in your daily work. Politics do not play a part in the PMI answers. Thank you.
Michael D. Elliott, PMP