I was able to successfully pass the PMP exam today (4MP, 1P) and here's my experience.
I had researched the PMP earlier in 2016 but did not join the PMI until end of November 2016 (November 29th to be exact). Since I had already done some preliminary research, I knew about the PM Prepcast and felt that it would be a good match for my studying habits. I have a young child and a demanding day job which meant that most of my "studying" would have to happen late at night. Knowing myself, I did not even attempt to read the PMBOK Guide from beginning to end as I knew I would not retain information that way. I had also set an aggressive deadline for myself to obtain my certification by end of January 2017 as I knew I would procrastinate otherwise. I ended up submitting my application to PMI on January 20 which was approved 6 days later. The moment my application was approved, I paid and scheduled my exam for 15 days later.
Once my exam was scheduled, I had a hard deadline I was working towards which kept me more motivated. I finished watching all the videos and began the practice exam on the PMP Exam Simulator 4 days before the exam date and only had time to complete 4 practice exams. I scored an average of 74% over the 4 practice exams and was really nervous going into the actual exam, but I figured I might as well try. I went into it knowing if I don't succeed, I can always try again.
Exam day experience
- I arrived at the testing location 45 mins early
- Water and snacks were instructed to be left on top of the lockers
- I was allowed to start earlier than my scheduled time
- I was not allowed to write anything until the exam has officially started (after the tutorial)
- Testing center provided big earmuffs and headset at each testing station
- I was provided with a small calculator in addition to the on screen calculator
- Actual exam had options to highlight words and cross out answer options
Lessons Learned
- I would've attempted a practice exam earlier in the process to identify my weaknesses rather than trying to watch all the videos first
- Actual exam was similar in difficulty (or slightly easier) than the PMP Exam Simulator. Questions were shorter
- I actually took longer on my actual exam (~3 hours 20 mins) than the exam simulations (~2 hours 30 mins) because I was trying to read through each question more carefully and use the highlight function to make sure I don't miss key words
- Pay attention to the questions as they often ask what should the PM do NEXT, FIRST, etc.
- My actual exam had less emphasis on what the Inputs / Outputs are and more to do with the sequence in which things should be completed
This post is a long one but I wanted to put it out there as I read through a lot of experiences online and most people talked about how they prepared for so long and read so many books. The more I read the more nervous I got and started second guessing whether I was able to do it. The biggest take away is to know yourself. Know what works and what doesn't work for you. I could always be more prepared and spend more time reviewing, reading and do more sample exams but I also knew my constraints and chose to use the Pareto Principal to focus my efforts.
Thank you to Cornelius and the team for your help. The PM PrepCast and the PMP Exam Simulator helped me immensely and I wouldn't have had a chance if I relied on the PMBOK Guide alone!
Best of luck to everyone!
