Dear Marc Tytus,

Congratulations on passing your PMP exam!

Thank you for sharing your success and posting your lessons learned.

Good luck in all your future endeavors.

• My primary study tool was Rita Mulcahy's PMP Exam Prep book ( Amazon link ). (Note: you can purchase new editions of this book on Amazon near 50% off if you examine 'other sellers' on Amazon. Use this as an opportunity to practice the Conduct Procurements process!)

• I purchased OSP's PrepCast to formally fulfill the 35 PDUs requirement and gain access to their mock exams.

Still considering which PMP online training course to buy?

I considered several online courses that fulfilled the PDU requirement. Other programs (like the LinkedIn PMP education program and unlike OSP's PrepCast) seemed to be manufactured by a learning company that outsourced the program creation to an experienced PMP. In comparing the different programs, I reviewed their sample courses. Most had serious defects that would make the 35 hours difficult to bear: e.g. some had poor quality audio like weak sound or a persistent audio buzzing; other programs used both audio and video, which might have been engaging, but the presenter drearily read a script from a teleprompter. PrepCast was the last education program I evaluated and the host's passion for PM and education stood out immediately. I could do 35 hours of this. Surprisingly, PrepCast was also the least expensive option and offered the best guarantee.

How I studied for the exam

I read the entirety of Rita's Exam Prep book (linked above), following the exercises. To keep me on track and focused, I used the Pomodoro Technique , realized with Focus Keeper , a free iOS app.

After completing Rita's book, I took one of the included mock exams from PrepCast and scored 71%. The mock exam is great because it helps you identify your weak areas. I took the time to review all my incorrect answers in the mock exams, reading the PrepCast explanations for the correct answers, which further enhanced my understanding.

I identified my deficiencies and watched PrepCast videos in those areas and studied those and other chapters in the PMBOK guide, but I wasn't as thorough studying the PMBOK guide as I was with Rita's book.

What about studying ITTOs?

The PrepCast mock exams contain a large amount of ITTO questions (e.g. directly asking, "Which of the following are inputs to X?", "Which of these are tools for Y?") These are helpful to enhance one's understanding. Rita's PMP exam prep book does not typically list off ITTOs. I studied ITTOs in knowledge areas where I was weak, but I never had the intention to memorize a spreadsheet of ITTOs.

How good are PrepCast's mock exams?

I was hoping to score at least 80% on my third mock exam, so I was a bit discouraged after receiving 77.5%. After writing the PMP exam, I felt that the mock exams were 30% more difficult than the real thing.

I've read other posts here from people who failed the exam on the first try saying the mock exams were too easy. Perhaps they focused too much on studying ITTOs without having the personal experience or comprehensive understanding to answer the situational questions correctly. Perhaps my method for studying was effective for the exam, or maybe my experience and my analytical nature played a big part.

Experience writing the final exam

I wrote the exam with Prometric and scheduled it for 8am. Prior to big events I sometimes don't have an appetite, so I hadn't eaten breakfast before the exam, and I started to feel it 2-3 hours in. Mentally I was tired and having difficulty focusing at the very end, and the testing centre didn't allow water so I probably got a bit dehydrated. Booking an afternoon exam time might be a good option for you if possible.

After completing the PMP exam, (using up all four hours to the last second), it was incredibly satisfying to read, "Congratulations!" on the screen, but I was dissapointed with the amount of fanfare. I think confetti falling from the ceiling would have been nice

If you're just starting your journey, good luck - there are great resources out there so make use of them! Check out the Pomodoro Technique if you have difficulty focusing.

Marc