TOPIC: FAILED in First Attempt!!

Hello All,

I sat for exam yesterday(9 Aug) and failed in my first attempt

I got BP in all, that was a great shock for me, not sure how it was calculated

I was preparing from last 6 months

What I have Studied :

PMBOK 3 times
Rita 3 times
Head first 2 times

Attended almost 1200 mock questions from different sources, my percentage was ranging 65 to 85.

Hope I will crack the exam in second attempt, but I am clueless now, what should I do now.

Can anyone help me with below?

- Planning to re-take after a Month, is it enough time?
- I have studied very hard but results shows entirely opposite, what should I do now? any study plan/suggestion?
- Questions was situational, is there any source which help us to prepare accordingly?
- I want to join a study group who is going to give the exam in coming 2 months, anybody?

Dear Pank,

Sorry to hear that. I took my exam on 8 August, and I'm pretty sure yours and mine will be a lot close. Please check out my lessons learned post for how I did on my study plan, and how I tackled on the situational questions. Trust me, during the exam time, I felt like I was totally lost too. I kept telling myself that if I failed this one, I'd retake the exam...this is how I felt during the exam.

I strongly recommend that you try Exam Simulator to test yourself - although I personally found that Exam Simulator is just focusing on one knowledge area, whereas the actual exam mixes up at least two knowledge areas, giving you extra challenge.

Below are my quick thoughts on your situation:

1. Try one 200Q full simulator test to determine which knowledge area that you need to work on. Review those questions that you got wrong and read the explanation why you got wrong. If you got spare time, read those questions that you got right, if your thought process is correct or not.
2. Since you have already gone through PMBOK Guide, Rita and HeadFirst books a few times, you make notes on those areas that you have knowledge gap, and review them until you grasp the concepts. Do study the Data Flow Diagrams of each process and Table 3-1 of PMBOK Guide (should practice until you memorize the table)
3. Understand the planning process "order" from Rita Process Chart, and pay attention on how to handle "change request"
4. Understand which knowledge area and which process group that the question is really asking. That could be quite tricky and make you choose the wrong answer.
5. I believe one month time is enough for someone like you. Come out with your plan, which you can achieve and strictly follow through. I know it may sound cliche, but it's proven worked!

Hope my above suggestions shed some light for you, and wishing all the best in your 2nd attempt.

If you have trouble with particular knowledge area, do let me know. I will try my best to answer.