Cleared PMP on 24th Dec – 3P + 2MP

By God’s grace and continuous support from my family, I have cleared PMP today (24th Dec 2012).

 
About me

I have overall 10+ years of experience in IT industry out of which am part of project management for the past 4.5 years.

 

Target Audience of this post

  1. PMP aspirants willing to take PMP in 2 months time.
  2. Those who could spend only maximum of 2 hours a day and 4 hours in weekends.
  3. Those who like to pass the examination with a satisfactory proficient levels (not too low/high)
  4. Those who spend most of the time in office and couldn’t even think about PMP anytime during office hours.

 Books Referred

  1. Andy Crowe – 1 time reading
  2. Rita V7 – 1 time reading
  3. PMBOK – 2 times
  4. My own notes + Documented learning from mock tests

 Self-Material

  1. Preparation Notes – Extract of PMBOK – My 32 page document comprises 344 pages of PMBOK to close the gaps in my understanding. After reading PMBOK twice, I have just revised my notes for about 5 times.
  2. Learning Notes – All my wrong questions associated with correct answers and explanations. 66-page document. I keep on referring this before taking any new test.

 Study Group / Technology

  1. We created a small study group in office (just 3 of us) to attempt all practice exams in Rita’s book. We generally debate wrong answers from all of us that helped us to fine tune our understanding in each and every key term.
  2. PMP flash cards – Plenty of them available for free in Android market. I use to skim through these during travel. Of course I did this only for few days, to gain some confidence while reading PMBOK.

 
My Mock Test Performance

 


S.no


Mock Test Name


No. of Questions


% Scored (Average)


1


Andy Crowe - Practice tests


20-25 in each


80%


2


Rita - Practice tests


Vary


68%


3


PMP Mock Lite Exams 1 to 18 by Christopher Scordo


50


80%


4


Andy Crowe - Full exam


200


83%


5


Oliver Lehman - 75 questions (before reading PMBOK)


75


59%


6


Oliver Lehman - 175 questions


175


69%


7


PMSTUDY - Mock Test 1


200


75%


8


PMSTUDY - Mock Test 2


200


75%


9


PMSTUDY - Mock Test 3


200


80%


10


PMSTUDY - Mock Test 4


200


82%


11


INSITE Velociteach - Knowledge Area test - HR Mgmt


76


80%


12


INSITE Velociteach - Knowledge Area test - Integration Mgmt


127


80%


13


INSITE Velociteach - Full test


200


91%


14


Frank T.Anbari questions


150


87%

 

 About exam

  1. As many of us said, real exam is neither easy nor tough. So, when we attempt first few questions, we might think that the mock tests are no way nearer or helping us in real exam. But later we could realize the benefits of them.
  2. I have marked around 10 questions for review in my first 20 questions. Initial fear factor caused it but later questions started flowing on my way. So, never lose confidence when you start, at the same time don’t get over confidence while you progress. J
  3. As I practiced in all my mock tests, I was able to complete all 200 questions in 3 hrs. (At 50 questions took 3 minutes break and at 200 questions took 7 minutes break). While answering, I believed that the remaining questions might take more time to answer, so I always spent on an average of 1 minute or less for each question. When I had even 10% doubt in my answer, I marked it for review.
  4. After 3 hours and 10 minutes break, as I expected there were 56 questions for review in 50 minutes. I reviewed all of them and modified answers close to 10 questions. Even during review, I felt couple of questions may take more time to analyze, so I just marked the numbers of the questions in the rough sheet and went ahead in reviewing others. (My mind voice was, spending additional time for 2 questions may result in getting only them correct, but spending that time to review other 50+ questions may change my exam result).
  5. At 3 hours 50 minutes I completed the exam and went ahead with the survey and got myself relaxed on seeing the results. Proficient in Planning, M&C & Closing. Medium Proficient in Initiating & Executing. (Be aware that however you perform, your heartbeat will definitely increase before seeing the results).

 

Suggestions

  1. No need to Brian dump PMBOK Page 43 & all formulae. I have not referred even once during my exam though I got 35-40 mathematical questions. All your mock tests will help you to keep your formulae by heart to answer those questions. Instead of dumping these, we could write the short forms of ITTO’s or any other terminologies, which we keep on forgetting during mock tests.
  2. During mock tests or in real exam, if you have any doubts please mark them for review. When we go through other questions, we may get some hint for our marked question or our brain will somehow think extraordinarily and give us the correct answer during review.
  3. Read thoroughly PMBOK & only PMBOK. All other books you could refer, but number of questions you may get correct by reading those are negligible when compared to PMBOK. The exam pattern is fully focused on PMBOK only.
  4. Believe yourself. I know it is easy to tell after clearing the exam but accepting the fact before we attempt is tough. But whenever I lose focus in my reading, I keep on writing my name associated with PMP tag that gives me the confidence that I will achieve. During my free time, I always think about what I will write in my PMZILLA post after clearing my exam, what status I could put in my face book immediately after clearing the exam, to whom I need to share my success very immediately coming out of exam hall. All those positive thinking will give lot of confidence and our dream will come to reality in association with our hard work.

 

 My Sincere Thanks to

1.       Apart from my family, I would like to thank PMZILLA forum and especially admin for giving his feedback for couple of my posts.

2.       Shruti Acharya, she is the role model for my exam preparation. After I scored very badly in Oliver Lehman, I started reading PMBOK and followed her same preparation pattern to pass my exam.

3.       Puneet Arora for his ITTO PPT.


  1. All PMP mates who shared their LL’s in PMZILLA forum. I was regularly monitoring each and every post, to get an essence for my preparation.

Thanks & Regards

IK, PMP.

 Wow!. What a way to end year 2012!!. Congrats Bro!!!. Many thanks for your encouragement and sharing this thought provoking LL. Merry Xmas.

admin's picture

Glad to know that we were able to help. Thanks for your systematic LL.

Congratulations

-Admin

duongnt's picture

Big congrat

 Dear Friend,

         Congrats and thanks alot for sharing valuable LL. Could you kindly farward all the material at vishwanathshivaranjani@gmail.com  , you have referred to for the preparation of PMP exam(   Puneet Arora' s ITTO PPT and any other matrial including notes prepared by you). Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Vishwanath

 

Hi,


Can you please share your Puneet Arora' s ITTO PPT and any other matrial including notes prepared by you with me hemanshu.jain01@gmail.com


Regards,


HJ

Hi IK,
Congratulations on your PmP Certification.
I've just become a member of PMZilla and noticed your blog & success story.
Would you please be able to share your study materials, and or ITTO PPT.
appreciate it very much.
thank you,
-Yaz

Please let me know your email id. I will share my materials and other material that I have used for my certification.

IK.

hello,This is really great to know that you have passed your exam.many many congratulations!!!!

I have scheduled exam on 14tg January. may you plesae share study material which helped you.As need Rita 7 as well.I am really worried...

hello,This is really great to know that you have passed your exam.many many congratulations!!!! I have scheduled exam on 14tg January (in Sha Allah). may you plesae share study material which helped you.As need Rita 7 as well.I am really worried...

Can you please share your material(32 page doc) as well as other material you have used for the preperation ? at shethkb@hotmail.com

Thanks.
shethkb@hotmail.com

Congrats. Can you please share the docs at abhishekjmishra@gmail.com

Could you pls share the notes?
I have exam next month
Thanks
maheshgonuguntla@gmail.com

Congratulations, Would be really grateful if you could you please share me your valuable materials and questions at nblprasad1@yahoo.com.
Many Thanks in Advance
.