Failed the 1st Attempt :(

 I'm so sad that i failed my 1st attempt in PMP. I studied for a week. Read pmbok once and Rita 6th edition once, due to my heavy work schedule. Still i could remember all the 9 knowledge areas and 42 processes. Though i felt i gave 80% of my answers right, i failed. Now i want to take my next attemp soon within 2 months while my mind is still fresh and in mood of giving the exam. I seek help from all those out there who have passed the exam to share your secrets. Which is the best site or material to study (pls don't offer me Rita's book) and the best simulators available.

I would say that about 120 questions of mine was single line easy questions but the answer was sooooo tough. For eg:

Q: What is the purpose of Risk Management Plan?

1) To avoid Risks. 2) To find Risks. 3) To mitigate Risks. 4) To transfer Risks.

About 120 of my questions was like this. Though the questions looked soo simple, choosing the Right Answer was too tough.

Thanks.

 Sorry to hear about that but I am sure things happen for a good reason & by the wish of almighty. I think you should have practised plenty of mock exams & sample questions. I am sure once you practice a lot questions & since you have read the necessary things you will clear it definitely.

Regards 

Mudassar

Sorry to hear you failed the exam.  I am taking mine on August 20th and have been using what I think you will find the majority of people on this site are using to prepare.


1) Rita's Book - like it or hate it, most people use this as their primary source for passing the exam.


2) Andy Crowe's book - Andy leaves out a lot of the fluff that Rita's book has and really condenses the material down into what you should know. I feel that his end of chapter questions and 200 questions at the end of his book are way too easy and are unlike what I would imagine most people encounter on their exam.


3) PMBOK guide - this is a must have !  Either in paperback or electronic version from PMI. Whenever there is any doubt, this guide wins the argument hands down.


Keep in mind, the exam is changing on August 31st, 2011 and 30% of the exam content will be changing. This means that while the PMBOK is not changing at this time, the various publishers including Rita's book will be updated to cover the new content.


Good Luck on your 2nd attempt !!

Srry to hear about your results, however i feel that paying more and more attention on every question during the exam is most important. specially 'wording' of a question

for e.g. the question you mentioned in your post.

if i look all the options carefully, option A, C,D are all strategy replies for negative risks.

in my views answer is B) to find risks.

If question has 'eliminate risk' as an option. in that case eliminate will be the best answer for risk management.

 

Hi Friend,


I am sorry to hear this sad news. The same thing has happened to me today August 13th, 2011


I was really shocked because I thought for sure that I passed. My score report reveal the following:-


Initiating - Proficient


Planning - Below Proficient


Executing - Moderately Proficient


Monitoring & Control - Moderately Proficent


Professional & Social Responsibilities - Below Proficient


So I guess my downfall came from Planning and Professional and Social Responsibilities.


The sad news is that the exam is changing on August 31st, 2011 and I am unable to Sechdule for another exam till sometime in the middle of September. So that means that I will have to study for the new exams and who knows how tough that will be.


So I am in the same boat as you if not worse.


 


E

 Guys dont worry , exam pattern will change but the change is accountable for only 30 % of it, also all the 5 process group along with their processes remain same. SO dont worry the exam is not gonna change completely the only diff would be that the q's on Professional and Social Responsibilities would be distributed to the individual process groups. All you need to do is while solving the questions for the process groups & its processes just keep in mind the knowledge you had gained on on Professional and Social Responsibilities. Thats it. Just work a little bit Harder & cheer up, everything happens for a good reason & by the wish of almighty.

"Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently." -Henry Ford

Regards 

Mudassar

Hi Mudassar Bro,


Thanks for all your encouragement. I am sure that I will be fine the next around. I don't think that I did all that bad given the fact that I thought the questions that I encountered were really difficult.


Again thanks for all your support.


Cheers,


E

Sorry to hear my friend.

Coming to the sample question, i got this definition for "The Risk Management Plan:" is a standard deliverable document on a technical project that is used to describe the methods and procedures to be used to identify, evaluate and eliminate or minimize project risks.

which encompasses all the options. The question is really tough.

GURUS, we need ur inputs.

Thanks

I failed my PMP also the first try. I did not memorize my ITTO. Make sure you kinow your ITTO and all the concepts should be clear. If you cannot understand  someting keep pushing it till you know it. Exam is all about tring to fail you. IF you can figure out 2 correct from 4 you should be ok. Dont give up get up and fight.

Sorry to hear about your failure.


I would like to recommend you to read and understand PMBOK once and then again read it once. Second time reading will give you more insights og pMBOK and you will understand which areas you missed and you yourself wil understansd technique of reading and understanding the boook when you read second time. Please try to make notes a small summary of each Knowledge Area.


Please try to give minimum 4 Mock exams of 200 Quest, before wrtitng the mock exam read your notes once and then give the exam. Never mind you pass or fail the first attempt but you will have idea where you need to improve and please make note of it and study that area.


Do this iterative process for all 4 exams, by the end of 4th exam you will have good notes prepared by yourself i.e you will  have good grasp of PMBOK since you had prepared notes yourself based on your shortcomings on all previous 4 exams.


Before the final exam please try to read once more PMBOK as most of the question are straight from PMBOK with slight changes as you yourself are aware of it as per your oast experience.


I am sure by the above process you can successfully clear your exam as this process helped me to clear the exam. Again do to this above process you need to give minimum 2-3 months of prepration.


Thanks


Regards


Satish

Thanks everyone for the  encouragement. I'm scheduling my exam on oct 15th since my one year validity expires on oct 20th. So fast time flies. If i don't do it now, then i have to go through all the process again and pay the full fees. I hope the change in exam from next month will not make it more difficult for me to pass my 2nd try. I decided to get Rita's 7th edition and Head First PMP. Stick with this two book. Just started studying. And then finally i will read the pmp guide & try giving mock exams. Wishing me luck.

Thank you all guys once again.

I think you already got Rita's 7th, so would you please advide on the differences between the 6th and the 7th edition, and if it worse buying it? as I've scheduled my exam on the 1st of Nov, and i don't know if I should buy the new edition or continue studing with the 6th edition I have.


Appreciate your help.