I want to thank everyone that I  learned anything from in this Forum, during my journey to achieve PMP certification.

What I am going to tell you guys is not to brag at all, but to tell you my experience as to how I prepared my self to pass the exam. Did it in almost 5 weeks and first try. This is going to be little long and I apologize in advance.

During August of 2009, I attended exam prep class to earn 35 required PDUs, although my college courses could have substituted that requirement but I am all about smart way of acquiring information and then converting into usable knowledge. That was a quick way to go through the material in five days and I did.

Then soon after that I tried filling application for exam and I found it too much trouble and then I got new job, got busy and put the whole dream of becoming PMP on the back burner. Then last month Mid July my boss asked me to do it and said it will make him proud if I can pull this off, I said I will give it a try. Him being an awesome manager, quickly realized, what my motivations is, here it is McClelland's theory of needs in action for you.

When I logged into PMI’s website and learned that new PMBOK is coming and exam is changing and other places are saying that exam is going to be difficult etc. I got little panic, but my boss had more faith in me than I had it on myself. He said go ahead give it a shot.  I started studying last week of July 2011 register for exam on August 2, 2011  for exam date on August 29th, 2011 and Passed. Its yesterday now.

I am not going to tell you what I ate today my emotional state and my journey to the Prometric etc, but I will tell you how I planned and executed my project to get it done in 5 weeks. And I did.

First thing I did, that I told everyone that I am going to take the exam, no way to back out this time now.

I worked for my father, right out of High School, before coming to US for my Undergrad, He has Oil and Gas Pipeline construction company. So I knew little bit what a “PROJECT” life cycle is. I do projects now but I am never involce in complete project life cycle, like most of us.

What I think PMI is trying to achieve is to teach people how to manage a Project (PMI way). People sometimes called it PMIism and In my opinion that belittles a very important aspect of this whole, getting prepared for exam situation.

There is no substitute for experience and no certification can replace this. But our goal is to understand what PMI wants us to learn and pass the exam. PMI is promoting their agenda through this certification and it is a good thing. I wish I had realized it earlier in my career.

Now the good stuff, I think, most importantly, approach this study with blank mindset, you know nothing and start all over again. I took the “Progressive Elaboration” approach in my learning .

1-    

First I took an online tutorial and went through the with all five process group and 9 knowledge areas. And then I took a test of 200 question to gage myself, failed!. At least I knew how much I need to learn now. I immediately memorized the page 42 in PMBOK also tried to understand as much as I could.

2-    

Took exam on individual process groups and knowledge areas, and made sure if I got something right or wrong what is the reason behind it, is it PMIism or it is my knowledge or lack thereof. Always check with PMBOK besides anything else you are using to learn. Be focused on a single topic.

3-      Second round of testing. If I got the question right or wrong this time, I made sure I understand the complete topic not just the reason why that particular question is right or wrong. This is where I actually started getting a hold of it. It took two weeks to 4-5 hours of study each night with full time job and ongoing projects and life.

4-    

In doing so I had a pretty good hold on almost all the angle most important ideas can be quizzed on and I knew it so well by then that I could teach it to other people.

5-    

I took individual knowledge areas and process group test and started passing.

6-    

One of the most important thing I would tell you that, please go through with Glossary at the end of PMBOK, the benefit is two folds, you will learn all the correct terminology and be able to tell in the exam when a made up term is being used and that makes the answer automatically wrong.

7-    

Now I can finally understand what that Page 42 is really all about. went through with Glossary memorized the EV formuls, STD Dev, IRR etc and was ready to take the test. memorize math stuff at the end and do it right. These are sure shot right answers in the exams.

Now I am just going to tell you the sources I used to prepare, because I have so much to talk about and this going to become boring for some people if keep on going. If you have any particular question ask me and I will try my best to transfer everything that I have in my head right now.

Sources:

1 PMP Exam Study Guide 5th ed Kim Heldman.

2. PMBOK, I love this book, I have Hard copy and PDF version on my IPAD.

3- Harwinder’s Blog, I love this guy too.

4- PMP online course on instructing.com (this is what I started with)

5- Fast track exam. (my boss bought me that) but I refused to read Rita’s book. The tone of the book is discouraging and I don’t like anything negative.

6- Oliver Lehmann’s 175 question, Make sure you do that and learned all the concept he is quizzing you on. VERY IMPORTANT, Learn all the concepts he is asking you questions about. learn it so well that you can come up with the questions of your own. Understand, like if I were to ask you what a particular concept is, you should be able to explain it to me.  You dont need to memorize much except EVM formula's, HR Theories, Risk resposes, Contract types, ITTOs, (more importantly regarding ITTOs, why something is an output to a process or is an Input) both PMBOK and Kim's book cover it well) for example Why "Identify Stake Holder process" has Procurement Document as an Input and Contract is an input to "Develop Project Charter".

This Exam is as Easy or as difficult as you want this to BE. Another Important Point, Please Dont use too many books besides PMBOK plus your favorite one. I CAN NOT EMPHASIZE ENOUGH. Focus on what PMI wants you to learn, not Rita or someone else for that matter. 

And if you find a gap,  Harwinder got it converd  in his blog. ;). Thanks Harwider.

It is a relief, and it is an assurance that I still got it! I am 40 now. Good luck to all of you. Ask me questions if you need help.