Need Advice - Where do I stand?

Submitted by diba_perfect on Tue, 05/22/2012 - 19:55

Hi,

I've just completed my first pass at reading the PMBOK and Rita's book. My scores in Rita's chapter tests are as follows:

PM Framework	80.0%
PM Processes	92.0%
Integration	67.4%
Scope	76.7%
Time	94.7%
Cost	76.9%
Quality	80.0%
HR	64.7%
Communication	70.0%
Risk	77.5%
Procurement	75.0%
Proff & Social Resp	86.7%
Total	78.0%

I have exactly seven weeks to go for the actual exam. I plan to do the following in this period:

i) Skim through Rita and PMBOK once more and take the chapter tests of my REP(PMStudy).

ii) Take the following free mocks - PMStudy, Headfirst, Examcentral, TechFAQ and Oliver Lehmann.

iii) A couple of full length tests from RMC's PMFASTrack.

I'm managing an ultra hectic project at my workplace so am not able to devote more than 1-2 hours per day(even on weekends).

Can the older pros of this forum(projmanpro, pmp_saket and the likes) please suggest if there's anything else that I should be doing for my preps?

Thanks in advance for responses.

Diba

Forums:

General Discussion

krantikumar50

Wed, 05/23/2012 - 02:30

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You are...

Hi Diba,

You are doing very very well. The kind of scores that you have managed to get is something which people do not get even a day or two before the exam and they clear the PMP road easily, and your situtaion all the more perfect since you have little over 1 more month to fill out your knowledge gaps.

Since your work schedules are keeping you busy, hence, devote an hour everyday, however, regularly. Keep in touch with PMBOK or any other book of your choice.

Be supremely confident with the formulas, ITTOs. You may buy Brainbok for a month if you wish.

Be confident Diba. You are in perfect and best shape.

Thanks,

KK.......

admin

Wed, 05/23/2012 - 04:12

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Doing well, make sure that

Doing well, make sure that easy mock exams dont fool you in thinking that you are doing well. Rita has reasonable level of complexity so its good indicator.

saket_pmp

Wed, 05/23/2012 - 08:27

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Overall you are doing BRILLIANTLY

Your last sentence on your busy schedule on “ultra hectic project” should not be worry for you. If you ask me, I would say….it’s an advantage for you, do you know why? Because “A busy person is one, who have time for everything”.

Your subject line is most important for me i.e. “Where do I stand?”, I would just answer this.

You are standing with confidence on floor (which is good) but the issue is that you have to stand with the same confidence and energy for next 6 weeks. There are 2 potential problems that might happen:
1. You become over confidence and start jumping. This might lead you fall and get wounded.
2. You loose energy over a period of time and fall down.
The question is how to overcome these:
1. Do not just run to win award of purity. PMP exam questions are not framed for those people who can just solve tricky and mind blowing questions. It’s for an average people who have average PM knowledge. So make sure you just not stick to the super high quality materials but also try the one that are inferior to those. This would help you in becoming acquainted to solve simple, straight forward and direct IITO based questions also.
2. You have 6 weeks to go, so make sure you have a plan to maintain the knowledge you have acquired. Even 1 hour daily is sufficient.

That’s all I have to say. Remember it’s my personnel opinion. Overall you are doing BRILLIANTLY and I see you passing PMP with 5P’s provided you think about the points I have highlighted. All the best!

Saket, PMP

diba_perfect

Wed, 05/23/2012 - 09:46

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Thanks a lot everyone! Will

Thanks a lot everyone! Will keep these viewpoints in mind while I pace through the next few weeks. :-)

diba_perfect

Thu, 05/24/2012 - 17:46

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Saket / All: Please suggest

Saket / All,

Can you please suggest me one book / source which has good end of the chapter / areawise tests.

I was trying out my REP's(PMstudy) chapter tests but frankly they appear to be a tad too easy(and I don't want to waste time building up a false sense of confidence).

If I look back now, it 'seems' that Rita's chapter tests are pretty close to standard PMP quality(makes one think before answering). Do you think that the end of the chapter tests in Andy Crowe's book are of similar complexity? What's your take about Christopher Scordo's areawise tests?

I want to take some more quality chapter / areawise tests before actually starting off with the full length mocks.

Please suggest.

Thanks!

Diba

P.S. Comments/suggestions are welcome from all esp. from projmanpro.

saket_pmp

Sat, 05/26/2012 - 18:11

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When you try Mock Exam providers like...

Ops! I missed this, I get tired EOD after 10 hours of conducting workshop…anyway personnel issues apart now.

Any good writer would more concentrate on concepts building and they frame end of chapter questions after spending lots of time in it as they have to support some concept through it. I do not think I know any better book than Rita that has best conceptual chapter end questions.

When you try Mock Exam providers like PmStudy, PMPerfect, PMPForSure etc their focus is to give you the maximum common and potential questions that you see and hear from around. You should not try to get from them from concept building, they are NOT made for those purposes and hence you see they only give access for limited time and they recommend you to take those practice exams before sitting for the PMP exam. Some people here have also said they have some similar questions, grammar error (noticeable by english authors type people only) etc. I agree, they do not work for concept building and hence they do not concentrate on quality that much like good book authors. If you want to use them, attempt the test, see your result and close it! If you use this way you will get benefit from those i.e. last moment mock drill only.

I do not know (as I am old now), any other high quality questions like Rita for concept building. As I have said earlier also, please make sure you are used to ALL types of PMP questions and in the exam you will have questions of all type (tough, cheap, boring, one liner etc). End of day even PMI has to make exam for average people for their business. I hope you understand this!

diba_perfect

Sun, 05/27/2012 - 01:49

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