Hello everyone, 

For the past three years I dreamt of achieving the Graal of Project Management recognition: PMP. This came true on last December with 4 MP's. 

I first started doing the 35 hrs of study and then bought Rita 7th edition. Just in the middle of the studies, PMI changed their edition and for PMBOK 5 and i decided to bought Rita 8th edition. In the middle of the studies my daughter came to life and also had to schedule even better my study program which was mainly 1 or 2 hours at night during 8 months. Even during holidays I used to place some study time either early or late at night. 

Here are some preparation that i went through:

1st reading the whole PMBOK 5 from the beginning to the end. understanding as much as possible the concept.

Then reading the whole book of Rita 8th edition also understanding the concept.

I also read HeadFirst PMP but mainly focusing on some chapters where i was lacking some clearer explanations like Procurement, Risks and Cost management..

Then I read once again the full PMBOK 5 highlighting some key words. 

Then i read once again Rita 8th and started the exercises. Was also listening to Rita Audio in the car every morning and at night while going to work. This helped a lot for some key concepts. 

i also downloaded the Notes from Chowdary (thank you very much) and Notes & Formulas from Rajesh Nair (thank you very much) which helped me to understand better the whole picture. Used countless time the site PMZILLA to clear out some doubts, mainly in procurements, risks and formulas but also to obtain return of experience from others already certified. Thank you for maintaining such huge knowledge base and most importantly for the people always willing to help you. 

I also created a sheet with all process groups and the main inputs, outputs and tools & techniques and tried to read them almost every day to three days in order to memorize as much as possible the most important ones, especially in Integration mgt, Scope, Time, Quality, Risks and Procurements. Example: where is the project charter, when does it start, when is it used in another process input?

Then started some mock up tests when i was sure of having in mind at least the main formulas in head and the main concepts of the Process Groups: 

Tried as much as possible from the 2nd mock up test to stick to the clock and created since the beginning my braindump. 

After each mock up i would go through all answers and then starting to review the knowledge gap. I was only doing one mockup test per week end. 

On the last months (Nov) i increased the study pace by doing the rest of the mockups. Also started to create my own braindump:

   -writing every day the whole Process Group and knowledge area

   -all main formulas (SV; SPI, CV; CPI; VAC; Triangular distribution; Beta distribution; std deviation; EAC 1; EAC 2; EAC 3; EAC 4; ETC; TCPI; Communication; total float; Sigma; NPV; PTA; EMV; 

   -the motivation theories

   -difference btw QA and QC

   -risks threats and opportunities

   -conflicts resolutions

   -Main contract with impacts/benefits buyers and impacts/benefits sellers.

I would trained to do the braindump in 12 minutes during almost a month. Even dreaming at night on some EV formulas. 

I would recommend understanding well the integration, all cost formulas, procurements especially contracts, risks, some quality concepts and HR theories. For time Mgt I mainly studied the how to calculate the critical path and floats. 

For the tests:

I arrived one day before, booked the closest hotel and checked the time to arrive there. Checked the place; Created one more time my braindump and read again the process group: inputs, tools and tech and outputs and rested as much as possible.

For the test, you can’t enter with any food, water, pencil.... really nothing enters there. They will provide you all the tools to work there. If you do fine on the mock up and keep your calm, especially on all the EV calculations, you should do fine. I was tenses at the end as you wait with a white screen in front of you for your results and final verdict. 

To conclude, I would like to thank my wife for her strong support and a message for you all studying hard for such test: believe in yourself, create a good test strategy, stick to it and do as much mock up as possible after understanding the concepts. 

Thanks.

Arnaud