I've followed this forum and thought I would contribute my LL.

I started studying about 3 weeks ago. I got a copy of the PMBOK 5, and started going through it, but as many have noted its a tough read. So I bought a copy of the Headfirst book and it made things a lot easier. I have many years of PM experience so all I needed was to learn the PMIism. Headfirst made the reading a little more entertaining so it stuck better. I spent about a week going through it and highlighting key points. I did the end of chapter exams as I went along. Then I took the 200 question exam at the end of the book, and scored around 72%.

I went to the PMBOK and printed a copy of the table with the 47 processes and made a point of trying to memorizes it. I developed a pattern (some of it learned from various sources on the web) that made it easier. I would draw the template with the Groups across the top and KAs down the side and the groups across the top. I remembered the KAs using something I saw (can remember from where)...In Summer The Cruel Queen Hates Cold Runny Pouridge Snacks (ISTCQHCRPS)...Integration, Scope, Time, Cost, Quality, HR, Communication, Risk, Procurement, Stakeholders. Then developed a pattern to remember all of the processes (e.g., all of them have planning processes, all of them have control processes, except HR, all of them have executing processes except the triple constraints and risk, etc.)

I practiced writing out that table once a day for 2 weeks. It became second nature after awhile. Also remembered the key EV formulas. The other formulas I either knew from past experience or were very easy to remember (like the communication one).

I answered probably 2000 practice questions. Every other day I would commit time in the morning to do a timed practice exam. I downloaded a book on Kindle by Nasir that had 600 hundred questions. After each question there was a link to the answer so I could go back and forth after each question. I used this to answer questions randomly during the day or while I'm watching tv and check them immediately to see whether I was correct, or not.

I did the normal exams listed previously. Headfirst online, Lehmann, PM Mock study, Exam central, PM simulator. I never scored lower than 70, but only scored above 80 on one exam. However, I was very confident that I knew the concepts, KA, and processes, but I noticed on the exam I wasn't doing so well in the ITTO type questions. About a week before the exam I went to PMBOK and printed all of the data flow diagrams for all of the 47 processes. I would look at those first thing in the morning and just before I went to sleep to understand the flow of the processes and what went into and out of them, as well as the tools. I didn't try to memorize them, but by the time of the exam I had a good feeling about the data/information flows. Over the last few days, I went back to the PMBOK and reviewed everything, specifically the tools, and theories.

On the day of the exam I was very confident that I would do well. Woke up, stretched, meditated, eat breakfast. I showed up the the center 45 minutes early, checked in and they let me start right away, which surprised me. I did the tutorial (pretty simplistic) and brain dump (I think I may have referred to it once).

The exam was pretty long and the questions were pretty complex in how they were written. I usually finished the practice exam in about 2.5 hours. At the two hour mark in the real exam, I had done a little more that 100 questions, so I took a much needed break, got some water, stretched, then went back in. The second set of questions were not as long. But I finished in about 3.5 hours. I used the last 30 minutes to review my marked questions (about 25). I changed about 5 answers. There were about 2-3 that I had no clue about. With about 2 minutes left I submitted the exam...and got the Congratulations!

The exam was much more intense that the practice exams. It was mostly situational. There were quite a few EV questions. Maybe two critical path related. Several on Tuckman. It definitely made you think. There was no single practice exam like it, but through all of the exams I took I ran across some form of all of the questions, so nothing surprised me.

Overall, it was a good experience. I would definitely suggest you put in the study time. The practice exams were very, very helpful. I also think reviewing the data flow diagrams and writing down processes everyday was a good exercise.

Hopes this helps, and best of luck.