PASSED PMP 21-10-2009 (LESSON LEARNED)

Submitted by Bishop on Fri, 10/30/2009 - 08:21

I passes the PMP exam on the 21-10-2009 and was a silent member of PMZILLA. This forum has been of a great help and support for my preparation, especially the lessons learned postings. Many thanks tp you all and God bless you all.

Preparations.

i had a class room training to earn my 35 contact hours certificate in may 2009, completed with PMI application submission process after the training and was picked for AUDIT. This delayed my taking the exam before june 30th 2009, because there was no slot left in my location after i was cleared by PMI to take exam.

I have to start preparing fot PMBOK4 in addition to office work. This is stressful

 Books used.* PMBOK4 - twice* PMP Exam prep, sixth edition by Rita Mulcahy - twice* Crosswind - once* Head first book, second edition for PMBOK4 - Chapter test only i read PMBOK4 and Rita side by side, chapter by chapter at the same time. 

I read Pmbok and Rita side by side (Chapter by Chapter)

Practice Test.

* Rita's Book chapter tests and PMFastrack =78 - 82 % (This material is worth investing on)

* Headfirstlabs chapter tests       = 79 -90%

* Crosswing chapter tests           = 74-95 %

 Simulation Tests.* PMStudy free test                     = 78.86%* Headfirstlabs free test              = 79%* PMSuccess free test                  = 78% (100 questions)* Oliver Lehman free test            = 53.3% (75 Questions)* Crosswind                                = 85% (i purchased simulator for PMBOK3, but was upgraded for free to version 8.0 for PMBOK4)* PMZilla free test                        = This was great* PMI Q's and A's PMBOK3           = 78% ( This is also good and busts your confidence, when you know its from PMI) I did not take Rita's full test and i regretted it on the exam day 

 

Exam Day* I had so many questions on ITTO related (it's not direct), Risk, so many calculations questions(CPI, SPI, CV,SV e.t.c) and contract types (situational)* I finished exam at exactly 3hr:15minutes* I used the remaining time to review marked and changed a lot of them (even the unmarked). I did not know if it helped or not* I was not bold enough to end exam, until i was timed out during review* After the survey i still have to wait to be timed out* when i clicked ok, i closed my eyes and started opening them slowly* Then I saw the magic word CONGRATULATIONS* Though i scored low due to poor preparations, i had below proficient in professional and social responsibility, proficient in closing the project and the rest moderately profict 

 

Regrets* i did not read PMI code of ethics and profesional conduct (even once) before the exam and did not read PMBOK4 and Rita's book very very very well.   Advice to PMP aspirants* Please read PMI code of ethics and profesional conduct (even once) before the exam and read PMBOK4 and Rita's book very very very well or any other book before exam* understand ITTO's very well, their definitions and why it is used in the processes* dont be like me , prepare very well before the exam, i had all the materials, but did not utilize them effectively* Practice-Practice-Practice-Practice-Practice sample tests as much as you can* Dont stop/break reading and taking test before exam. make it a daily ritual 

 

 

PMP Exam Rating

* I will score PMI an A+ in setting questions and will rate the exam Highly Difficult so be warned

 

 

I want to tank you guys once more for your LL's, sample questions and answers, i cant start mentioning names, because the list is endless. i would have failed without this group

 

 Bishop, PMP

Forums: 
PMP Exam Tips, Tricks and Lessons Learnt.

Retire

Fri, 10/30/2009 - 13:22

Congratulations, Bishop. And having taken the Full exam from Rita, i might add that you did not miss much. ;)

Care to share some more about the type of questions and the trends therein?

Retire (http://levigate.blogspot.com)

 

alexcooper1's picture

alexcooper1

Sat, 10/31/2009 - 01:39

I took and passed the PMP exam this afternoon (Oct. 29, Friday). I'm sharing
my lessons learned in a blog entry
(http://itconsultingfromthetrenches.blogspot.com/2009/10/preparing-for-an...). In it, I go into further detail about the exam and facility.

I went through four books: Rita Mulcahy's, Kim Heldman's, Andy Crowe's, and Head First PMP.

Mulchay's book just turned me off. Yell I did not appreciate being
talked down to by the self-proclaimed *itch goddess. Sure it contains
some good content but: (1) her book is cluttered, (2) her tone is
dismissive, and (3) the title was not edited professionally. You can
pass the PMP without having to put up with her *rap.

Heldman's isn't bad. Both authors are women but while Mulcahy is
the kind you'll wish you never met, Heldman is sweet and kindly in her
tone. Both women know their stuff but only Kim knows how to present it in an
inoffensive manner.

Crowe was highly recommended and as I discovered, rightfully so. It has a companion website that was useful.

And then there's Head First PMP! It employs an unorthodox style but
it works. It is an effective learning book. The magnet exercises are
useful. The "there are no dumb questions" columns contain insightful
questions. And so forth. To be sure, I found that some parts of it were
"corny." In my opinion, those parts did not contribute enough to
justify their presence. Generally speaking however, the title was
well-written and well-edited.

It is also much easier to now read PMI's PMBOK. I did not read all of it (I simply ran out of time). Fortunately the other books plus significant personal PM experience more than made up for it.