Can’t believe I passed on my first go... seriously!

 I have passed PMP on 4th July with following ratings

• Initiating                                   Moderately   Proficient
• Planning                                    Below           Proficient
• Executing                                  Moderately   Proficient
• Monitoring and controlling      Moderately    Proficient
• Closing                                      Moderately    Proficient

Got my 35 PDUs online at CMIT. Not a great course but covers most of the basics.

I actually did my CAPM first because I wasn’t sure if I would have the time to do the PMP. I used Rita’s book for the CAPM. Studied for about 2 months and passed it. It is much easier than PMP

Circumstances changed and I could now go for the PMP. The CAPM gave me a good basis to go for the much harder (but manageable) PMP.

I then used Rita’s PMP book to go into more detail. I read it twice and did all of her questions at the end of each chapter. Usually getting 70-80%. I never once read the PMBOK but that’s probably not a good idea.

I then tried to do as many sample questions as I could find

·         www.oliverlehmann.com

·         www.voightps.de

·         www.tutorialspoint.com

·         206-free-pmp-exam-questions.blogspot.com

·         www.examcentral.net

·         www.pmstudy.com Test 1 & 2 – closest to the exam

The best thing about doing mock exams is that it shows where your weaknesses are. Identify them and study hard and you will see your mock exam results creep up.

I memorized all 42 processes, Ritas process chart and every EMV, PERT, Cost/Benefit etc, equation. I wrote out Rita’s process chart and all the equations when I got into the exam. I knew the 42 processes so well I didn’t have to.

Exam day – arrived fresh, fed and nervous. After going through tighter security than you find in most airports, I sat down and started into it. I got a lot of easy EMV questions which helped me a lot. Also got a lot of risk and procurement. Got at least 30 ‘What is the next step’ questions and this is where Rita’s chart helped a lot. I used all the allotted time. Last 15 minutes for revising marked questions. Didn’t change any of the answers, clicked end. 45 seconds of nerve racking silence, then the magic word. Congratulations.

Good luck to anyone attempting the PMP.  It is passable!