Passed PMP Exam, First Attempt. LL
Since I used this site to fine tune my final exam preparations, I wanted to add to the comments/LL by other recently certified PMPs. Thanks to everyone who has contributed their experience and tips – I found it incredibly helpful.
Materials:
Local PMI Chapter PMP Prep Course (ATX) – 40hrs over 5 weeks
Rita Mulcahy’s PMP Prep, 6th Edition
PMBOK, V 4
PMI’s Code of Ethics
FasTrack Exam Simulation Software
Processes and Key Output chart - InSync Project Consulting
Entire Process Diagram - InSync
Preparation:
Total duration for prep: 4 months (July 25 – November 23rd)
Total hours spent towards prep: ~80-100hrs, including 40hr prep class
Lessons Learned:
>Writing down the differences between the quality processes, the differences between Verify Scope and Perform QC and charting the life of the deliverable was helpful. I started this strategy late in my preparation and – if I had it to do again – would have done this for some of the other concepts too.
>Rita’s book said you did not need to memorize ITTOs, but I saw some comments indicating it would be helpful. Glad I did this.
>Knowing my test strategy and writing it down, was very helpful. I knew from taking the FasTrack simulated exam that I would mark everything for review in the beginning, settle down and then begin to better assess what I actually wanted to return to was helpful. Also, I knew I would need a brain break at hours 1 and 3 and that I would likely need to eat around hour 3. This was good to know and helped me budget my time.
>The simulated exam helped me better prepare for how I would approach answering the exams. First pass = best answer, if in doubt mark for review. If no idea after reading it 3 times, don’t answer and mark for review. Second pass = review all Incompletes/unmarked and answer. Unmark. Third pass = review all those marked until all have been reviewed/unmarked. This took me 3 hrs 52 mins. I probably changed about 5 answers in the review of previously marked answers, and believe them to be good decisions.
>There may be questions farther downstream in the test that will help you answer questions you were unsure of earlier. I was able to correctly answer 2 or 3 this way.
Best,
Erika
admin
Tue, 11/24/2009 - 03:25
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Congratulations Erika.
Congratulations Erika. Thanks a lot for sharing the LL
Regards,
Admin
centrino
Tue, 11/24/2009 - 07:19
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Thanks Erika Question
Thanks Erika
Question : you mention ' InSync ' twice; could you give me the address of their website ?
Thanks !
erikamcnichol
Tue, 11/24/2009 - 15:56
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In Sync
Hi.
The documents I am referring to were given out to my PMP prep class with our course materials. I tried finding the InSync Project Consulting site (so I could give you a better indication of where to find the same documents) and was unable to determine which of the consulting websites it was. :(
At any rate, the laminated charts showed each of the 5 process groups and all of the knowledge area processes contained therein. The second chart showed the processes by knowledge area, with the process group it belonged to, the 'action' it performed and the main outputs.
It may have been overkill, but I memorized the larger chart (with all the process groups and KA processes therein) for my brain dump. I referred to this for about 3 questions.
I also had played Rita's process game until I could order the planning processes correctly, but found this of little value on the test. Not sure why she is so keen on it, FWIW.
centrino
Wed, 11/25/2009 - 08:49
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OK thanks :-)
OK thanks :-)
Retire
Fri, 11/27/2009 - 16:01
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Congratulations...
Congratulations, Erika.
Retire (http://levigate.blogspot.com)