PMP Exam Preparation

Thank You Praveen (http://www.linkedin.com/in/pmalik)  for the 4 days of effective and efficient PMP Exam prep training conducted by you (17th to 20th May'11). This really helped set the platform for me. After that there was no looking back and I successfully cracked the PMP exam on 30^th June’11. There are a few points which I need to mention to other PMP aspirants.

• Since most of us are working professionals so finding out time to study for the PMP exam is difficult but not impossible. I depends how much thirst one has to crack this prestigious exam at the 1^st attempt. Ideally at least 3 hours daily on weekdays and 5-6 hours on the weekends should be dedicated towards exam preparation.
• Based on my experience during the preparation, I would suggest that, one should read the PMBOK at least 3-4 times very carefully. Apart from this one should also read the Rita Mulcahy book for PMP Exam Preparation. I read both the books about 4 times each. This really helped me understand the concepts and relate all the ITTOs.
• One should at least complete 3 simulations tests (all 4 hours each) to develop that patience level to sit through the grueling exam. There are various simulation tests which one can find out through google. The gap between each of the tests should be at least a week each so that you can effectively measure your performance improvement. A few of the sites from where you can attempt simulation exams are http://www.pmstudy.com/ & http://headfirstlabs.com/PMP/free_exam/ . Apart from this also attempt all the sample questions mentioned every chapter of Rita Mulcahy’s book. Another trick is to draw page number 43 of PMBOK everyday. Remember this page is your Bible and you always need to carry this in your mind. This page will help you crack a lot of exam questions.
•  Remember the questions in the actual exam are very tricky and should be interpreted carefully. The exam tests you from an Expert level, hence the person attempting the exam should have in depth understanding about all the project management knowledge areas and process groups.
• Another challenge which a person can face is the ambience at test center. For me it was quite noisy as there were many other people who were attempting various other exams at the test center. I was fortunately provided with a headphone to help reduce the surrounding noise. Remember patience and concentration is the key to success at the exam center. Solving 200 questions can be quite tasking so take long deep breaths every 30 minutes to help you with your concentration and patience. I was quite nervous a day before the test and as my test was scheduled for the evening, it started getting on my nerves. I did not study during the morning and afternoon of the exam and felt a little better. Remember you need to give your brain enough time to digest all that you have read. So no studying on the last day.
•  On clearing the exam, I felt on the top of the world. I couldn’t sleep the entire night and the next morning when I woke up, I picked my PMBOK and started studying  when it suddenly struck me that I was a certified PMP now. This feeling takes a few days to sink in. It has been a truly overwhelming experience.

Thank You Praveen Once Again.