PMP Prep Plan: Pick the Practical Path – Plato Pathrose, PMP
Shiv, here is something that I would like to share few tips with your readers for their PMP prep plan. I hope they will find this article useful.
My PMP Prep Plan
I planned to write PMP examination about 6 months ago. First, I bought PMBOK in order to go through the theory and concepts. Yes, it is a bit boring read, that is what I understood at first. ?
As I visited the PMI website, I understood the advantages and disadvantages of having a PMI membership. My intention of getting a membership in the first place was to get a reduced exam fee. That was the primary reason why I enrolled myself for the PMI membership at that time.
Meanwhile, I subscribed to the Online training for PMP, PM PrepCast from Cornelius (this is only one which I used, there are many others available in the market)
I started watching the videos daily spending at least 2 hours a day.
I was not comfortable watching the videos always on a computer, hence I used to stream those lessons to my Television set and then sit and prepare exam notes. Self-made notes are the ones I would rate as best reference material to go through before the day of examination.
Learn From PMP Students To Ease Your PMP Prep Efforts – Imran Khan, PMP
My PMP journey started 3 months back, when I decided I need to get certified and also learn how I can use PMI’s best practices in my daily work.
The first thing I realized while starting the PMP preparation was how each project is managed differently and how guidelines set out by PMP can be of enormous help in managing the project efficiently.
I passed my PMP exam and would like to share what I learned along the way.
My PMP study approach & tips
1. I decided that I was going to study not only to get certified but also to use PMI’s project management guidelines to better manage the projects I work on. This mindset helped me investigate many concepts in detail and the long-term benefits of this approach kept me motivated to study when chips were down.
2. I enrolled for a 4-day PMP training. It helped me get an overall view about how to plan for my certification. I would recommend an online course which you can pace as per your need, rather than the classroom training that forces to cramp too much information in 4 days. (few reviews here and here). [click to continue…]
How I Passed CAPM Exam: Mandalee Daria Mason, CAPM
My journey to the CAPM credential was life changing, becoming a project manager was always one of my life goals, yet I procrastinated, some of my procrastination was due to some life events, others was just me being lazy.
In 2016 after walking away from my job, I decided that this is the time for me to put my best foot forward and take this course for ME. I enrolled in a Project Management Exam Prep course with a local institution here in St. Lucia (NRDF) and my journey began.
On the very first day of class, I remember our lecturer (Mrs. Jeanette Hughes, PMP) saying, “Do not underestimate this course; you must ask yourself, DO I HAVE THE DNA TO BE A PROJECT MANAGER?”
I thought to myself, sure I do, I really did not know what was ahead of me, especially being one who had no background in project management or a full managerial role.
Our classes went on, and my studying began from day 1.
How I Got 5 Proficient in PMP Exam With 2-Month Study Plan: Saravanan Baskaran, PMP
“5 Proficient grade (5Ps) in PMP exam with only 8 weeks of preparation”, is how Saravanan Baskaran describes his PMP prep journey. Saravanan is the owner and Principal SAP Consultant & Architect at Universal Technology Solutions, LLC. In this article he reveals the strategies and techniques he used to ace his PMP exam.
-Shiv
Taking several mock exams and reviewing sample questions helped me in clearing the exam successfully. More importantly, reviewing all the incorrect answers by going through the relevant chapters one more time helped me in clarifying my doubts, and understanding the core concepts well. There are numerous materials available in the market. However, I would strongly recommend to just pick and stick with few sources that you feel comfortable with.
Primary PMP prep material
I took the remote training offered by MPROI for 2 weeks. I took the exam 6 weeks after I completed the training.
I figured that reviewing MPROI material and taking several mock exams would sufficient to prepare well for the exam.
After reviewing MPROI material, I was able to understand the PMBOK well. My rough estimate was 4 to 6 weeks of preparation time.
I spent around 2 to 3 hours during the weekdays, and 6 hours on weekends to prepare for the exam. So you could say, overall I spent about 150+ hours of prep time.
My PMP Prep Journey of 4 Months – By Muhammad Shahid, PMP
I started my PMP prep in mid-2015 by studying PMBOK 5 but actual preparation started in Mid-2016 when I enrolled myself in PMP Preparation class for 35 contact hours.
How I began my PMP prep
- I read PMBOK once during mid-2015 and found it to be very dry book, so decided to use it for reference only in future.
- I read Rita’s Book thrice as suggested by my trainer. I highlighted important things during first two readings and read all those highlighted material twice during last week of my study.
- I searched and found some tips for remembering Process Group & Knowledge Area Mapping Table and Formulas but later I realized that there is no need for these, because if you read Rita thrice you will automatically memorize these things.
- I attempted Rita’s, Andy Crowe‘s and HeadFirst‘s chapter end questions 5 times and kept a record of the result for comparison. The results gradually improved and I was able to secure 85% to 100% in 4th and 5th attempt. Also attempted HeadFirst’s and Andy Crowe’s Mock Exam 5 times and able to secure 90%+.
- Attempted all 1000 questions given in “PMP Prep – Question & Answers 2013 Christopher Scordo“.
