NFT: Does anyone have experience with the PMP exam?

PMP hand strong

or a course offering? Even as a practicing program manager, it's VERY difficult to pass the PMP exam through self directed study.

I've taken sample portions of tests to validate the materiel for the Defense Acquisition University... I've been in the PM arena for 20+ years and I struggle mightily. I got level III certified through more than 5 years of coursework... Don't mean to be a wet blanket -- GOOD LUCK -- the PMP exam is brutal (as you know).

I have passed the PMP. It is just like you say on the test, on most questions based on the wording you can make a case for at least two answers being correct.

I got my PMP while I worked at EMC and they forced/paid me to take training classes every quarter so I took a PMP exam prep class that helped, they taught you the nuances of the exam in addition to the material which is mostly common sense - other than the formulas which you should memorize.

what test prep book do you have?

experience, but I have heard it’s really hard. And I passed two bar exams by wide margins. Shows you what’s difficult.

when you pass, I hope your friends give you more facebook likes than some recovering substance abuser. Because justice.

PMI requires 35 hours formal training. They gave us a 3 week study plan before scheduling the test. I'm not sure I'll be ready. I've spent 25 years managing or working around projects. The challenge is learning PMIs terminology.

And I ordered an exam prep book on Amazon.

Is basically learning someones idea of what project management is. Its a pain in the azz...somewhat stupid and useless and somewhat helpful in certain areas. Its about studying for the test. Take a prep course. or two. When you can pass the practice test...take the actual tests.

Hands down the most infuriating test I have ever taken. Series 7 had more content but was a cake walk compared to the PMP. It is also the least representative of the knowledge of the test taker of any exam I've ever seen (/rant over).

A boot camp is definitely a good idea if you can afford it but schedule the exam right afterwards (within a week or two). If you are going to self study I recommend test, test, test, test, and more tests. There are some free ones online and I really like an iPad app called Bench Prep which I could do on the train with my 1.5 hour commute. The best way is to just keep getting answers wrong and figuring out PMI's asinine logic as to why. Forget everything about what you would do in real life and drink the PMI kool aid. Learn the way they categorize and label things rather than the most logical way to solve a problem.

Good luck!

Do not try to memorize everything or even memorize an entire chapter...you will never do it. Just familiarize yourself with all of it.....and do not panic.

and passed, thankfully. I took a prep course for a month and studied for another month before taking it. Brutal is not the right word for it!!! It is very difficult because there's so much material to know. I did the course, had audio tapes, which were extremely helpful, study guide (trifold) - also very helpful and the Orange PMP Book, as well as the PMBOK. I listened to the CDs to and from work for 2 solid months and spent 3 hours each night studying. Pay special attention to the PMBOK. There's also a sample test in the back of the orange book. Good luck!!

I remember getting ¾ of the way through and wondering when the hard stuff was going to start.

A real funky test is the Agile Scrum Master test. Multiple almost correct answers. I barely passed that one

to be a PIMP?

Oh wait. Misread it. Never mind.

What CDs did you use? I'm checking on Audible but I'm not seeing much

Took the study course offered by PMI Long Island Chapter, where I'm a member. The class provided the 35 course hours I needed and they provided the Rita Mulcahy study book which had a practice CD and practice tests. Honestly, I didn't think the Mulcahy stuff was that useful for learning how to pass the test but it definitely taught the material. Took the test right after my course and I failed every section.

I think there are two keys to passing: take a lot of practice tests and being able to dump the formulas. I bought a pretty cheap PMP test simulator which was basically 20 or 25 practice exams. I also downloaded a free test prep with practice exams for my phone. The free phone test was a bit sketchy, but it kept my mind in the game throughout the day.

You must learn how to brain dump the formulas. There are a number methods on YouTube, and I wish I could share the one I used but I can't find it now. Basically, you learn how to memorize the formulas and when you go to Prometrics to take your exam, the first thing you do is to write down all the formulas on a piece of the scratch paper that they give you at the exam. Definitely learn this "brain dump" for all the formulas. If you do, you'll find that the EASIEST questions are going to be the formulas.

Basically, for six weeks, I practiced the formulas brain dump and I took two or three hundred practice questions every day. My second time around I mostly crushed the test, but even after all that prep, it still was not easy.

Don't think that because you're a good project manager you'll do good on the test. Except for the fact that you can't sit for the exam without demonstrating the required hours of PM, being a good PM has ZERO to do with passing the exam.

There aren't that many PMPs in the world and the test is difficult because we only want committed professionals to earn the credential. Its worth the effort.

The instructor suggested we also memorize and brain dump the 47 processes. He provided a matrix that follows the book.

I'll be honest and say I'm feeling a little overwhelmed but I'm committed to passing.

Please post the You tube link if you find it.

Not so sure about dumping the processes. I didn't and I still did well the 2nd time around. I think if you take a lot of practice tests you get the processes drummed into you pretty good. There's a lot of the process and order of things in the Rita Mulchy book. All of the PMPs who taught our class said the real trick was taking lots of practice exams and I'll say that practice tests and the formula dumps did it for me. The thing about the exam is that there's always gong to be two good answers to every question but the formulas (which is why you'll learn to love the formulas b/c there's only ever one righ answer). By taking a lot of practice test you become accustomed to the PMI answer.

If you don't pass, don't feel bad. I'm a good test taker and very experienced PM and I failed the first time around. But if you fail, I would schedule the retake for about 6 weeks later. Less time and you might not study enough, more time and you'll start to forget stuff and loose interest.

I took a Kerzner course through NYU so it did not exactly mirror PMI at the time but even then and after about a six months lapse between the two I was able to pass. With lots of studying. One 'trick' they provided was on average, how the questions are weighted by process groups and knowledge areas. You should be able to find something on line with that info. Study accordingly.

for a PMP

(exam taker.)

I was not sure if I had passed when I hit the submit button at the end. The primary issues I found are:

1. Many questions have multiple right answers, but they expect you to choose the best of the right answers (as they believe the best answer is)

2. As an experienced project manager, you know that there are better approaches to some items than what the PMBOK tells you. You must answer the questions as the PMBOK expects

3. There are many study guides and practice test that you can take in preparation. You will find that the answers given to a number of the questions are inconsistent across practice exams

To prepare I recommend taking as many practice exams as time permits. Good luck!

forgot
4. Many of the answers can not be found in the PMBOK