I registered to take the PMP exam in october 2008. I really did not start studying very seriously untill June 2009.
I had read through the PMBOK (3rd edition) during my masters in project management degree programm, and still had to read it a second time in May 2009. I became very anxious when I realised that I had to study the latest edition of PMBOK guide (4th edition) since my exam was slated for August 28th 2009. At this time, I had subcribed to PMprepcast (www.pm-prepcast.com) by Cornelius Fichtner, PMP. This was very helpful to me because it provided a very good insight to the PMBOK guide, and made my studies more interesting. I also purchased the formula guide by Cornelius Fichner. This made my understandinig of the formulae very easy, and i was able to reproduce my brain dump cheat sheet with little hassle.
However, I still needed to have a real time 4 hour simulation exam to help boost my confidence level. Luckily for me, I was introduced to PM-ABC (www.pm-abc.com) by someone in PMHUB (a yahoo chat group). I then registered and had access to the 4hr simulation exams.
After my first trial of the simulation exam, I scored around 54%, then about 70% by my second trial and over 80% after my third trial. Then my confidence level rose real high. I must confess, the simulation exams were very helpful to me. Infact, I was really shocked to find VERY SIMILAR questions in the real exam. Thank God I signed up with PM-ABC before the exam.
To cut the chase, this is my advise to any PMP aspirant (which is the same advise by Cornelius over and over again in his prepcast podcast):
1. Have a well deisgned plan for your studies.
2. Never delay till the last minute (student syndrome) before you begin studying (this almost hurt me).
3. Read the PMBOK guide at least three times.
4. Subcribe to at least two other PMP tutorial prepcast and or simulation exams to help give you different pespectives to the PMBOK and boost your confidence level for the exam.
5. Join a PMP chat room/group like the PMHUB in yahoo. (You will find very helpful information and resources).
6. If you are religious, commit every effort to GOD before you set out for the exam.
Good luck to you all.
Alexius Emejom, PMP
