Just Passed PMP

[fyrfytr310]

18 months(ish) ago I nailed the Power PE on the first try.  Now I can add the PMP to my 1st attempt list.

I found the test difficult, not because of the complexity of the individual questions but because of the shear number of questions and the relative ‘dryness’ of the material.  

What’s next?  I guess a masked trip to Disney World.

 

[multiDSPLN]

18 months(ish) ago I nailed the Power PE on the first try. Now I can add the PMP to my 1st attempt list.

I found the test difficult, not because of the complexity of the individual questions but because of the shear number of questions and the relative ‘dryness’ of the material.

What’s next? I guess a masked trip to Disney World.

Congratulation!
I have recently passed Civil PE and planning on taking PMP exam. Would you please share your study references and your study schedule.
Thanks

 

[fyrfytr310]

Congratulation!
I have recently passed Civil PE and planning on taking PMP exam. Would you please share your study references and your study schedule.
Thanks

Thanks!

Haha, I am probably the worst person to get study advice from for this one. I was ALL OVER THE PLACE

As far as materials go, I read the PMBOK cover to cover (insomnia cure), took Udemy’s PMP Crash Course (literally $12 and includes practice exam) and read this book (includes practice exam):

PMP Exam Prep Book: PMBOK Study Guide for Project Management Certification with Practice Exams and Online Flash Cards https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578645637/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_lIXbGbVHSJ5EP?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I don’t know how valuable this will be with the format change but there it is.

 

[civilrobot]

18 months(ish) ago I nailed the Power PE on the first try. Now I can add the PMP to my 1st attempt list.

I found the test difficult, not because of the complexity of the individual questions but because of the shear number of questions and the relative ‘dryness’ of the material.

What’s next? I guess a masked trip to Disney World.

Congratulations! Welcome to the party!

 

[S_Griffing]

Congrats! What do you want to do now? There are certifications and educational opportunities for whatever path you choose. I'm a Cyber guy, so most of my certifications are in that arena.

 

[Mike M PE]

I passed the PMP December 30th right before the change (Thank God). While it was tough, I still think the PE was much harder. I took a course through Edumind and read the PMBOK 6th edition which is boring for sure but it worked.

Good luck!

 

[Sparky Bill PE]

PE here too, can someone please let me know your best guess of how much study time you put into the PMP? Also, I know it shows you your score at the end of the exam when you pass, if you're comfortable will you post your grade too?

Sorry I'm the typical engineer not taking this too seriously and been studying for a PE for 14 months so the name of the game is being "efficient" with my time lol.

 

[civilrobot]

PE here too, can someone please let me know your best guess of how much study time you put into the PMP? Also, I know it shows you your score at the end of the exam when you pass, if you're comfortable will you post your grade too?

Sorry I'm the typical engineer not taking this too seriously and been studying for a PE for 14 months so the name of the game is being "efficient" with my time lol.

I took the PMP exam three times. At the time, I was very young and exclusively working as a project engineer in construction.

1st attempt: I didn't study. I thought that I knew project management like the back of my hand. I'll wing it and pass, no problem. Wrong. I failed.

2nd attempt: I signed up, and didn't study. I think I had the PMBOK. So, ya know...growth. But I said, "ok I know what to expect. The first time was a fluke. I'll think a little harder and I'll pass!" Wrong. I failed.

3rd attempt: I was working with a great guy who had a PE and PMP. He convinced me to sign up for a review course. So, I actually signed up for a review course through Project Management Academy. I read the entire PMBOK before the class. It was so boring but really worth it, because it gave me context for the review course. I had a 1 yr old at the time, so I stayed in a hotel in my city and attended the 4 day course. I finished the course on a Thursday, I took the exam on that next Tuesday and passed. I actually did pretty well. I'm trying to dig up my analysis. PMI doesn't have it displayed anymore. I think I have it saved somewhere. Overall, I'd say it took me 3 months at the most. I read the PMBOK in October-November, took the course in December and took the exam in December.

Key lesson: Prepare. Take a course. It's not about what you know. It's about learning how to answer the questions in the way that they want you to answer the questions.

 

[Sparky Bill PE]

I took the PMP exam three times. At the time, I was very young and exclusively working as a project engineer in construction.

1st attempt: I didn't study. I thought that I knew project management like the back of my hand. I'll wing it and pass, no problem. Wrong. I failed.

2nd attempt: I signed up, and didn't study. I think I had the PMBOK. So, ya know...growth. But I said, "ok I know what to expect. The first time was a fluke. I'll think a little harder and I'll pass!" Wrong. I failed.

3rd attempt: I was working with a great guy who had a PE and PMP. He convinced me to sign up for a review course. So, I actually signed up for a review course through Project Management Academy. I read the entire PMBOK before the class. It was so boring but really worth it, because it gave me context for the review course. I had a 1 yr old at the time, so I stayed in a hotel in my city and attended the 4 day course. I finished the course on a Thursday, I took the exam on that next Tuesday and passed. I actually did pretty well. I'm trying to dig up my analysis. PMI doesn't have it displayed anymore. I think I have it saved somewhere. Overall, I'd say it took me 3 months at the most. I read the PMBOK in October-November, took the course in December and took the exam in December.

Key lesson: Prepare. Take a course. It's not about what you know. It's about learning how to answer the questions in the way that they want you to answer the questions.

Are you a PE by chance? I was going to ask about preparation compared to PE as well to get some feedback

 

[Mike M PE]

I studied pretty aggressively for about 3 hours Monday - Friday with an occasional Saturday for 4 hours for about 3 months. I passed with 2 needs improvements and 3 AT (Planning, Monitoring and Closing). I will say you have to answer the questions like PMI wants you to, not how YOU think they should be. This is VERY important. Also I did take a review course (Edumind) which helped as well.

 

[Sparky Bill PE]

I studied pretty aggressively for about 3 hours Monday - Friday with an occasional Saturday for 4 hours for about 3 months. I passed with 2 needs improvements and 3 AT (Planning, Monitoring and Closing). I will say you have to answer the questions like PMI wants you to, not how YOU think they should be. This is VERY important. Also I did take a review course (Edumind) which helped as well.

Great advice. Big difference in what WE think and to play the game of what they want you to say LOL

 

[civilrobot]

Are you a PE by chance? I was going to ask about preparation compared to PE as well to get some feedback

Not yet. I've sat for the PE once, and I'm studying for it again. It's not the same. PMP requires more memorization. PE requires more critical thinking.

 

[Sparky Bill PE]

Not yet. I've sat for the PE once, and I'm studying for it again. It's not the same. PMP requires more memorization. PE requires more critical thinking.

Dang good feedback, thank you. That was how I figured I would approach it. That prep-cast place people said has a simulator. I'll probably just hammer out problems after problems.

I do have a question, people said you get zero references, which is fine, but I found an article that says "100 calculations and equations u must know for the PMP". Do you really memorize those 100 equations and then do the math in your head or something? Seemed simple for an engineer, but I know many "administrative" employees that get this and they couldn't do that.

 

[Kalika PE]

Agree that the PMP is about memorization. I spent about 2 hours on weekdays for 3 months studying. I used a study guide, PMBOK, and materials I found on the internet. But the key to passing is memorizing all the processes and understanding it’s relation to each other. I procrastinated and committed it to memory on my 45 minute drive to the test center. Many of my responses reached back to the processes which I think helped me pass on my first attempt. Good luck!

 

[TexEng777]

PE here too, can someone please let me know your best guess of how much study time you put into the PMP? Also, I know it shows you your score at the end of the exam when you pass, if you're comfortable will you post your grade too?

Sorry I'm the typical engineer not taking this too seriously and been studying for a PE for 14 months so the name of the game is being "efficient" with my time lol.

Agree that the PMP is about memorization. I spent about 2 hours on weekdays for 3 months studying. I used a study guide, PMBOK, and materials I found on the internet. But the key to passing is memorizing all the processes and understanding it’s relation to each other. I procrastinated and committed it to memory on my 45 minute drive to the test center. Many of my responses reached back to the processes which I think helped me pass on my first attempt. Good luck!

I started prepping for the PMP back in May 2020. I used the Linked review course in order to meet one of the requirements for the PMP exam application. The LinkedIn review course was free through my company. I also used the pmp master prep test, velocity tech test simulators, PMI practice exam and you tube videos. Most of the Test questions were situation questions. PMP changed their test domains for the 2021. There is a free class being offered by PMI member based on the new format. Hopefully that helps.

 

[TexEng777]

Dang good feedback, thank you. That was how I figured I would approach it. That prep-cast place people said has a simulator. I'll probably just hammer out problems after problems.

I do have a question, people said you get zero references, which is fine, but I found an article that says "100 calculations and equations u must know for the PMP". Do you really memorize those 100 equations and then do the math in your head or something? Seemed simple for an engineer, but I know many "administrative" employees that get this and they couldn't do that.

The only equations that you really have know are cost and schedule variance.

Dang good feedback, thank you. That was how I figured I would approach it. That prep-cast place people said has a simulator. I'll probably just hammer out problems after problems.

I do have a question, people said you get zero references, which is fine, but I found an article that says "100 calculations and equations u must know for the PMP". Do you really memorize those 100 equations and then do the math in your head or something? Seemed simple for an engineer, but I know many "administrative" employees that get this and they couldn't do that.

These are the equations that I memorized. You have the opportunity to do brain dump during the exam to write down the formula an other items.

 

[civilrobot]

The only equations that you really have know are cost and schedule variance.

These are the equations that I memorized. You have the opportunity to do brain dump during the exam to write down the formula an other items.

@Sparky Bill PE yeah I don't know about 100 equations. The only equations I had to know were the cost management equations. I know there are a few scheduling equations as well. You need to know how to calculate total float, free float, and durations.

I can't think of anything else you need to calculate.

 

[squaretaper LIT AF PE]

I agree with @civilrobot. I would add there were a handful (really, fewer than 5) of earned-value questions...that's it.

 

[Mike M PE]

Dang good feedback, thank you. That was how I figured I would approach it. That prep-cast place people said has a simulator. I'll probably just hammer out problems after problems.

I do have a question, people said you get zero references, which is fine, but I found an article that says "100 calculations and equations u must know for the PMP". Do you really memorize those 100 equations and then do the math in your head or something? Seemed simple for an engineer, but I know many "administrative" employees that get this and they couldn't do that.

I think I had maybe 7 equation type questions and only two or three were actual calculations. I wouldn't worry too much about memorizing them, but I would KNOW them. That means understand what the numbers mean when you get an answer because they tested for understanding of material.

 

[S_Griffing]

I took it a while ago, (2013), before I got my PE. My employer at the time hosted a PMP bootcamp for a few of us, and told me to show up. After that, and about 2 months of off and on review of the PMBOK, I sat for it and passed without issue. It isn't nearly as hard as the PE exam, but is on par with some of my other certs, (easier than the CISSP, better written than the C|EH, harder than the PSP, much easier than the FE or PE exam). Memorization of their terms and methods is the way to pass. Oh, and find some practice tests, those helped me a lot. Just make sure they're for the same version that you've signed up for.