PMP Exam Prep

[lador]

Thank you guys, I really appreciate. I will be back soon to share my good news!

 

[cupojoe PE PMP]

Thank you guys, I really appreciate. I will be back soon to share my good news!

Schedule your exam BEFORE you start studying so you have a deadline.

 

[lador]

Schedule your exam BEFORE you start studying so you have a deadline.

I am going through the audit process, once I submit all the required documents and a reply from them I will schedule for the exam.

 

[cupojoe PE PMP]

As long as you're going through the process. You need a deadline to work towards, otherwise you are just going to spin your wheels. Pump and dump.

 

[matt267 PE]

Pump and dump.

Is that like "hit it and quit it?"

 

[SK82 P.E.]

Hoping to try for the PMP later next year, so looking to buy these books now to fall under the 2016 budget.    Note that I purchased a PMP course through Grey Academy for $60 during Black Friday, so that should account for the 45 hour requirement.    Do I really need all four of these books? Are any redundant?

PMP Exam Prep, Eighth Edition - Updated: Rita's Course in a Book for Passing the PMP Exam by Rita Mulcahy

The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try, Fifth Edition by Andy Crowe

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)–Fifth Edition 

Head First PMP: A Learner's Companion to Passing the Project Management Professional Exam by Jennifer Greene

 

[ruggercsc]

Hoping to try for the PMP later next year, so looking to buy these books now to fall under the 2016 budget.    Note that I purchased a PMP course through Grey Academy for $60 during Black Friday, so that should account for the 45 hour requirement.    Do I really need all four of these books? Are any redundant?

PMP Exam Prep, Eighth Edition - Updated: Rita's Course in a Book for Passing the PMP Exam by Rita Mulcahy

The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try, Fifth Edition by Andy Crowe

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)–Fifth Edition 

Head First PMP: A Learner's Companion to Passing the Project Management Professional Exam by Jennifer Greene

Buy Rita's book and the PMBOK and with your course you should be good to go.  I did not use Rita's book, but I have heard nothing but good things about it.  If you read her book, do the course you purchased, and use the PMBOK for a reference while studying you should be good.   

 

[ruggercsc]

Note that I purchased a PMP course through Grey Academy for $60 during Black Friday

Let us know what you think of this course.  I have seen PM courses as much as $3,000+.  IMHO, $60 is probably what the true value of the course.  

 

[SK82 P.E.]

Let us know what you think of this course.  I have seen PM courses as much as $3,000+.  IMHO, $60 is probably what the true value of the course.  

I will definitely do a review once I get into it.  I was comparing Grey Academy vs Simplilearn (both cost $300 for self-paced) and they both had good reviews, for the most part.  I was going to go with Simplilearn until Grey Academy had their 80% off on Black Friday, so I went the cheaper route - more so to get the 35 hours formal ed. hours and I will have access for 1 year vs. 6 months with Simplilearn.

Also, people have posted on EB that going through certain books and working the practice exams were more effective than some of the courses so I decided to take a chance.  Just like the PE, I'm doing this for my own career development.  I don't know if my company will reject my attempt to get reimbursed for some of my expenses getting this PE, so  just in case, I'm trying to keep this PMP cost low but effective as possible.  This whole FE/PE journey has cost me a little over $3000 the last year and a half.  

 

[cupojoe PE PMP]

Hoping to try for the PMP later next year, so looking to buy these books now to fall under the 2016 budget.    Note that I purchased a PMP course through Grey Academy for $60 during Black Friday, so that should account for the 45 hour requirement.    Do I really need all four of these books? Are any redundant?

PMP Exam Prep, Eighth Edition - Updated: Rita's Course in a Book for Passing the PMP Exam by Rita Mulcahy

The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try, Fifth Edition by Andy Crowe

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)–Fifth Edition 

Head First PMP: A Learner's Companion to Passing the Project Management Professional Exam by Jennifer Greene

Start with Rita's book. Also, if you join PMI for like $110 you get like $125 off the exam price, so it's worth it for the first year. With your membership you also get a free PDF copy of the PMBOK. So if you are okay reading a PDF you might save yourself some money.

After I read Rita's book and worked the sample problems I went to the local library and they head a number of study guides....I did use the Crowe book and Head First PMP to review additional practice questions. Rita's book had questions that were closer to the actual exam.

Before you start studying, schedule your test date. You need to have an end date for your studying. This exam is "pump & dump" so you want to take the test at the peak of your studying not, get through studying then schedule it for a few weeks later.

 

[framiel]

Rita Book and PMBOK are all you need. I passed using both. I agree. It is a pump & dump type of exam.

 

[Porter_]

just posting to subscribe to this thread.  I'm looking to take the PMP exam this year and all this was helpful.  thanks EB folks  :beerchug:

 

[civilrobot PE etc etc]

I studied for the PMP on my own twice and failed twice. I didn't commit myself and tried to take it based on real world experience. As many others have said, the test is not based on real world experience. It's based on studying the material and choosing the best answer. I took a prep course with Project Management Academy and it was the best. I was working with a colleague who is a PE  and a PMP. He just showed up in September and said "yeah, I took the PMP exam last Friday and I passed. I used Project Management Academy to prepare." I signed up, took the class and passed in December 2015 and this was after 8 years of not reviewing any of the material. It was a really good decision and I'm glad I did it. 

My company reimbursed me for the study materials, the test, and the prep course. I moved on to another company 4 months later and had to pay it back but I received a $22,000 increase in salary with the new company because of my PMP so it was worth it. Now I'm applying for the PE and to be honest, I'm getting it to move up to executive management and to sign off on large contracts. We don't do design work here. It's just icing on the cake but I really want that icing. 

 

[cupojoe PE PMP]

I didn't commit myself and tried to take it based on real world experience.

IMHO, this is the number one downfall for engineers on the PMP. The PMP was born out of the IT industry, not brick and mortar projects. It has a lot of good information with individual pieces/tools to be used throughout a project. But they are very particular about their way and only their way. Not the way you would usually do it.

For those in the future search for my posts on PM-Bob (and pun on PMBOK). PM-Bob is a fictional project manager that executes projects EXACTLY as stated in the PMBOK. He is not a project manager in your company. You should answer the questions on the PMP as if you are PM-Bob, not yourself.

 

[Rusty the Vizsla]

I agree in the I.T. point you make.  Just passed it in November, yet I don't see if applying for Construction Management jobs, they list PMP preferred.  It's usually experience and a CCM as well.   

 

[MI-Roger]

I used ONLY the Rita book for preparation and passed on my first attempt.  The book will be changing soon since PMBOK has changed and the PMP Exam will be changing effective March 23, 2018.  My study method was:

1. Read Chapters 2 through 14 of the Rita Book
   
2. Read Chapters 2 through 14 of the Rita Book a second time.
   
3. Took the post chapter exams.
   
4. Any exam on which I scored less than 75 % meant I read those chapters a third time (seven Chapters for me).
   
5. Memorized the 25 Steps in the Planning Cycle and all formulas the weekend before the test.
   
6. Day before the Test I did the Chapter exams a second time and Read Chapters 1 and 15 of Rita (How To Take The Test info)
   

I found the exam questions to be more straightforward than the Rita questions.

 

[utilityeng]

Recently obtained my PE and this acronym is next on the list for me. Wish I would've known about the test change as I would have started preparing right after taking the PE in October (as much as that would have sucked).

Anyway, since I don't have enough time to study for the old format, my plan is to purchase the new PMBOK 6th edition, Rita's book (9th edition due out Feb. 3), and take an online course to satisfy the 35 contact hr requirement.

I'm thinking of going with the self paced Simplilearn platform since my schedule doesn't permit me to take an instructor lead course. It supposedly satisfies the contact hr requirement and includes 5 practice exams, but there are certainly cheaper self-learn alternatives out there.

I self studied for the PE without the assistance of a course so I think most of my learning will come from Rita's book, the course is just a means of obtaining the contact hrs.

If anyone has any suggestions for me, I'm all ears.

 

[ruggercsc]

Recently obtained my PE and this acronym is next on the list for me. Wish I would've known about the test change as I would have started preparing right after taking the PE in October (as much as that would have sucked).

Anyway, since I don't have enough time to study for the old format, my plan is to purchase the new PMBOK 6th edition, Rita's book (9th edition due out Feb. 3), and take an online course to satisfy the 35 contact hr requirement.

I'm thinking of going with the self paced Simplilearn platform since my schedule doesn't permit me to take an instructor lead course. It supposedly satisfies the contact hr requirement and includes 5 practice exams, but there are certainly cheaper self-learn alternatives out there.

I self studied for the PE without the assistance of a course so I think most of my learning will come from Rita's book, the course is just a means of obtaining the contact hrs.

If anyone has any suggestions for me, I'm all ears.

I can't speak for the new format (not sure anybody can yet), but if you are reading Rita's book, Taking the Simplilearn online PMP module, and taking pratice exams you should be fine. You need to prepare, but the exam is not overtly difficult if you put the time into it. 

If you take the Simplilearn module for the 35 hour requirement, read Rita's, highlight/tab the PMBOK, and take lots of practice exams you pass the exam.  The PMBOK is like a code book.  You really can't read it through.  I highlighted and flagged sections in it during my studying and would come back and review sections if  I missed questions on the practice exams.

Good Luck and come back and post your experience when you pass the new format.  

 

[utilityeng]

I can't speak for the new format (not sure anybody can yet), but if you are reading Rita's book, Taking the Simplilearn online PMP module, and taking pratice exams you should be fine. You need to prepare, but the exam is not overtly difficult if you put the time into it. 

If you take the Simplilearn module for the 35 hour requirement, read Rita's, highlight/tab the PMBOK, and take lots of practice exams you pass the exam.  The PMBOK is like a code book.  You really can't read it through.  I highlighted and flagged sections in it during my studying and would come back and review sections if  I missed questions on the practice exams.

Good Luck and come back and post your experience when you pass the new format.  

Much appreciated @ruggercsc

I will definitely post back with my experience. After I nearly killed myself preparing for the PE during hours when sane people had long since gone to bed, I'm hoping this study experience will be much more relaxed. I know the PMP exam is no walk in the park, but I don't plan on putting in the same effort I did for the PE. I'm thinking closer to 35-45% of PE effort - hopefully that will be enough. 

 

[squaretaper LIT AF PE]

To echo others: I highly recommend Rita's book and Andy Crowe's book. Lady Squaretaper got the PMP first, then I thought I'd take a swing at it but I didn't have a lot of time to study because I had a 3 hour (each way!) commute to work.

So, and this might sound crazy, I listened to Andy Crowe's "Velociteach" six CD set that came with the package while I was stuck in traffic. I honestly learned the bulk of the PMP material just listening to these six CDs on repeat like an insane person for about 2 months. Then, about 2 weeks prior to the exam, I jammed through Rita's and Andy's practice questions from each chapter and the practice tests. Brushed up on topics I was weak in for a couple days and then sat for the exam.

This is not to say I'm any more clever than anybody else, but for PMP aspirants, the main takeaway is just to "accept" the PMI's way of thinking and terminology. That worked best for me. Your best bet is to check your ego and forget everything else you think you know about PMing at the door if you want to pass their test. Mercifully, you get your results immediately! I'm not looking forward to the PE score wait time...