Pass PMP Exam on the First Try

This is the second video in the series on How to Pass the PMP Exam on the First Try. On June 30th, 2020, the PMP exam is changing. Therefore, if you have been studying for a while, then try and take the exam beforehand. I know you can do it! I will show you how I passed the PMP exam in less than six months.

If your company can pay for the PMP, then work with them to do so. The exam is $555 for test-takers who have not joined PMP, and $405 for PMI members. PMI states that PMP-certified leaders make 25% more than those who don’t. This is a huge incentive to get it.

Joined PMI Association

The first step I took was I joined PMI. They are the organization that puts out the PMP. The main reason that I did that was that they have a lot of resources for members, tons of guidelines on the PMP, and their other certifications, and you get deductions on exams, books, and events. PMI also has local chapters that you can join. These local chapters hold group meetings and other events that are helpful regardless of what stage you are at in your career.

I went to a few meetings in my area so I could learn more about the PMP. I was able to talk to people who were further along in the process and learn from them on what worked and what didn’t.

Read the PMBOK Multiple Times While Taking Notes

I read the PMBOK (PMI’s book for the PMP exam) and read it forward and backward several times. I also highlighted it, took notes, and put those in Evernote. If you use OneNote, Google Keep, or any other note-taking app, any work. If you are more of a paper and pen person, then that works as well.
Just take notes and jot down questions that you have so you can get the answers.

Alongside the PMBOK, I also bought Headstart PMP. With those two resources, I studied for two months.

Played PMWars and Challenged Others

I then learned that as a PMI member, I also had access to projectmanagement.com. Even to this day, I use projectmanagement.com all the time. They have great webinars, articles, and templates that you can use at work. For those working on their PMP, they have an interactive game called PMWars. You can challenge others and see who gets more PMP questions correctly. This was when I realized that I was only about 25 percent ready to take this exam.

Went and Learned From Other PMP Test Takers

I decided to go on forums and read how other people studied, how long it took them, and what worked for them to pass the first time. The majority of people said it took them about six months to study for the PMP, so that’s the timeline that I went with. I also started taking the online practice tests, and quizzes that they linked to that they said helped them.

I studied an additional two months felt 85 percent ready.

Took a PMP Boot Camp

After that, I took a week-long boot camp. The boot camp helped me understand the exam and how to take it effectively. After the boot camp, I knew I was ready. I spent another two weeks studying and taking practice tests, and then I went to the test center.

When I saw the “Congratulations” message, I teared up because that exam was tough. I hope that this helped. Please sign up for the newsletter to get updates on future videos on the PMP.