#372: PMP Exam Experience

Yesterday I passed PMP Exam and became PMP. I did that in Mountlake Terrace and now want to share my experience, maybe someone will find something useful in my story.

First of all, exam was really difficult – I did not expect that, so at some point I wasn’t sure that I can pass it. Questions were wordy and tricky, a lot of extra information that you don’t need to answer the question. I recommend to read the question and review it before answering – what is REALLY asked. Sometimes questions have a lot of numbers and math, but all you need to answer is input or output of the process that is described.

That is what I found next – you have to remember exactly what actions are done when and in what process, like: find sellers is in Planning, select sellers is in Executing and so on. You have to memorize that so you will not spend time to recall. Because time frame of exam is very tiny.

4 hours sounds a lot, but it’s really not. I tried to keep pace ‘1 question – 1 minute’, and took 2 breaks of 10 minutes each. And in the end I didn’t have time to review all marked questions where I had doubts. I hardly had time to answer on skipped ones.

There are options to skip and mark questions. After question №200 you have options to review all questions, review skipped and review marked. Very useful.

Among 200 questions about 90% were situational, and only about 20-25 were math or definition. There were no questions sound like ‘What is input to Develop Charter process’. Almost all of them are like ‘What you should do (should have done)’.

Before the exam I wrote down Process Table and formulas. It helped me a lot, especially at the end of exam, when it was hard to concentrate. I did not take drink or food with me, and regretted that. Test center does not provide any water. All they provide is 4 lists of paper and 2 pencils. You have to return them in the end of exam.

Be prepare to show all your pockets before the test and after returning from each break despite video and audio recording in every room.

Well, in general it was difficult, but feasible. I wish luck everyone!