PMP Lessons Learned: PMBOK Guide is the Go-to Exam Study Resource

2020 is still a good year to prepare and pass the PMP Exam! The PMP Exam will only change in Jul 2020 and Aspirants still have plenty of time to tackle the PMP Exam! Thanks and congratulations to Allison Cascone who just passed the PMP Exam!

The lessons learned by Allison Cascone on this PMP Exam prep project is detailed below:

My most important piece of advice is to take as many practice questions as you can, specifically a few full-length exams. This helped me to understand how to budget my time so I would be able to review most of the exam again. Also, take the full time. I actually finished with an hour and a half left but I went back to review the questions I had questions on and some of the earlier questions that I was not as comfortable with as I had not gotten into a rhythm yet (something I learned I needed while taking practice exams).

Use a variety of sources for questions. I used 3 apps, a 7 exam question bank, and a few free full-length exams. This ensured I was reviewing a variety of styles and levels of difficulty. Also, look for question banks that will assess your understanding based on the process groups and knowledge areas. These breakdowns surprised me and helped me to focus my attention on where I needed it (Procurement, Scheduling, and Closing).

Take notes as you review and do your 35 hours of learning but also look at other’s notes. This helped me to clarify a few points I did not understand and gave me tips for remembering those I did.

Take some time off from studying – it can become overwhelming as the exam date gets closer but you need to rest your brain too so you don’t burn out.

For the exam itself, you cannot bring anything in with you. I had brought a granola bar and water but had to lock it up. You are also searched before you enter every time (including bathroom breaks). This will take time as you need to roll up your sleeves, pat down your arms, legs, and body, and show that you have nothing in your pockets. I even had to take my glasses off to be examined and pull my hair back to show there was nothing in my ears. Try to limit breaks if you can (I needed one – it’s 4 hours after all).

Those are my main pieces of advice; I hope they are helpful!

~ Allison Cascone, PMP

Thanks Allison Cascone for the PMP Exam lessons learned!