Definitely Possible to Hit Perfect Above-Target Score In PMP If You Plan Well, Anita Ajiyen, PMP
Obalim, happy to share that I passed my PMP exam with Above Target result in all 5 domains. Here is my study approach as you requested. I have Engineering background related to projects in the Oil industry.
The PMP trigger
I am a petroleum Engineer with 5 years of experience in the Oil industry. I hold both a Bachelor and a Master degree in petroleum Engineering, graduating my Masters in petroleum Engineering in 2016 from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. I work with Forte Oil Nig.
I wanted to earn PMP certification to enhance my career, open the door to new opportunities, and also formally document the experience in Project Management that I have gained so far.
This certification is also very well respected in the industry. An ideal professional certification to get for every project manager.
My study resources
I figured that having too many resources will only slow down the pace of my exam preparation. After some research and discussions with other Ciel Consulting PMPs, I decided on these 3 primary resources –
PMBOK guide
Rita Mulcahy Exam Prep Book and
Headfirst PMP
I took PMI’s 35 hours course from Ciel Consulting Lagos chapter, back in October 2017.
This was a very good course that provided me also with the PMBOK 5th edition and Rita Mulcahy exam prep material. Due to work and family commitments, it was really difficult for me to take the exam shortly after taking the course.
My PMP study strategy
To enhance my understanding, I created my own study cards as I studied these books. And I used the simulation exams contained in these books to ensure I can apply the concepts to a given situation on the exam.
I found some time to study, few hours here and there but I started to study really hard at the end of October 2017. My target to pass the exam was December.
My preparation picked up pace as I deep dived into the course materials, PMBOK and a couple of books. I also wrote several study cards with the key concepts and then reviewed them before taking the exam.
Well, I had few challenges as well.
Remembering all inputs, outputs and tools was the biggest of them all.
I overcame that by preparing my own study cards and notes, doing the exercises and tests in the books, and writing the formulas several days a week, memorizing certain keywords.
I’d recommend going over the Glossary at the end of PMBOK guide and any other books you may choose to study from. Sometimes understanding of a term can even help you answer a question on the exam.
The other challenge was finding time to study.
It was definitely difficult to find time to study several hours straight in a row, having a full time job and family. I’m very thankful to my family for their support. I could delegate some of the work, and carve out time every day to dedicate for PMP study.