What are best resources to pass the PMP test by December 15, 2016?

PM2BE

Due to a reorg at work, four of us have been told that we have to take the PMP exam by Dec 15th of this year. I am not really a PM but have done a few projects. I need to know the fastest way to study in this short amount of time. I don't think they are going to pay for any boot camps or training. I have the PMBOK 5th edition.

I do well with self study and teaching myself. I was trying to watch the Skillsoft videos that my job offers but I feel they maybe wasting my time and that maybe I should just get Rita's book and do BrainBok and practice tests? Would this be enough for this short of a study time?

Harwinder

Hi @PM2BE

Welcome to PM Hangout.

For DIY, you would need the following resources:

1. PMBOK Guide, 5th Ed
2. Rita's PMP Exam Prep, 8th Ed
3. BrainBOK - to get your 35 Contact Hours, Sample Exams, Flashcards, ITTOs and Quizzes
4. Free PMP sample questions online
5. Deep Fried Brain Project blog's PMP Study Notes.
6. Tons of free videos on YouTube to fill in any gaps - be careful not to get distracted with marketing videos disguised as tutorials
7. PMP Study Forums - Use this forum and one other to learn and share information.

I would break up the preparation into 4 phases. Assuming you can spend an average of 20 hours per week (2 hours each on weekdays and 5 hours each on weekends) on your studies, I'm also listing the tentative duration for each phase. Of course, each person has different abilities and constraints, so your mileage may vary.

Phase 1 (4 weeks):

Start with a light reading the PMBOK Guide just to familiarize yourself with its structure and terminology. Read Rita's Book next and do the sample exams in the book as you go along. I would mark/hightlight the text in the book to save time on subsequent passes. Read the PMBOK Guide again complementing it with BrainBOK ITTO Explorer, Quizzes and Flashcards to thoroughly understand the Inputs, Tools and Techniques, and Outputs (ITTOs).

Phase 2 (3 weeks):

At this point, take the Mastering PMBOK Guide Exams (1 and 2) from BrainBOK to assess your familiarity with the basic terminology and concepts. Revisit your study resources to fill in the gaps. Move on to the PMP Practice Exam and repeat the process. Once you pass all the BrainBOK exams, you would be able to print and download your course completion certificate that you can use to claim 35 Contact Hours of project hours of education for your PMP application.

Phase 3 (1 week):

Submit your PMP application with PMI and follow their process to pay the exam fee and schedule your exam. Try to get an exam date within 2-4 weeks. If your application is selected for an audit, then that would delay the process by 1-2 weeks.

Phase 4 (2-4 weeks):

Attempt a few good quality free sample exams online and review the study material at your disposal.

Take the exam and celebrate your success!

PM2BE

Awesome! Thank you so much for this plan, it is very helpful. I will map it out on the calendar and get started!