Free PMP Study Resources

Even though I passed the Project Management Institute PMP Certification exam in 2004, I'm sometimes asked about resources for the current exam. I recommend people try these free sites:

• PM Study: a Registered Education Provided for PMI
• PMHub: a Professional PM Community
• PMStudy vs. PMCampus vs PMHub Discussion at ITToolbox Project Management Knowledge Base

This one isn't free, but it's a great place to help prepare for the PMP in Silicon Valley or get project management training:

• UCSC Extension Project and Program Management Certification
  

A Few Summary Thoughts from Raj

I found this study group to be invaluable in preparing and studying for the PMP. I passed just yesterday, and Debra passed a couple of weeks ago. I'm a Mom with 2 kids and a full time job, so it was really hard to find quiet study time, and stay motivated :-)

Here are some of my comments, especially if you want to form your own study group:

1. Commitment: Submit your application and schedule exams within a few weeks
   of joining. This makes for a group of committed people.
   
2. Set up a blog/newsgroup to capture action items("homework"), tips (from this
   group for example)
   
3. We started out meeting at the local Starbucks, but a local library with study
   rooms (Santa Clara, Cupertino) worked out great for us.
   
4. Pick the book/s you are going to study from.
   
   • We used Kim Heldman as a base.
     
   • Every week, we individually studied a chapter from Heldman which
     covered a few chapters/section from the PMBOK.
     
   • During the group session, we'd quiz each other on definitions.
     
   • Heldman has 20 review questions at the end of each chapter, which we'd attempt to answer, and go over the material on questions that we got wrong.


5. Other helpful resources
   
• If you've invested in Mulcahy, she has many more questions on each knowledge area/process group.
  
• The PMPCert yahoo group has a Files section with some extremely helpful documentation, review questions.
  
6. After going through all the chapters, we did the bonus exam questions (There are 4 bonus exams on the Heldman CD)
   

I did a lot of the assessment reviews on my own as well, especially in the two weeks leading up to the exam.

Good luck!
Raj

New PMP in the House

I'm very excited to announce, that as of today, November 15th, Raj Ganesan is a PMP!!

You GO Girl!!!

Now to Straits, Santana Row, to celebrate.

This concludes the 8Fifteen PMP Study Group. Thank you all for your support these last four months.

Start Using PMP

I'm very happy to find out today that I can start using PMP on my resume right away. I thought I'd have to wait until I got the official certificate.

Quote from the PMI website:

After you pass the exam, you may immediately use the credential in your name (for example, Jane Doe, PMP). Your test results are sent to PMI and a certificate is sent to you.

Debra's 10-23 Post Test Brain Dump

I'm happy to announce that as of Friday, October 22nd Debra Evans passed the Project Management Institute (PMI) Project Management Professional (PMP) certification test. Woo Hoo! I didn't score as highly as I wanted, but I PASSED.

Thanks to Raj Ganesan and others for their support and help over my ordeal that began earlier in summer 2004.

Below is some of my advice to Raj regarding her last 3 weeks plus of studying:

• The last few weeks, concentrate on taking the assessment tests over and over.
  - Mainly to get used to getting through 200 questions in 4 hours
  - Helps you know what to concentrate on for the last hours before the test
  
• I went through the test the first time in about 2 hours
  - 3rd hour spent going through the questions I skipped or marked to go back to
  - 4th hour spent going through the whole test again from beginning to end
  
• The test seemed to be a combination of materials from sources other than just the PMBOK
  - PMStudy, http://www.pmstudy.com/
  - Kim Heldman's PMP: Project Management Professional Study Guide, 2nd Edition
  - Rita Mulcahy's PM FASTrack: PMP Exam Simulation Software, Version 4.3
  (check my eBay auction to see if mine's still available)
  - University of California, Santa Cruz extension, Project and Program Management certification classes
• Don't neglect the ITTOs (inputs, tools and techniques and outputs) since there are literally thousands of variations they can ask you about
  
• There was quite a few questions on content not in the PMBOK but in the study guides.
  - That's why it's important to get study materials and not just memorize the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge
  
• Take a trip to the testing facility, Prometric, in advance to get a "lay of the land" if you get nervous about such things.
  - You can get facility information when you sign up for the test.
  - Bring two picture IDs and your letter that confirms you can take the test.

GOOD LUCK ON YOUR TEST!

10-17 Study Group Meeting

We had our second and last study group at the Santa Clara library. Debra's scheduled to take the PMP Certification test on Friday, October 22nd first thing in the morning. So we met and exchanged the last study materials as well as go through a couple assessment tests. Luckily we scored a study room, at least part of the time. This was a good thing because a student with a VERY annoying voice who couldn't whisper to save her life, sat near us with her study group.

Covered Today:
Assessment Tests

Main Learning Points

• What we know and what we need to study more
  

10-10 Study Group Meeting

We had our first study group at the Santa Clara library. It's a beautiful library, but we were too late to get a study room. Raj shared more insights from the PMPCert Yahoo Group. The best advice was how helpful PMStudy is for test preparation. Many posters to the group said that the website's assessment tests are very close to the PMP Certification test. Raj said that she plans to take the test on Monday, November 15th.

The last study group meeting scheduled Sunday, October 17th at 1 pm. We'll meet at the Santa Clara Library where they have study rooms and internet connections.

Covered Today:
Assessment Tests

Main Learning Points

• What we know and what we need to study more
  

To Be Covered Sunday:
Assessment Tests