PMP Exam Preparation In 7 Days: My Strategy & Study Plan

I got my PMP certification in January 2016 with seven days of solid preparation. I have been helping people in my network with their exam preparation since then. I often get emails asking for guidance to prepare efficiently in a short time span.  So, that is the motivation behind my first LinkedIn article.

DISCLAIMER: This strategy might not work for everyone.

Background: I had my PMP application approved last year and couldn’t schedule the exam due to my hectic work schedules and travel plans. Finally, with just 1 week for the application expiration, I decided to give it a try.

My Study Plan: My rough plan was to skim through all the 47 processes once and then take as many mock exams as possible.

Step 1: Skimmed through the PMBOK 5th edition guide and noted down important points. The idea was to understand all the knowledge areas and processes at a very high level. No cramming here!

Step 2: Referred Rita Mulcahy 8th edition for clarifications. I also completed the tests at the end of each chapter.

Step 3: Used HeadFirst PMP as a bedtime read. The information is laid out in an easy to read manner and I could retain most of the topics I read from this book.

Step 4: General reading to cover the additional topics in the new format of the PMP exam. I emphasized more on business strategy, benefits realization, value of lessons learnt, project charter responsibility and stakeholder relationships. I did the reading during my study breaks.

Step 5: Started taking mock exams from Day 2 of my preparation. I covered PM Study 1-4, Head First PMP, PMP Road trip and Oliver Lehmann (75 and 175). I consistently scored 70 – 80% in all the mocks.

I studied for approximately 8 hours everyday and followed these steps diligently. Going through the same topics multiple times helped me to associate the processes and knowledge areas easily.

Exam Day Strategy

• Slept for around 6 hours and went through my notes in the morning.
• During the initial 15 minutes (There is a 15 minute instruction screen before you start the actual exam. Use this time to create your brain dump), I wrote a quick summary of all the processes in a tabular format. I also noted down all the formulas and used it for reference during the exam. Trust me; this is very important to ensure that we don’t forget anything during the four hour long exam.
• Completed the first pass in less than 2 hours and then took a quick break.
• I had marked around 50 questions during my first pass and finalized those during my second pass.
• Reviewed all the questions twice before submitting.

 My key takeaways

• PMP is an exam which tests your understanding of project management methodology.
• It is definitely NOT a memory test.
• You will be able to perform well if you have managed large projects and know the basic concepts of project management.
• Motivation is the key to success. It is a good idea to have a study partner who can motivate you to stick to your plan.
• Finally, just be confident and success will be yours!

 Wish you all the best with your PMP exam preparation.