How I passed my PMP.

I wrote the Project Management Professional exam and passed on May 1st 2010.

How long did it take me?

I decided I wanted to be a certified PMP in 2008.

One baby (almost 2 now), 2 projects and one marathon were my achievement between deciding to be a PMP and actually becoming one.

Standard text book excuses for not preparing earlier.

Personal and work commitments kept me from preparing and appearing for the exam.

Listed below are the methods I used to over come the excuses.

1. Any way I became a PMI member joined a lot of professional forums.

2. Printed the PMBOK and carried it around for a few months. That did not work either.

3. Finally I paid the examination fees and scheduled a date (postponed thrice).

4. Looked at the bar chart below for inspiration.

Median Salary by City - Certification: Project Management Professional (PMP) (United States)

Compare your salary: Get a free Salary Report

Method of Study

2 months of unstructured reading of PMBOK and 1 and half months of answering practice questions was the effort I put into preparing for PMP.

1. I read the PMBOK twice

2. PMI Project Management Professional (PMBOKv4) Cram master Test Prep. (a special thanks to my aunt for the loaning it.)

3. Used the web to find free questions.

PMP free Sample questions

1. http://www.oliverlehmann.com/pmp-self-test/75-free-questions.htm
2. http://headfirstlabs.com/PMP/free_exam/
3. http://www.pmstudy.com/PMP-Exam-Resources/freeSimulatedTest.asp
4. http://www.tutorialspoint.com/pmp-exams/pmp_mock_exams.htm
5. http://pmzilla.com/pmp-exams-and-resources-pmp

Free PMP flash cards

1. http://quizlet.com/subject/PMP/

My advice to all future test takers

1. Read the PMBOK

2. Solve a lot of sample questions.
3. Read the PMP code of ethics.

Best of Luck