How to Pass PMP Exam (part II)

In my first article, I have touched on various points to consider for your more efficient PMP test preparation. There are various approaches and tools. And most of them need to be customized for your personal situation, for your own individual ability to comprehend a new material. This time I will focus your attention on the ‘Don’ts’ of your preparation for this grueling 4-hour examination.


Here are the 8 Things to Avoid When Preparing for PMP Exam:

1. Don’t rely on your professional experiences.
The same goes to purely relying on your intuition. Treat the test, as a new subject, that you do not have any previous knowledge of. Follow the PMBOK guide material, not what you’ve picked up on from your professional life. In fact, something that you have to follow, according to the PMBOK rules, could be contradictory to your suppositions.

2. Don’t buy too many study guides.
Being overwhelmed with the volume of the material, that you need to remember for the exam, could throw you into a buying frenzy. You might start to purchase frantically any available study books out there. Trust me, based on my experience, a one study guide (in addition to a free PMBOK guide, that you receive after you pay for the PMI membership), is enough. Impulsively buying more books might be redundant. Refer to point # 4 in my previous article “How to Pass PMP Exam.”

3. Don’t buy pre-made flashcards.
There is an array of innovative ways to prepare for you for PMP Exam available online. Recently, I have stumbled upon pre-made flashcards that you could purchase. Granted, it is a time saver. However, the process of mentally selecting the material that would go on your own flashcards; and the process of actually writing it down, is the learning experience on its own. It would actually defeat the purpose, and not assist you in faster memorizing.

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4. Don’t go into the actual test without taking at least 3 full-sized simulation tests.
The more of the practice tests you find, the better. Take them in the mornings, on the days, when you could block out at least 5 consecutive, and completely uninterrupted hours of your busy day. (hmm..Good luck with that!) But again, remember, passing the test should be your serious commitment, and not to be taken lightly.

6. Don’t let various opinions sway you, especially the negative ones.
Take into your consideration pure facts and data, associated with your test. For instance, you would do yourself a huge favor, if you don’t talk to other test takers before the test. It would be the worst timing for your self-doubts! So, filter any information that goes into your brain receptors, with an appropriate degree of caution.

7. Don’t wait till the last minute to get directions to the test center.
This one is kind of a common sense one. I just hate for you to be late! Nothing good would come out of that! Err on side of caution, do a test drive a day before, just to make sure, it is the correct test center that you scheduled for.

8. Don’t doubt yourself!
Keep your eyes on the prize. What’s the worst that could happen? You fail the test. Even then, it is not the end of the world. Keep going, learn from your mistakes, and push even harder! Good luck!

Article written and contributed by Kamilla Kay. For additional PMP preparation tips she can be contacted via kamillabk@hotmail.com