Surviving the PMP Exam Preparations

Rome was not built in a day, so don't expect that you can have everything all at once pretty as you please. For the PMP exam, imagine law or medical school. This is not to scare you off but to help you cope the preparation rigors.

Is This Your First Attempt?

On the first time you prepare for the PMP Exam, you can drown in the overwhelming information, formulas, and lessons, all reminiscent of high school and college under the tutelage of demanding instructors; this time though on a different level. Forget about cheating, you won't be able to do this and what if you're found out?

This time too, you are determined to make the grade because of promised better job opportunities and compensation. The thought that 30% of first time candidates of the PMP Exam fail can diminish your resolve and your self confidence. Fact is the computerized test format is gruesome with 200 questions that must be answered within four hours.

For the test, there are 200 sticky questions. To make the situation stickier there are no wrong answers! You have to choose the best answer that befits the cataclysmic situation. If you are an engineer, you might be grappling with a foreign issue e.g. accounting; or if you are an accountant, you might be tortured to numbness by an engineering fiasco.

Now you are already shaking, but first things first. Don't scare yourself. The fear of failure can affect your performance. Beat this by assess you learning style. Do you learn faster by going it alone or do you flourish in a classroom environment? Do you prefer video lessons or do you love to read and write what you read until your brain absorbs the lessons? When you know what's best for you, go for it.

Before the PMP Exam

Long before the PMP exam, prepare all the documents you need. Let family members do the job of looking up exam schedules and venues, and getting what you need for your lessons because time away from your studies at the start of the course can break your momentum.
In midstream, a little voice will tell you to go over something you find difficult. Follow that voice because it is a warning that this is your weak area. Master that and if you don't well, expect it to appear on the test questions. This usually occurs when you're in midst of the preparation. Follow that hunch and don't be satisfied with a so-so understanding. Master it.
During the preparations for the PMP Exam, get physical and go to bed on regular hours to get enough sleep. Regular exercise and enough restful sleep make you mentally alert, creative, and your memory retention increases. The regimen will help you stick to your study plan, no matter how tedious it can be.

Two days before the PMP exam, hit the gym to release all the tension and ease those knotty muscles, but avoid exercising late in the night because you'll find it difficult to sleep; avoid alcohol, eat healthy, and relax your mind to your favorite music. The day before the exam, go over some video taped lessons just for a refresher but don't sweat the whole thing. When the brain is taxed, it reacts by forgetting the things you should remember, so relax and enjoy the day.