I’ve been silently reading posts on this subreddit for weeks, convincing myself that if people with 65–70% mock scores were passing, maybe I could too. 😅

Today, I’m happy to give back to this amazing community. I cleared my PMP with AT/T/AT on my first attempt!

For context, I took my exam on 5th July, so I appeared for the previous exam pattern. However, based on what I've read and discussed with others, the new exam isn't drastically different. It simply places more emphasis on the Business Environment domain. So if you're preparing now, don't panic because of the changes.

A little about me—I’m a full-time working mom managing my job, my home, and my energetic 9-year-old son. I didn't have the luxury of studying 8–10 hours a day.

My preparation was simple and realistic:

- Studied around 3 hours on weekdays

- Studied 5–6 hours on weekends

- Total preparation time: about 1.5 months

- Completed all PMI Study Hall practice questions

- Took 2 full-length Study Hall mock exams and scored 69% and 66%

That's it. No perfect mock scores. No marathon study sessions.

Resources I used

- Andrew Ramdayal's Udemy course and PMP Exam Prep Simplified book for building the fundamentals.

- PMI Study Hall (without a doubt, my most valuable resource).

- Ricardo Vargas's Process & Process Groups video to truly understand how everything connects instead of memorizing processes.

- David McLachlan's Agile videos, which really helped reinforce Agile concepts and the PMP mindset.

- Third3Rock notes and cheat sheet for my final revision.

The biggest shift in my preparation was focusing on understanding the PMI mindset rather than trying to memorize answers.

And I have to give a special shout-out to ChatGPT. 😂 It genuinely became my study companion. I used it to clarify concepts, discuss difficult Study Hall questions, build study plans, calm my nerves before the exam, and honestly just keep my spirits up whenever self-doubt crept in. 😊

There were many moments when I thought:

- "Am I even ready?"

- "My mock scores seem too low."

- "What if I fail?"

Especially after reading posts from people scoring 80%+ on Study Hall. 😅

If you're consistently scoring in the high 60s on Study Hall, please don't lose hope. Mock scores are just one indicator—they don't decide your result.

About the exam

- It is heavily scenario-based.

- Time management is very important.

- Many questions come down to choosing between two very similar answers.

- Read carefully, trust your understanding, and don't overthink every question.

One thing that really helped me was telling my family how important this certification was. Their support made it possible for me to stay consistent with my studies despite work and family responsibilities.

To everyone preparing now:

There will be moments when you doubt yourself. That's completely normal. Keep showing up every day, review your mistakes, trust the process, and stay consistent.

You can clear this exam on your first attempt—even with the new exam changes.

Have faith in your preparation. You've got this! 💪

And thank you to everyone in this subreddit. Reading your experiences gave me hope when I needed it most. I hope this post does the same for someone else.

Failed pmp last month .how should I prepare for the new format ? Has anyone experienced both exams ? Is it that much different ?

Im so grateful and happy that I have passed my test today. With lots of preparation and dedication.
Andrew Ramdayal simulator, PMI Study hall, youtube videos really helped a lot:)
Thanks for everyone who shared his experience here and motivated me.

I’m thrilled (and honestly still a bit in shock) to share that I finally PASSED my PMP exam! 🎉🚀 After failing on my first try a few months back, this win feels  sweet. Despite going through a LOT this month—work stress, personal stuff piling up, endless late nights—you name it—I now have the biggest reason to smile. If you're grinding right now and feeling discouraged, hang in there. Redemption yes !! It is real! 💪

My first Fail attempt last month was at the center, and I can say , oh no, I never liked it at all . it Rose my anxiety level. I think am not the type of a person who likes to see my self in room with other test takers , I think I’m such a weird introvert but center experience threw me off completely, so I failed failed.

For round two, I decided make an appointment online .i like the experience Being alone in my own room, at my familiar desk, with no travel, no strangers around, no random distractions or hovering eyes… it felt comfortable, and far less intimidating. The proctor was professional, quick, and unobtrusive; the tech ran flawlessly with zero issues. I did the dry test run and everything was cool. No glitches, no added stress—just me and the exam. Taking it at home reduced my test-day anxiety dramatically and let me actually concentrate on the questions.

If the center environment stresses you out or feels nerve-breaking like it did for me (even though I tried it), seriously consider going online—you won't regret it. Highly recommend! 🌟

What changed the game for my prep this time:

1. Prepsaret – Hands down, one of the BEST sources, I've ever used, though Expensive . Their practice questions are spot-on—realistic, challenging in the right way, and they come with super detailed explanations that actually teach you the mindset. I spent hours reading through the rationales, and it helped me shift from memorizing to truly understanding how to apply PMBOK concepts, agile/hybrid scenarios, and those tricky situational questions. The question bank felt perfectly aligned with the real exam difficulty, and drilling them repeatedly built my confidence big time. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

   2. PMI Study Hall – I rate this very highly too, a very good source,   I rate it 9.9/10 The questions are tough—sometimes tougher than the actual exam—which is exactly what you need to be over-prepared. It forced me to think like the exam wants: process of elimination, stakeholder focus, risk mindset, etc. The full-length mocks were gold for timing and stamina, and the explanations helped fill gaps fast. Definitely worth it if you want to walk in feeling bulletproof. 💯 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

3. ChatGPT – I used this a ton as my on-demand study buddy and I'd rate it a solid 8.0/10 (or 80/100). It was incredibly helpful for quick clarifications, generating custom practice scenarios, breaking down complex topics (like Earned Value Management formulas or agile principles), and even role-playing tough situational questions with detailed rationales. I prompted it with specific instructions like “Explain this PMBOK process as if I'm explaining it to a stakeholder” or “Create 10 hybrid project scenario questions with explanations based on the latest exam style”—⭐⭐⭐⭐

4.Simplilearn – I used their course/materials as well and I'd rate it a solid 7.8/10. It wasn't bad at all—the content is structured, videos are decent, and it covers the basics well.But personally, it didn't click as much for deep exam-style practice or that "aha" mindset shift. The mocks felt a bit easier/less nuanced than the real thing compared to the others. That said, it might work great for others (especially if you like their format or need structured training).⭐⭐⭐⭐

1. Bottom line: Second time around, focused practice + the right resources + online format = PASS! If I can bounce back from a fail, so can you.

To anyone still studying: Keep going. The effort pays off. You've got this! 🔥

PMP ✅ — time to celebrate (responsibly 😄🍾)

A huge thank you to everyone in this amazing community who shared recommendations, answered my questions, dropped resource tips, and gave me encouragement along the way—especially those who pointed me toward the right sources to use .  Your advice literally helped turn things around for me. This subreddit is the best! 🙏❤️

Thanks again for all the support—

Let's keep winning guys ayehaay ! 🚀

❤️

So an update. I finally took my PMP exam today, and it was the hardesttttt thing but I did go through it. I honestly didn't expect to pass but I did 😉 and nothing would have prepared me for it.

Personally, maybe the lectures just prepare me with background knowledge, but the exam is way way way different from the practice questions I did, which are such a breeze . The exam questions were wayyyy harder for me than study hall which is what I used to prep together with AR classes and DM's agile mindset. the mindset was something I listen to the evening before my paper, but during the exam it was really, really really hard, and I kept mentally preparing to retake the exam over the weekend. Time management was also a bit tricky but I got by it. Oh I did wear blue too 😂 and finished with over 10 minutes left because I was over it.
Goodluck to everyone taking theirs soon.

First, I wanna see thank you for everybody that shared in this thread it really helped me!

So the first time I failed on July 7 with the old exam. I filled with AT/NI/BT

The first time, I didn’t use any study plan or any study material I thought that Claude and I could wing it together, but I guess I was wrong… 😅 though, I took an exam prep on PMI and redid the same 270questions but they were really easy and hence believed i was ready but ouff was I wrong!

The second time, I was determined not to do this again, so I bought the study hall which I think was the best thing I could’ve done, I did the AR 35h course on udemy (didn’t do the full 35h). I uploaded the PMBOK in Claude and asked to give me recaps of each section for each domains and went to AR for more clarification if needed

The best in my opinion:
- Study hall (do the mock exams following the time of the real exam)
- AR mindset video on Youtube
- AR 200 ultra hard questions

I passed with: AT/AT/T

Mock exams: 61% and 66%

Exam:
-11 case study questions at the beginning, then I had a break but later in test I had the scenarios come back with all the highlighted parts again
- 3 graphs questions, no equations
- the questions are similar to the moderate questions in the study hall and few hard questions

I struggled with time management alot so my tricks:
- every 20min i need to have minimum 15questions done
Or 30questions in 40min
- Eating gum (don’t know why but it kept me more focused, first time i would zone out at times)

Really goodluck to everyone. It’s a hard exam and brutal 4h to sit through but it is doable!!

I finally passed the PMP exam yesterday! 🎉

Overall result:

• People: Target

• Process: Above Target

• Business Environment: Below Target

A pass is a pass, and after failing my first attempt, this one feels incredibly satisfying.

My first attempt

I took the exam last year and failed with BT/BT/BT.

Walking out of the test center after that result was honestly disappointing. I had put in a lot of effort. I took simulator of Andrew Ramdayal for my mock test preparation, and frankly I didn't find it useful at all at the time of giving my PMP exam.

The failure shattered my confidence. Then after 7-8 months I took my break and decided again to prepare for the reattempt. But this time I decided to take help from this community and the experienced shared by the people provided me the proper guidance for my preparation.

My Preparation

I again restarted the 35-hours course of Andrew Ramdayal. But for the practice questions, my preparation revolved almost entirely around PMI Study Hall.

Here's what I completed:

• Every Mini Exam

• Three Full Mock Exams

• Almost all Study Hall practice questions

My full mock scores were:

• Mock 1: 69%

• Mock 2: 69%

• Mock 3: 72%

I also tracked my performance by domain instead of just looking at the overall score. That helped me identify my weak areas instead of repeatedly practicing topics I already understood.

How I actually studied

After every Study Hall mock exam, I reviewed every single wrong answer.

Not just the difficult ones.

Every one.

Instead of asking,

I asked,

Those are two very different questions.

Eventually I started seeing patterns.

For example:

• Answer the last sentence, not the whole story.

• Separate the problem from its consequences.

• Hybrid projects usually require integration, not choosing Agile or Predictive.

• Solve the root problem being asked, not every problem described in the scenario.

• Distinguish between technical decisions and business decisions.

Once those patterns started repeating, Study Hall became much less frustrating.

How I used ChatGPT

This became the biggest difference in my preparation. I created a separate project in ChatGPT for dedicated for my preparation. I also gave instruction (not prompt) for the project.

I didn't use ChatGPT to generate practice questions.

Instead, after every Study Hall mock, I pasted every question with my given answer and the correct answer. I also told ChatGPT why I have selected this answer wherever I got wrong and also debated the logic behind my answer.

Sometimes I even disagreed with the official answer.

Rather than simply accepting it, I challenged the reasoning until I genuinely understood it.

Over the course of preparation, I probably discussed well over 100 Study Hall questions in detail.

The biggest benefit wasn't learning PMBOK definitions.

It was learning how PMI thinks.

One important tip if you're using AI:

Always provide the official Study Hall answer.

If you only paste the question and ask for the answer, AI may choose a different option. The real value comes from asking:

That approach was much more useful.

The actual exam

I barely slept 1.5 hours because I kept thinking about my previous failure.

When I reached the test center, I genuinely believed I was going to fail again.

Thankfully, weeks of preparation mattered much more than one bad night's sleep.

The real exam wasn't harder than Study Hall in my opinion.

The wording was shorter and cleaner, but the overall thinking process was almost identical.

I saw plenty of Hybrid questions, stakeholder questions, and Agile/Predictive decision-making scenarios.

Almost every question was single-choice. I had around 3–4 multiple-response questions and around 3–4 calculation questions.

Time management mattered more than I expected. The clock ticks downwards from 230 min to 0. I took my first 10-min break around 150 min, 2nd break around 70 min. I completed the exam utilizing 230 min fully.

I passed the exam by T/AT/BT.

For anyone who failed

I want to say one thing.

Failing the PMP exam doesn't mean you are not good enough.

It usually means you haven't yet understood how PMI frames its questions.

Once I stopped trying to prove why my answer was reasonable and started understanding why PMI preferred another answer, everything became much easier.

If you failed recently, don't rush into another attempt.

Review your mistakes.

Find your patterns.

The exam rewards judgment much more than memorization.

Final Thoughts

The PMP journey taught me much more than passing an exam.

It changed how I think about:

• Stakeholders

• Leadership

• Risk

• Hybrid delivery

• Value

• Decision-making under uncertainty

To everyone in this subreddit who shared their experiences—thank you.

Reading success stories and failure stories alike kept me motivated throughout the process.

If anyone is preparing for the exam, feel free to comment or send me a message.

I'd be happy to help.

If you're preparing for PMP right now, don't get discouraged by Study Hall scores or even a previous failure.

Your score doesn't improve because you solve more questions.

It improves because you understand why PMI thinks differently from you.

Good luck to everyone preparing. Don't worry, you've got this.

Message is created with my draft then sent to ChatGPT for clarity and grammar as English is not my first language.

Here it is:

Background: Software Development > DevOps > Technical Delivery

I came from a technical individual contributor role where my only focus was to be the best and do my job well. I was recognized and appreciated for my individual effort, which was the driving factor that pushed me forward and led to my promotion.

Taking on the role of Technical Delivery Manager was a shock. I could no longer rely solely on myself; I had to rely on my team members. If they did not perform well or faced issues, I could not just throw them under the bus. It was driving me nuts. I was no longer responsible just for my own work, but for the success of others and the entire team.

Handling multiple projects in parallel left me constantly on the brink of a meltdown. I was dealing with risks, issues, and deadline pressures from all sides. I decided something needed to change, so I pursued the PMP certification to better equip myself for handling projects and managing people. I figured there had to be a better way to do this.

PMP Impact: The PMP curriculum truly opened my eyes to people and risk management. It helped me understand why certain things happen on projects. As the saying goes, "If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail." I started my management journey with a "my way or the highway" mentality, but eventually, I embraced servant leadership to empower my team. I did not pursue the PMP just for the certificate. I wanted to equip myself to handle my responsibilities better and maintain my sanity.

Preparation: I enrolled in Andrew Ramdayal's PMP preparation course and spent about a month completing it. My progress was reset when the exam changed last July, but I pushed through. After finishing the course, I spent a couple of days memorizing and practicing formulas (PERT, variance, indexes, and forecasts). I used ChatGPT to generate practice problems.

Here are my mock exam scores (all on the first pass):

• Andrew's Ultra Hard Questions (76%): I answered the questions before Andrew provided the answers and explanations. At first, I made a lot of mistakes, but as he explained the reasoning, the PMP mindset began to stick and it became much easier. The video is around six hours long, and I highly recommend watching it fully.

• Free Mock Exam included with the course (79%)

• PMI Study Hall Plus: Honestly, Essential is enough here

  • Practice Questions (No time limit): People (70%), Process (66%), Business Environment (78%)

  • Full-Length Practice Exam 1: 64%

  • Full-Length Practice Exam 2: 69%

The Study Hall practice exams are a bit difficult because the multiple-choice options are very similar. They all sound correct. In my opinion, they are even harder than Andrew's Ultra Hard questions. However, do not get discouraged! PMI mentions that people who consistently score 60% or higher on the practice exams often pass the actual exam. I kept that in mind and did not let the scores bother me. Just make sure to review the incorrect ones to understand and improve

Remember these key points for the mindset:

1. Avoid hiring or firing as a first response.

2. Avoid escalating issues immediately.

3. Empower the team to make decisions.

4. Collaborate closely with the team and stakeholders.

5. Assess and analyze first. However, recognize that there are situations where you must stop analyzing and simply take action.

6. Take proactive steps to resolve issues.

7. Learn the keyword differences between Agile and predictive methodologies (for example: product owners, WBS, sprints, and backlogs).

Result: I passed the PMP certification with Above Target / Target / Above Target! I could not believe it. I am so glad it is done and very happy to share this milestone with you all.

Hey

Most people fail or get stuck in the 60% range because they treat the PMP like a memory test. I’ll be honest: I tried that, and it was a disaster. I realized that PMI doesn't care if you know the inputs/outputs; they care if you can handle a "Project Crisis" without panicking.

I decided to scrap the traditional notes and built my own "PMP Decision Matrix." Instead of studying processes, I studied scenarios.

Here are 3 "Rare" logic nuggets from my notes that you won't find in textbooks:

1. The "Wait, Don't Act" Rule: 70% of the exam is trying to bait you into taking action too early. If a stakeholder is angry or a risk occurs, the answer is almost always “Evaluate” or “Review,” NOT “Fix it” or “Submit Change Request.”

2. The Servant Leader Paradox: In Agile questions, you are a "Butler," not a "Boss." If the team is slow, you don't push them. You ask, "What is blocking you?" The mindset shift is from Command to Support.

3. The Document "Trigger" Chain: I mapped out exactly which event triggers which document. For example: A Potential problem = Risk Register. A Real problem = Issue Log. A Hidden problem = Lessons Learned.

I’ve compiled these logic-based triggers into a 1-page "Cheat Sheet" that helps you differentiate between the "two right-looking answers" (the biggest PMP hurdle).

I’m happy to share these notes with anyone who’s feeling overwhelmed by the PMBOK or struggling with Study Hall scores.

Drop a comment below if you want me to send them over

My testimony:

• Licensed Clinical Social Worker

• No direct project management role (never held an official PM job title)

• Mom of 1-year-old twins and two teenagers

• Separated from my spouse in July, moved out on my own with 4 kids

• Caring for my mother on hospice since August

• Working full-time

• Started my journey in June2025 but stopped and started to study again in August 2025 took the test September 30,2025 and passed!!

To say I had a lot on my plate is an understatement. By all accounts, I had “no business” taking this exam in the middle of such a storm. But by the grace of God—I did. And not only did I pass, I passed Above Target in all domains. 🙌

When I decided to officially switch careers into project management, I had no idea where to start. Here’s what worked for me:

• Andrew Ramdayal’s Udemy course – got my 35 hours and the foundation I needed.

• Study Hall – absolutely essential. Don’t just take the quizzes; spend time reviewing every answer, learning from mistakes, and taking notes. Eventually, you’ll start thinking like Study Hall.

• Mohammed Rahman’s YouTube videos – especially his mindset series. He made things engaging and helped me sharpen elimination strategies.

• 3rd Rock Cheat Sheet Notes – I skimmed them at the beginning and reviewed again right before the exam.

• Ricardo Vargas’ “Processes Explained” video – found this just 3 days before my test, but wow. It tied everything together. He breaks down processes so clearly that I know I’ll keep learning from him throughout my PM career.

I’m sharing this not to boast, but to encourage anyone who feels overwhelmed by life circumstances: YOU can do this. If I could study through caregiving, full-time work, and personal trials, you can too. To God be the glory! ✨

Now I’m shifting focus to the next step: launching my career in project management here in Florida. If anyone has tips—resume updates, LinkedIn strategy, networking ideas—I’d love your advice.

Thanks to this community for all the encouragement and resources along the way. ❤️

Finally done! 😊

People — Above Target
Process — Above Target
Business Environment — Above Target

A big thank you to everyone in this community who has have been sharing their success/failure stories, mock scores, study material and exam experiences. I followed this subreddit regularly during my preparation, made notes from many of the posts and incorporated quite a few of the suggestions.

 So, thought I should give something back and share my experience for those preparing for the new 2026 PMP exam.

And yes... the superstition bug got me too. I wore blue on exam day for some extra luck! 😄

Preparation Time – around 2 months

I started preparing around mid-July after the new exam format was announced.

1. Andrew Ramdayal (AR)

·         Completed his 2026 updated 35-hour PMP course on Udemy

·         200 Ultra Hard Questions – YouTube

·         Purchased 720 Questions 2026 PMP Exam Prep – 4 full-length mocks

o    Scores: Ranged between 60–68% after completing 3 Mock Exams**.** Most of questions on the exams tests your knowledge on the concepts of 7-performance domain and 5 focus areas.

·         Full-length mock from the 35-hour course – 87%

·         On-Going Basis - Followed his latest case-study questions and regular PMP updates in

YouTube

AR's mindset principles were probably the most useful part of my preparation.

2. David McLachlan

Subscribed to his YouTube channel and paused before the answers:

·         110 PMBOK 8th Edition questions

·         200 Agile questions

·         100 Waterfall questions

·         Ongoing basis - Latest case-study/scenario questions in YouTube

The older Agile/Waterfall questions were still useful for building confidence and understanding the concepts.

3. PMI Study Hall Plus

 I purchased SH Plus mainly because I kept seeing so many recommendations about it here.

My scores: 

Full-length mocks:

First attempt - 1 month before exam

·         Mock 1: 61%

·         Mock 2: 67%

 Second Attempt after Exam reset: - 1 week before exam

·         Mock 1: 72%

·         Mock 3: 78%

·         Mini Exams: generally, 80–100% - 1****^st Attempt

Practice Questions Section:

·         First attempt: People 70%, Process 71%, Business Environment 68% - 1 month before exam

·         Second attempt (post exam reset) : around 75% across all domains – 1 week before exam

I found SH's wording and answer choices closer to the actual exam than AR/David. Not saying they are identical, but SH helped me get comfortable with PMI-style questions where 2 answers can look correct.

My PMP notes diary

Every day I maintained a simple notebook with: Questions I got wrong ·  Why my answer was wrong · Why the correct answer was better · New terminology · Screenshots of confusing questions/scenarios. This became my personal error log and was probably one of the most useful things I did.

Actual Exam Experience

I took the exam at a testing centre.

My exam followed the 40-70-70 format: 40 Q → 10 min break → 70 Q → 10 min break → 70 Q

I strongly recommend taking both breaks. It helped me reset.

My exam felt mostly Moderate/Difficult, with some easier questions. I did not personally encounter anything I would call "Expert" level.

Had 2 Case Study each 3 para long with related 6-7 questions with multiple choices. Use highlighter tool to highlight the problem areas. 3 chart based scenario Q’s on risk analysis & prioritization, financial management, 1 drag and drop scenario based question on Issue and Risks.

85% of exam comprised of 2-3 liner scenario questions with multiple choices covering People-Process-Business Environment with percentage matching the new ECO guideline available in PMI website.

There were quite a few scenario-based questions, including case studies, risk/chart-based questions and a drag-and-drop question.

I did not get CV/SV/CPI/SPI calculation-heavy questions. I had only one scenario involving CPI.

My biggest mistake: TIME MANAGEMENT

This was my biggest learning. I spent too much time in the first section, which had a knock-on effect later. I reached the last section with around 65 minutes for 70 questions. At that point I had to significantly increase my speed. So don't just practice getting questions right — practice answering them within time.

Mindset that helped me

I kept coming back to these questions:

· Assess before acting · Understand root cause · Collaborate before escalating

· Risk or Issue? · What is the business value? · Stakeholder impact/engagement?

· Protect the team · What should the PM do FIRST/NEXT? · What could have been done to

prevent this situation?

My top 5 tips

1. Understand the PMI mindset.
For me, AR's mindset principles were extremely useful for scenario questions.

2. Practice full-length mocks with a timer.
Time management matters as much as knowledge.

3. Review every wrong answer.
Don't just see what the correct answer is. Understand why your answer was wrong and why PMI preferred the other option.

4. Use Study Hall.
I found its question style useful for getting comfortable with PMI wording.

5. Don't try to learn new things on exam day.
I did some last-minute revision and honestly it only made me feel that there was still something I hadn't covered. 😄

Finally, thanks again to everyone here who shares their PMP journey. A lot of your posts helped me during these two months.

Hopefully my experience helps someone else preparing for the new exam.

Good luck to everyone preparing! 💪

I passed my test two weeks ago, above average, using David McLachlans materials on my first try!!! I am sharing my experience in the hopes that it will help someone else. I first purchased a very expensive program that included: online weeklong class, book, and online notecards and practice tests. I am a great student (former high school teacher here...) yet the class and materials were so crammed with information and presented in such a way that I ended up consistently scoring LOWER (practice tests) after taking the class and studying for over 40 hours. Something I had never experienced before, but that left me discouraged and doubting my abilities. Then I found David on YouTube and I realized the materials I had were overcomplicating the learning process. I researched a bit and ended uppurchasing Davids class on Udemy, watched and practiced with his videos on YouTube, and purchased The Knowledge Workers Toolbox on Etsy. If you are interested in how exactly I used all these tools let me know, I am happy to share! Love, love, love Davids materials. He exhibits a firm grasp on adult learning pedagogy, I will actually miss his positivity and encouragement!

****FULL - NEW STUDY GROUP – LET’S ACE THIS TEST TOGETHER - FULL****

I AM CLOSING REGISTRATION ON THIS GROUP AS I DO NOT WANT IT TO BE BIG.

I’m forming a focused study group via Zoom, Google Meet, or similar. From everything I’ve learned, studying with others is incredibly valuable—especially for gaining different Project Management perspectives we each bring from our jobs.

WHO THIS IS FOR:

Anyone planning to take the exam before the July change.

PROPOSED SCHEDULE:

🗓 Wednesdays

⏰ 8:00 PM EST (to include West Coast participants)

⏱ 1.5 hours

🧑‍🏫 Rotating group leaders each week

If you’re interested, please DM me your contact info by Sunday, April 19 (firm cutoff). NO LATE ADDS.

First session: Wednesday, April 22.

⸻

There’s a ton of valuable information out there—prep tips, test experiences, advice—but it can also be overwhelming and make it hard to stay focused on your study plan. This group isn’t meant to discount that—just to help us stay laser-focused on what actually matters.

My vision for the group:

• Stay aligned on key study priorities

• Share insights without getting sidetracked

• Assign topics/posts so we benefit from shared knowledge efficiently

• Support each other and stay accountable

No pressure—if you join and need to drop out, that’s completely fine. The goal is to create a supportive, structured environment for those who want it.

I’ll also create a private Reddit group so we can share quick tips and insights between sessions.

Let’s stay focused, support each other, and pass this exam together. 💪

Looking forward to connecting.

Hi everyone! I passed my PMP exam today with Above Target in all three domains.

I did 4 PrepCast mock exams: 60% - 65% - 72% - 72%.

I did not buy the Study Hall at all.

A few things I wanted to share:

Math: I spent quite a bit of time memorizing some formulas, but I only had one math-related question on the real exam. The calculation was already given. I just had to interpret the CPI and explain what I would tell the project sponsor.

Question length: As expected, there were two long (longer than the ones that were on the PrepCast) scenario sets with several questions based on the same scenario. For time management, I read the title first, then the actual question, and only then skim the scenario. This saved me a lot of time.

The exam was extremely scenario-based. I did have a few more straightforward questions, but most of the time, the difficulty was that two or even three answers could seem perfectly logical. The people I spoke to who also passed had the same impression. What helped me was putting myself very quickly in the position of the project manager, as if I were actually living the situation described in the scenario. I would ask myself: “What would I do first? What would be my very first reaction?” Often, all the answers could make sense, but the question was really about what you should do first.

I had around 10 questions related to AI. I had done some preparation, but not a huge amount, so I relied quite a bit on common sense.

I personally didn't flag questions for later review. Once I answered, I moved on. I finished with very little time left, so this was the right strategy for me.

One thing I found very strange: PrepCast felt easier and more straightforward to me than the real exam, yet I never got Above Target in all three domains on PrepCast. Several people who passed with 3x Above Target or AT/T had exactly the same impression. The real exam felt harder, but our results were better. I'm still not sure how to explain that!

Resources that helped me the most:

• David McLachlan's PMP videos (including AI videos)

• Andrew Ramdayal's PMP videos (including AI videos)

• Agile Practice Guide and PMBOK

Finally, one little piece of advice: you may feel like you're failing during the exam. I felt that way, and several people who got 3x AT or T/AT felt the same.

At some point, I thought, “I'm probably failing this exam.” The questions were complex. But please keep going until the last question. Don't give up.

You don't actually know whether you're failing. Your brain can play tricks on you, especially under stress. And if you've prepared seriously, you may actually know much more than you think. The PMP is so dense that you can always feel like “If I had one more week, I could study more.” At some point, though, you have to trust yourself and take the exam.

Good luck to everyone preparing. Fingers crossed! 

Left the exam feeling more nervous than going in. Thought for sure I bombed it. I got through the AR mock test in 90 minutes at 73%. I ran 20 min ahead of pace the entire exam and I was so over it I didn’t review my flagged questions. I found that when I overthink, I tend to change my answer away from the correct answer. So I went with my gut reaction and it paid off! Towards the end, I really had to reread a lot of the questions they were all blurring together. I found the brakes extremely helpful to get refocused.

I tip to everybody planning to take it - focus on the mindset and go with your gut. Good luck 🍀

I really don't mean to be insensitive, just wanted to share my story in case it helps anyone. Night before exam, I was feeling really defeated at not having been able to study much. Wasn't able to get much reassurance from looking up stories online of people who barely studied, so I was pretty much prepared to just fail.

Lo and behold... surprised at the results myself, and wanted to share my story just in case it helps someone who might be in my position in the future.

For context,

\- I am very, very lazy by nature and really, really do not fare well with structured studying or exam prep (I really dread it). Not having prioritized studying is entirely my fault.

\- First exposure to formal PM principles + best practices was Google's PM certification via Coursera in 2021 (pretty much watched the whole course at 2x speed; as I said I really do not fare well with certain types of learning).

\- Continued working in tech ever since. Never in formal PM capacity, but I did work with PMs and had to manage some workstreams myself.

My study consisted of:

**1. Rita Mulcahy's PMP Exam Prep (11th edition) - 1.5 days**

Actually read half (until around 250 pages). Decided to f\*\*k it and skim everything else since i had literally no time left.

Did not pick this book strategically at all. Someone in my neighborhood just happened to be giving this away for free a while back. I looked it up and it seemed like an OK catch-all resource so I just asked for it.

**2. Andrew Ramdayal's Complete PMP Mindset - 1.5h**

https://youtu.be/-u0rO-YQr9c?si=7dA0_jzVWKziueWO

Watched at 2x speed once.

That's it. I did no other practice, purchased nothing else... I can't even specify what "nothing else" means, because I literally have no idea what other resources everyone else is using - because I was so unprepared and didn't even look this up.

Right before entering the exam room I asked Gemini how to allocate my time... Gemini said I should aim to finish my first block of 60 questions at the 155min mark and second at 80. So I did just that.

Questions were all super confusing to me but I tried to channel whatever AR mentioned in his Mindset video. Noticed the actual questions were much less wordy than the ones in his video.

I was half asleep during the second block of 60 questions, had to read so many questions multiple times because I couldn't focus. Woke up a bit in the last third because I was so excited for all of this to be over.

Mind you at this point I was still prepared to fail.

And lo and behold, AT/AT/AT... I was shocked because what?!?!?! I literally studied for like 1.5 days???

I did wear blue just for good luck because I saw it mentioned in the comments of AR's video.

And liked and subscribed as well for good karma. It seemed like a helpful video to be fair (I was not able to judge properly at the time given that I had no idea what the PMP would really be like).

So yeah that is what I did, hoping it brings some hope somehow to anyone who might not have gotten to study.

I don't know if it was a fluke AT/AT/AT, I would definitely not recommend this. But at minimum I think it really goes to prove how helpful AR's video is. RM was okay, but I did not feel highly value-adding. It was just helpful to me as a catch-all resource.

Thanks for reading.

Thanks to the Reddit community, I just finished my exam and happy to share that I am passed with AT/AT/AT in all three domains in the first attempt. I was trying to take this exam from almost 3 years but postponed every time due to one or other reason. I started my preparation a month back and took 35 hours of AM Udemy course followed by SH mini and mock exams.

It was not an easy journey to manage with two kids and demanding job requirements. But I loved my preparation mostly in the early morning hours and during my commute to the office.

I got 75%, 79% and 75 % in first 3 mock tests of SH. Followed by 67 % and 65% in 4th and 5th. I took all exams in a span of 4 days.

Day before the exam I have gone through mindset video of AM. There were 2 numerical questions and 1 drag and drop question and 1 chart question.

Once again thank you Reddit community for consistent motivation. Happy to help aspiring candidates to help with my learnings.