Game Day
My PMP Exam Experience: Part III When the PMP exam day arrived, as I drove to the testing center, I was mentally reviewing my “brain dump” and hoping that my preparation would pay off. I somewhat wished that I had just a little more time to prepare -–to order and review Rita Mulcahy’s preparation materials. I had read online that Rita’s materials and tests were among the best, but my allotted preparation time was up so I went ahead to test in early May 2012. At the center, I was asked to check in, along with the other test-taking hopefuls --- those testing for the GMAT, the GRE, the Teacher Certification Exam, and many other professional and academic exams. The testing center was very professional and thorough. My ID was double-checked to insure that it matched my registration papers. Personal items had to be deposited into the provided lockers, including hats and watches. I waited in the lobby until my name was called, and then I moved back to another area. In this area, I waited again to be fingerprinted, and I was asked to show that my pockets were empty. I was handed several sheets of blank blue paper and a pencil. Finally, I was allowed to move into the exam room. I had 15 minutes to go through a computer tutorial. I used about 10 of those to write my “brain dump” on the blue pieces of paper. The tutorial time ticked down, and then the four-hour exam began. As I read the first question, it seemed different than all my preparation, so I took my best shot and moved on. Each question and answer (200 in total) was a full computer screen. I felt pressed for time; however, in reality, I finished in about three hours and took 45 minutes to review my answers for the first half of the test. When the time ticked down to about 10 minutes remaining, I held my breath and pressed submit. Much to my ecstatic relief a message popped up something to the effect: “Congratulations! You have passed the PMP Exam.”
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