Failed the PMP exam on 1st try - how should I prepare for the second attempt?

Hi, sorry to hear. But I prepared the same way as yours using AR's videos & TIA mock. I completed all 6 mocks with initial 2 with around 75-80% but manage to make 85-90% for rest of the mock tests. I passed with 3 AT's. What helped me a lot is mindset section. All the best for your next attempt. I am sure you will crack it with AT's.

Dear community,

I just wanted to let you know that I passed my exam on 5th of May with AT/AT/AT! I followed your recommendations to prepare for the exam and this is what worked for me:

1. I read PMBOK6, PMBOK7 and AGILE PRACTICE GUIDE once. Reading the books gave me a good overview of the processes and basic knowledge.
2. I have gone through Rita´s book twice. This book was a real eye opener for me: The exercise book explains all areas very carefully and in detail, with the practical questions at the end of each chapter deepening and testing the understanding.
3. I used Ricardo Varga´s Process Flow Diagram to keep track of the processes during my studies.
4. PMI- Study Hall Plus: The app is a must! I completed all the tutorials and case studies. At the end of each chapter I solved the practical questions and started with the exam simulations 4 months prior to the exam. The questions in Study Hall are divided into 4 levels of difficulty: Easy, Moderate, Difficult and Expert. I concentrated very much on the levels of difficulty “Moderate” and “Difficult” and tried to solved as many questions as possible. The processing of the solved questions is very well implemented: For each question there is a short description of why a solution is right or wrong and a direct chapter reference to the books: That's why I think it's important to read the books at the beginning. When I received the rating “Proficient” in each ECO category I scheduled the exam.
5. Mindset: In the exam, PMI requests a certain "Mindset" to solve the questions / tasks. When I solved the questions in PMI Study Hall, I automatically acquired the "mindset" necessary to pass the test. There is no need to buy extra books or simulators. Save your time and money!

Summary: Preparing for the PMP certificate is hard work. My professor at the university always said: Diamonds only form under pressure.

I would like to thank PMI for the excellent training opportunity and also this community for guiding me through this process.

Frank

@Hector: That´s a very good chart of Victor Vargas. Thanks a lot for sharing.
@RK&Sigrid: I will go for Sigrid´s tip and purchase the PMI Study Hall app for simulation training, since the plus version contains 5 practice exams and 250 questions. I watched the video of PMI Study Hall and figured out that the app enables to focus and detect "weak areas" also. It seems to be perfect for me.
@Mayur Kher: The 35h contact course of Andrew on Udemy is good, but in my opinion it is not sufficient to pass the exam. Looking back I should have studied PMBOK and Agile Practice Guide also! I took the exam 2 weeks ago and his mindset only worked on 20% of the questions. But I´m glad his study material worked out for you!

I will study PMBOK6 and Agile Practice Guide + Rita´s book in detail. PMI Study Hall + Online PMP® Practice Exam 250 questions will be used for simulation and practicing.

Again, thank you very much for your help!

Frank

A world of thanks to everyone for the reply. Then it is clear for on how to prepare for the exam: Rita´s 10th edition book + PMBOK 6 + 7+ AGILE Practice guide. I will have a look at the "Head First PMP: A Learner's Companion to Passing the Project Management Professional Exam 4th Edition" book also.

Frank

Frank, here is what I did. Maybe it was overkill but it worked and I scored AT in all areas on the first attempt. I took the 35-hour PMI® Authorized On-demand PMP® Exam Prep course. I went through the entire course's contents probably 4 times. I completed the PMI® Authorized Online PMP® Practice Exam (over and over and over until I was hitting about 90-95% correct). I purchased the PMP Exam Prep Q&A by PMtraining.com (over 1100 questions). I went through them all, creating a spreadsheet after each section that I went through that would help let me know quickly what I missed on subsequent attempts. I also purchased the Agile Practice Guide and read it cover to cover many times. I, too, saw many situations and questions that I had never encountered during my studies and I did NOT see many things that I spend lots of hours studying. I was not sure when I got through if I had done well enough to pass or not. I knew that I was at least close, but was hoping and praying that I made it. Thankfully, I not only passed, but scored Above Target in all areas. I did all of my studying, courses, and repeated practice exams over a 3 month period. I was consumed by it during those 3 months, but am glad that I spent the time on it. Good luck to you. Keep at it if you haven't gotten the certification yet.