My wife and I had lunch together with another couple one very hot Georgia day last week.  As we were leaving the restaurant, an elderly couple was also leaving.  My friend Bryan held the door for them, and the gentleman said, “Thank you, I should give you a tip!”  He then added, “Buy low, sell high.”  We laughed.  As the gentleman began to drive away, he stopped, lowered his window, and said, “Here’s another tip – summer’s here!”  We laughed again and then hurried to get of that summer heat!

It reminds me that I have a tip for test-takers as you prepare for the PMP® Exam:  “The PMP® Exam is difficult!”

That may sound very basic, but I have heard from a few who have attempted the exam and not passed on the first try.  One recurring theme is that the exam was more difficult than expected.  So, as a tip for those of you preparing to sit for the exam, do not underestimate the amount of preparation and study that you should undergo.

The exam is difficult for many reasons.  Understanding the philosophies of PMI® in conjunction with the project process framework is vital to exam success.  A combination of ingredients is required to make the judgment on exam questions about the best or most correct answer.  You may discover that ALL of the answers on a particular question are right, but the answer that PMI® grades as correct is the one that is their BEST answer.  The correct answer may be true more often than the other answer choices.  The correct answer may be more all-encompassing than other choices with more limitations.  Seemingly correct (but not the best) answers may only be true in specific situations.  Mix these exam challenges together with another dynamic – PMI® is very semantics-oriented in the process framework and on the exam.  Words have a specific meaning.  Your experience may have run across several different ways to use words like “project” or “program,” like “quality control” or “quality assurance.”  The exam will test to ensure the test-taker knows the specific PMI® use of such words.

So, take this tip to heart.  The PMP® Exam is difficult.  It will be more difficult than you expect.

Oh, and as I close, let me share with you another tip:  “Don’t bet on horses.”