So I passed my exam today, about 30 minutes ago.

Initiating -          Moderately Proficient

Planning -         Proficient

Executing -      Proficient

Monitoring and Controlling - Moderately Proficient

Closing -           Moderately Proficient

How I prepped for the exam was doing 14 Q&A sessions on exam central process group specific and knowledge area specific each one so I could focus on the subject matter, and I learned from the incorrect answers each time. I actually did more than that, but I reset the statistics at some point during my prep. I scored high 70s to high 90s during those with honest scoring (not changing answer when I was wrong)

I took three exam central practice exams, 1 I can't remember because I reset that too, and scored 85% on the next, and 81% on the final one.

For new material and validation I took the headfirst exam on paper first and scored a 71% if I recall, and took it a second time online a month later and scored 87% if I recall (I don't have my notes with me ... hmmm I wonder where I put them.)

I also took pmp-exam-simulator free exams twice, I don't know the scores but it was reasonable...in the 70s in every case.

I didn't read the PMBOK, but I did review the diagrams, they are helpful for a visual representation of the flow of processes. I also cracked the headfirst book, and read some of the funny diagrams, but that's it really.

I would have to say this is definately on the same difficulty level as the CISSP which is IT security specific, and is a similar format....

MANY questions and their answers were not clearly right or wrong, but a choice of equally bad or equally good choices, and you have to pick the best one.

Some of them involved asking what's next, but the none of the answers were what was immediately next, but some time down the road, and you have to know out of those four which is the next one you'll be performing.

Anyway, thanks for being here to answer a few of my questions.

Scot PMP CISSP & MCSA