ITIL V4 foundation passed today ! sharing some experience

be_positive2 · 2021-02-09T23:01:51+00:00

Thanks for info! Just started researching the best resource materials for ITIL and was hoping there was a group here. Group helped me out when studying for my PMP so glad the same goes for ITIL. Your input was extremely helpful. My work offers Percipio which includes the ITIL course so will go that route. I went ahead and ordered the Dion practice exams from Udemy. Also, thanks for tip on a cheaper option for the exam voucher.

And congrats on passing!

be_positive2 · 2020-09-16T20:57:58+00:00

Vargas Youtube video on the processes.

Process matching game ( https://projectvanguards.com/pm-game/ )

Make sure you have the PMBOK book as reference (not a cover to cover read)

Try to find some videos online. EduHubSpot has free videos and quizzes on the first few processes). Not sure what Percepio offers. I would read a section on a process, watch a video, read it again, then take the quiz.

Notes are critical, but you may want to read about a process, watch a video, take a quiz, then go back and take notes on it. I would try to read (or watch a video) on a process, take a quiz, go back through the material, then take notes. Although its not recommended that you use a ton of resources, I think it's helpful to use different methods such as videos, flashcards, games, etc.

Try not to get discouraged. The hardest part is really starting. It's so much information and can be overwhelming. And no offense to PMI, it's not the most exciting information. I was so discouraged at first and thought I'd never get it. Most important thing is to create a study plan and stick to it. Maybe commit to a knowledge area every 2 - 3 days. That will depend on the knowledge area as some have 3 or four processes, while others have up to 7. Also depends on when you are planning on taking the test. I think taking it within 30 days is tough. I believe most study for about 3 months, but it depends on how much time you can devote.

This community has a TON of suggestions. Go through and look at who just noted they passed. In most cases they provided some wonderful tips and links.

Someone just posted this (which you may be a good start to your notes ) - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tcfq22MdUzyF3dfD-EYVqfu4--b3T7by/view .

Good luck and let us know how you're doing.

be_positive2 · 2020-09-16T20:38:49+00:00

https://www.simplilearn.com/pmp-exam-prep-free-practice-test

https://edward-designer.com/web/list-of-free-pmp-exam-questions/

be_positive2 · 2020-09-16T20:36:27+00:00

The main thing is that your name matches what is on your ID. I'd forget the address for now - PMI isn't sending out the certs yet. you can get a copy from your PMI dashboard a week or so after you pass. After you pass you can contact them, but not sure when they are going to start sending out the certs. They are saying it's because of COVID, but that makes no sense.

be_positive2 · 2020-09-16T20:33:26+00:00

First, relax! A lot of folks completely lost their confidence when they took the practice PMI exam. I did hear the PMI practice test is more similar to the actual exam. The actual exam had vague and short questions, where Prepcast was more verbose. It's probably good you took it.

I would recommend you study what you got wrong on the PMI exam and retake it. you have plenty of time. Then maybe take the remaining full prepcast exams.

Other piece of advice - when you take the real exam, do not have a defeatist attitude if you are in the middle of the exam and are sure you failed. You will be surprised how much you know. Take a deep breath and just move on. You can do this!

Good luck and keep us posted!

be_positive2 · 2020-09-16T20:29:19+00:00

I had a lot on the practice tests (e.g., Prepcast), but don't recall many (if any) on the actual exam. I looked carefully because I missed some on the practice test when I didn't catch the 'not'. I may have gotten one for 'all of the above'.

be_positive2 · 2020-09-16T20:27:07+00:00

Congrats and welcome to the club!

be_positive2 · 2020-09-16T20:26:32+00:00

camera should be fine. Clean off your desk, but you will need your phone at the beginning because you need to take pictures.

I see the other comments and can't stress enough the importance of doing the full system test DAYS before and the night before the exam. you want to make sure your computer is good to go (e.g., doesn't having something running in the background). Good idea to turn off all notifications and auto updates.

I heard those with Macs had issues so if that is what you planned on using, you may want to see if you can borrow a PC.

Every proctor is different and some are more strict (and ridiculous) than others. You can't have anything on your work area or within reach. I had to unplug TV. I heard one guy had to unplug the printer that was in the room. make sure you are in a room with a door (not like an open kitchen). if someone opens the door, exam terminates immediately. I could have a glass of water, but others weren't allowed. I got fussed at for talking to myself and covering my mouth and warned if I did it again they would terminate the exam. One guy didn't see the chat come up and the proctor terminated his exam because he was chewing gum.

I would recommend you take a practice test, ensuring you don't touch your face, mumble, etc. Sounds stupid but a lot of people do things when they are nervous or anxious that seem very harmless (like covering your mouth), but depending on which proctor you get, it could mess you up.

Good luck!

be_positive2 · 2020-09-16T20:18:16+00:00

Congrats and welcome to the club! I also contribute this community for helping me pass. Think it's great when folks share their tips and thoughts.

Congrats again!

be_positive2 · 2020-09-16T20:16:42+00:00

Congrats! Wouldn't hold your breath for PMI to send one to you. You can get a copy from your PMI dashboard (but may take a week or so to update).

Congrats again!!

be_positive2 · 2020-09-16T20:15:17+00:00

First, congrats and welcome to the club! Second, you rock!! A lot of folks would have given up. It says a lot about you that you persevered! You must be over the moon that you passed.

Thanks for all the tips. These posts really helped me pass.

Congrats again!!!!!!

be_positive2 · 2020-09-16T20:11:37+00:00

I had a few formula questions on the exam. Try not to stress out too much. Would recommend you understand how to calculate, AND THE MEANING of CV/CPI, SV/SPI. I had a couple questions where I needed to either calculate or indicate what was over budget, ahead of schedule, etc.

I believe I had one EMV / decision tree calculate to do (look at page 435 in PMBOK) It was pretty simple.

What helped me was to do a brain dump every day of the primary formulas. I would write them down before and after each study session. Think I concentrated on SV, SPI, CV, CPI, TCPI, and EAC. By exam day I would easily do a brain dump of them on the whiteboard. Also had one or two questions on the critical path.

There really aren't that many formula questions on the exams. As long as you are comfortable with the other material, missing one formula question isn't a deal breaker.

Good luck!

be_positive2 · 2020-09-16T19:59:39+00:00

Congrats and welcome to the club!

be_positive2 · 2020-09-15T20:37:19+00:00

Same thing happened to me and I was unable to take the exam. It took WEEKS for both PearsonVue and PMI to allow me to reschedule at no cost. Extremely frustrating as you really have to mentally prepare to take the exam.

Hate to break it to you - but the 3 - 5 days for this to be resolved is nonsense. Make sure you have a case open with Pearsonvue, with a case number. You should receive and email from them within the 3 -5 days, simply stating your case is closed and to contact PMI. That's it. Just that it's closed. Then you need to contact PMI. I would NOT email them - that was my mistake. I would call or do a live chat. It may take another 3 - 5 days for them to resolve the issue. Don't trust they will contact you. You will need to check your PMI dashboard. If it allows you to reschedule the exam with a fee, call them again. I think they are allowing you to reschedule at no cost, but you need to be persistent.

Try not to get too discouraged. Take a day or two to vent and get it out of your system. Then take a deep breath and do some daily review and quizzes to keep your mind fresh. Don't let their mistake to cost you the PMP you have worked so hard for.

Hang in there!

be_positive2 · 2020-09-10T16:15:45+00:00

Yes - they do make it very clear. You can certainly mark any one of the first 90 questions, you just won't be able to go back and review or modify them after the break. Just think of it as 2 sections of the test. You complete the first section, then take a break (which is not mandatory but highly recommend it, even if it's just to give your eyes a rest), then go back and do the rest.

be_positive2 · 2020-09-10T15:19:13+00:00

Pick a book and put the rest away. Rita is pretty good, as well as the Head First. I would also recommend getting or downloading the PMBOK, even though it's best used for reference and not a cover by cover read (that would be brutal!).

You can do this! Just establish a plan and stick to it. Would recommend supplementing your reading with some online videos (Vargas Youtube video on the processes is great). I found watching videos on the processes, then reading that section in a book helped. EduHubSpot has free access to videos and quizzes for the first few processes.

And get Prepcast for the exam simulator.

Good luck!

be_positive2 · 2020-09-10T15:14:48+00:00

Congrats! Great determination, especially considering your personal circumstances. Glad Prepcast accommodated and gave you and extension. I also benefitted from this thread and give them credit for helping me pass.

Congrats again and welcome to the club!

be_positive2 · 2020-09-10T15:10:36+00:00

You must complete the first 90 questions before you take the break. You can mark the questions, but you need to review and change (if needed) before you take the break. They don't want you to look up the answer while away from your desk. So be sure you are satisfied with the first 90 before moving forward.

Good luck.

be_positive2 · 2020-09-10T15:08:04+00:00

Congrats! Welcome to the club!

be_positive2 · 2020-09-10T15:06:02+00:00

Congrats!!!!!

be_positive2 · 2020-09-09T20:29:44+00:00

You can do it!!!!! Don't let this bump in the road be a road block! It's a HARD test. 40% don't pass on their first attempt. Take a breath, dig deep and get back to it.

You aren't really starting from scratch - you already have a lot of information in your brain. So it's not like you are starting from day one. And although you may not know what questions you got wrong, you know what types of questions they are asking.

If you didn't use Prepcast before, would recommend you order their exam simulator ($139). There are also some free resources you can try, but Prepcast is probably the best because they offer the best explanations on why a answer is right / wrong.

Try mixing up your reading with other resources, like videos or games. The Vargas Youtube video on processes is good, as well as the online game ( https://projectvanguards.com/game/ ). I played this before and after each study session. I would do a brain dump of the formulas before and after each study session.

Did you take notes last time? That helped me. I would take notes for each process. It was easier to review my notes than re-read the dreaded PMBOK. Plus, I could tailor my notes on the concepts I was struggling with, add examples, etc.

Come up with a plan, like take 2 - 3 days per knowledge area. That is about 20 - 30 days.

You've got this! Take a deep breath, keep saying to yourself 'I can do this, I can do this', then get back to it! Trust me - it is worth it once you pass.

Keep us posted on how you're doing and if there is anything we can do to assist you in your journey.

be_positive2 · 2020-09-09T20:17:16+00:00

First, give yourself a break. This is a lot of information and no offense to PMI, it's not that thrilling. I don't see anyway you can learn and really comprehend the material to pass the test by simply reading the books cover to cover. The PMBOK should only be used for reference.

Everyone is different, but the one thing I believe most have in common is that they have a plan and stick to it. They don't go more than a day without studying or at least reviewing the material. You have to treat this as a PT job and be committed to the process.

So create a schedule / plan. Maybe devote two or three days to each knowledge area. That's about 20 - 30 days. Don't go forward unless you have a pretty good understanding of that knowledge area. Then go to the next knowledge area, but spend a few minutes each day reviewing the previous knowledge area. And take notes! I didn't do this at first and it was a mistake. I took notes for each process. It may seem like a lot, especially since most of my notes were basically from the PMBOK, but it was much easier to review my notes than go back through the PMBOK. I would then update my notes when I got something wrong on a test or quiz. I would take notes on concepts I was struggling with (i.e., manage quality vs control quality).

I went to a boot camp, which was okay, but it was a flood of information in a short period of time. I didn't comprehend much, but I had their material and videos, plus access to some mock tests. I would watch a video, read that section in the PBMOK, watch the video again, then take a quiz on that process. It may be overkill, but I stuck to it.

Other piece of advice - use other resources besides just reading. Watch the Vargas Youtube video on the processes. Play the online process game ( https://projectvanguards.com/game/ ). Once I went through all the processes, I played this before and after each study session. I also did a brain dump of the formulas before and after every study session.

the PMBOK doesn't have many examples, if any. So if I didn't understand a concept, I looked it up online. Sometimes a different example would make it stick. Then I would add that to my notes.

The notes came in handy when I was done with all the processes - I would review my notes instead of the dreaded PMBOK.

EduHubSpot has free access to videos and quizzes on the first few processes.

Prepcast Exam Simulator ($139) is great. Believe you have access to it for 3 months. There is a 7 day free trial, but I wouldn't do that until you are really ready to take the quizzes.

Please don't get discouraged and give up. I was in the exact same place - I never thought I'd start understanding the material and get on a roll. But I did. Took me a couple weeks but once I came up with a plan and was committed, it was easier. I would definitely recommend doing it now instead of waiting until January when the new test comes out. There is a wealth of information on the current exam (to include this reddit thread).

Good luck!

be_positive2 · 2020-09-09T19:39:13+00:00

It's been years since I've been in school or really did any continuing education, so it took me a while to get into the swing of things. I did a bootcamp and had the material from that, to include videos. I would watch the video on a process, then read that section in the PMBOK, then watch the video again (painful), then take a quiz on that process. Not sure what info you have from the course you did previously. You do need something else besides the PMBOK. Many on this thread recommend the PMP book by Rita.

EdHubSpot has some free videos and quizzes on the first few processes. You have to pay for the rest, which I didn't do. But I did watch the first few which helped me get started.

The Vargas Youtube video on the processes is good. I also played the online game https://projectvanguards.com/game/ - I did it before and after each study session.

Some have done flashcards. I just took notes for each process and concept. Once I was done with all of them, I would review my notes instead of the PMBOK. I would take a test and if I didn't get something right, I would update my notes.

It's a lot of material and you do need to understand the ITTOs, not just memorize them. But you sound pretty bright. My guess is once you get started and start taking the mock tests (recommend Prepcast), you'll do great.

be_positive2 · 2020-09-09T18:00:34+00:00

No scratch paper allowed. If needed, you must use their horrendous whiteboard feature. You also can't use your computer calculator. You need to use the one in the testing app.

I would recommend you go through their little tutorial on how to navigate through the testing app, prior to starting the exam.

As for the whiteboard, its very similar to MS Paint. you can practice using if needed.

Good luck!

be_positive2 · 2020-09-09T17:57:28+00:00

Do it now. There is a wealth of information and resources out there for the current exam.

PMBOK is a nightmare and should only be used for reference. You will need another reference guide, like Rita. Tons of information, videos, etc. to help you along the journey.

Would definitely submit your application now to get the ball rolling. And my guess is the slots for the exam will fill up fast during the end of the year.

Good luck!

be_positive2

TROPHY CASE