The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try, Fourth Edition [Paperback]

Andy Crowe PMP PgMP (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0972967346 | ISBN-13: 978-0972967341 | Publication Date: April 1, 2009 | Edition: Fourth edition

A study guide for the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification exam, this book provides all the information project managers need to thoroughly prepare for the test. Review materials cover all the processes, inputs, tools, and outputs that will be tested, and extra help is offered with insider secrets, test tricks and tips, hundreds of sample questions, and exercises designed to strengthen mastery of key concepts and help candidates pass the exam on the first attempt.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Andy Crowe is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt and the founder of Velociteach, a company that provides project management and certification training. He is the author of Alpha Project Managers and The CAPM Exam. He has taught classes in C++ for Microsoft University and advanced technology courses for the U.S. government and served on Microsoft's .NET international advisory committee. He lives in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Product Details

• Paperback: 516 pages
• Publisher: Velociteach; Fourth edition edition (April 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0972967346
• ISBN-13: 978-0972967341
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (143 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,737 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #3 in Books > Business & Investing > Management & Leadership > Project Management
  • #4 in Books > Computers & Technology > Project Management > PMP Exam
  • #6 in Books > Computers & Technology > Certification

More About the Author

Andy Crowe is the CEO and founder of Velociteach and author of the world-famous book The PMP Exam: How To Pass On Your First Try as well as Alpha Project Managers: What the Top 2% Know that Everyone Else Does Not. He is one of a handful of project management authors whose titles have sold over 100,000 copies.

He served as project manager for several high-profile international projects, including the creation of Europe's largest e-commerce site and was a member of Microsoft's DNA and .NET Advisory Committees.

Andy is a Project Management Professional (PMP), a Program Management Professional (PgMP), and a Six Sigma Black Belt.

He makes his home in north Georgia.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

105 of 108 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Guy Who Rides The Short Bus Passed On First Try!!!, October 6, 2009

By 

J Anthony "HimDownStairs" (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try, Fourth Edition (Paperback)

Yes! I passed the PMP 4th Edition Exam on the first try today! I studied for 3 months, using PMBOK® Guide--Fourth Edition, Andy Crowe book and the free full length PMP Exam @ PMStudy.com. Here is how I studied:

A) Dedicate 1 Day Per Chapter with Andy Crowe book(No More, No Less)
B) Dedicate 1 Day Per Chapter with PMBOK® Guide--Fourth Edition (After each chapter, go directly to Andy Crowe book to take chapter quiz.)
C) Spend 2 Days reconstructing chart on page 36 in Andy Crowe book, from memory.
D) Spend 2 Days writing down 3 Point Estimate, Communications Channels, Earn Value and TPA formulas, from memory. Put emphasis on calculating EV= and EAC=
E) Spend 1 Day working EMV from decision tree diagrams.
F) Dedicate 1 Day Per PM Knowledge Area using both books. Putting emphasis on common Inputs, Tools & Tech or Outputs i.e. Expert Judgement is common tool in all Project Integration Mgnt Processes. Also, observe how an Output from one Process becomes an Input to another Process. And slow down to understand the purpose & advantage of certain diagram/charts i.e. control, pareto, tornado.

Let me share with you an important secret. In order to read the PMBOK® Guide--Fourth Edition with appreciation, motivation and comprehension, you need to reverse your academic position. Do not read it from the perspective a student. Instead, imagine that you are a guest professor who has to deliver a lecture on one PM Knowledge Area per day to a classroom of 300 graduate students @ a prestigious university. Create an OUTLINE of each chapter in the PMBOK® Guide--Fourth Edition (putting an emphasis on what YOU think is important). Now take 1 or 2 Practice Final Exams from Andy Crowe resources or Internet (PMStudy), in order fine tune your OUTLINES. When you feel confident to give your lecture, go take the PMP EXAM! No matter how they spin the question, You WILL KNOW what you know!

38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars it works.., September 10, 2009

By 

Kannan Udayarajan (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try, Fourth Edition (Paperback)

It works - I cleared my PMP exam last week :)

This is what I did to prepare :-

1. I used Andy Crowe as my only study material - (had the old PMBOK) could not read the new PMBOK, however it would be a good idea to read the PMBOK as I found many terms and concepts in the actual exam which were not covered in Andy's book (I still don't know if these concepts are there in the new PMBOK or Rita )
2. Took all chapter tests in Andy and Rita, which I borrowed from a friend (my scores varied from 50% to 85 %)
3. Took some online test papers from Andy's website
4.Took all the Rita tests once again (3 days before the exam - my score varied from 70% to 90%)
5. Reread the concepts behind the questions I got wrong
6. Read the glossary of PM terms in Andy's book - this really helps to refresh your memory regarding the concepts
7. Rather than memorizng all the formulae, I studied the concepts behind the formulae - this helped me to reproduce/reconstruct the formulae easily
8.While studying each chapter, I wrote down all the important concepts,inputs,outputs etc - this really helped me understand & memorize them

The Exam :

1. I found the exam not too easy or tough
2. There were lot of direct questions about inputs/outputs and tools & techniques( around 20-30)
3.There were atleast 10-15 formulae based questions
4.The exam I took had lot of questions from EV calculations and quality management
5. there were atleast 75-100 case based questions where you had to apply the PMI concepts-- I used the elimation method a lot .
6. I finished all 200 qns in 2+ hours and used all the remaining time to review my answers(upto the last minute)
7.I did find myself changing many of my answers while doing the review :)

Lessons learned :

1.Based on my experience, I think the way to go for this exam is to cover the material & take as many test papers as possible.
2.Hone your skills in eliminating wrong answers - you will use it a lot
3. Memorize/learn all the formulae - these are sure shot questions which you can get right
4. Leave enough time to review the answers
5. try to memorize input/outputs/tools/theories - direct questions did come
6.Read the questions atleast twice before looking at the options - I used to make a lot of careless mistakes while doing practice tests.
7. Once again, take as many tests as possible

My take : The book is good and reasonably priced.Use it to your advantage.

Hope this helps - let me know if you have any questions..:)

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Lots of errors in fourth edition - still carries third edition info unchanged, October 22, 2009

By 

Raj (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try, Fourth Edition (Paperback)

I bought the Fourth Edition book few months ago and haven't got a chance to read for quite some time. Now when I decided to read, I was glancing it and am shocked to see it still carries info from third edition unchanged. I believe when they decided to give a make over for the fourth edition from the third, they din't pay enough attention and overlooked lots of third edition information as it is. Looks like they just updated the high level tables.

For eg. In chapter 10 - communication , they repeatedly mention four processes in the book - when infact PMI updated the fourth edition communication knowledge area with five processes. and Andy crowe book mentions 2 processes in Monitoring & Controlling Process group, which is again from third edition in page 272, when infact in PMI fourth edition, M&C contains only one process. This I found within 5 minutes of opening the book.

I searched for errata, if any, being published by velociteach - the publisher who released the book and found none. I'm disappointed and am not sure whether I'll be comfortably able to use this book for my exam preperation going forward.

PS - I just talked to velociteach, after my above comment was published. They mentioned the book I purchased is the First printing from april 2009 and errors were corrected in subsequent printings and is in Third/Fourth printing now. So pls make sure the printing before purchasing and you'd be fine.