PCM Fail
So I used the Amber book, I took some of the Black spectacles tests too but I used none of their material. I got 82% in the Amber book practice exam so I was feeling very confident. I then got 60% and 50% in the Black Spectacles practice exams which threw me off quite a bit. I felt the Black spectacles had very poorly worded questions and some of their answers made no sense.
I failed Practice Management today. Some items that occurred that I was not well prepared for was responding to RFP's and a few of the staffing questions that made no sense.
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William,
I had the exact same issue as you on the exam. I studied Amberbook and Ballast, which didn't prepare me at all for the amount of questions I had in regards to responding to RFP's. In speaking with some friends who have also taken their PcM exams, none of them had ever come across questions like this before either. In doing some digging the AHPP goes into information about RFPs and how to respond. The study material is more flagged for PjM but clearly it's showing up on the PcM exams as well.
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Abigale,
That's good to know I wasn't the only person who was a bit surprised by the material. I guess now that I've had some time to reflect I also need to know how to apply some of the material learned better. While I understand an LLP, LLP and C/S corporation I might not know how to apply the information to the questions. I guess I'll just have to keep studying. I've passed 3 exams since posting this original comment (PJM, CE and PA). The more exams I do, the better I'm getting a finding material and knowing how to apply it during the exam. I feel like knowing the material is half the battle. Understating the question and knowing how to respond in the allocated time is the other half.
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Ahh, it's by far the hardest exam. PjM is so similar I'd take that soon if you feel like you can. I took PjM the day after PcM and passed. It's mostly the same material but easier questions. I took CE one week later and Passed that too. If you understand the contracts and the Amber Book flashcards you should be set for PjM and CE. I'd recommend just going for and not telling anyone you're taking the exam. As you probably know all the material for all 3 exams and you don't realize it. Or you're really close to passing all the divisions. I found that I was really flustered taking the exam so once I took more exams I stopped caring and I was able to relax during the exam and focus on the material. I became a bit obsessed with not failing rather than passing which definitely didn't help. Failing exams definitely makes it easier to pass, which I know sounds odd but it somehow helps to get me over the hurdle as you know what to expect from the exam.
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