Rating: 
Summary: This Plus the PMBOK are All you Need!
Review: Everyone seems to pitch the Rita book and materials, but Kim Heldman's book and the PMBOK are all you'll need to pass the PMP. I went crazy studying for the PMP and bought just about everything under the sun to prepare - Audio CDs, Software, Books, etc. I didn't even open the Rita materials or the PMP for Dummies...all I used was this book and the PMBOK.
My suggestion...read this book from cover to cover and create flash cards for key topics. Study the key topics, paying special attention to WHEN you acually apply the different tools & techniques (think "in what situations would I apply this technique vs another technique"). Then read the PMBOK a few times and create flash cards for that material. Study your flash cards and take as many practice tests as you can.
You'll end up learning everything you need to know to pass the PMP AND to actually manage projects!
Good Luck!
Rating:
Summary: Don't use it alone, but a GREAT reference!
Review: First off, don't think you can get away with passing the PMP exam by just reading this review book. I acquired this book the weekend before I took the PMP exam at a local chapter's all-day exam review session and threw myself into it. The book is a very easy read and my favorite element was the "case study" that you followed throughout the entire project life cycle so you could see what you've learned "put to work."I passed the PMP exam two days ago with 165/200 and this book definitely helped.
Rating: 
Summary: Seems to be a good book, but more is needed
Review: I am about to take the test and have not taken a prep course. I have outlined this book and it is an easy read. However, if you go to pmi.org and take a look at the sample questions they provide, the test questions in this book do not seem like the real deal. This concerned me so I bought the Exam Cram2 book which is an easier read (but not as detailed as this book is) and it provides another set of questions which has seemed to help. Now, after reading both of the books PMBOK was an easy read which has made me comfortable enough to schedule the test. I have read the book a few times and suggest continual drilling on the review tests provided on the CD that accompanies this book. So, I think the compilation of this book and at least one other will be sufficient to pass.
Rating: 
Summary: PMP: Project Management Professional Study Guide
Review: I do not reccommend this Study Guide, primarily because the editting of it was very sloppy. There are misspelled words "Manger" for "Manager" throughout the book. Also, be wary of the CD that is included. It contains all of the materials and several bonus tests/exams, etc. However, many of the questions/answers are incorrect.
I reviewed/studied the physical book first and then did a second pass through the CD. I discovered several questions/answers that were incorrect. Very sloppy editting!!!
I would strongly reccommend that you purchase a different Study Guide for the PMP Exam.
Rating:
Summary: Great for the Basics...missing some hot topics!
Review: I recently passed the PMP exam and I used these tests as part of the preparation process. They were fantastic for reviewing the basics of the PMBOK, but didn't cover some necessary topics such as the different types of power and risk techniques and when to use them, etc. I'd like to see this updated with questions that apply to WHEN you actually use the different formulas, types of power, processes, etc, instead of just focusing on WHAT the different knowledge areas and processes are.
Rating:
Summary: ...this is the choice...
Review: I went through all the reviews before buying this book, and I was a bit skeptic about the real results...too good, all the reviews were right!! The way this book otganizes the processes described by the PMBOK gave me a better understanding of the complete set of processes and its links. Combine this book with the PMBOK and Rita's book (recommended as well), I got around 80% in the practice exams and my score was 158 in the PMP test....go for it!!
Rating:
Summary: Don't use it alone, but a GREAT reference!
Review: I'm the author of the PMP Study Guide and I'm thrilled to see all your reviews about how helpful my book has been! Thank you! Good news--there is a new, second edition to the PMP Study Guide that has an expanded glossary, more exam hints, more notes, and deeper explanations of some of the tougher topics. There is also a companion guide, The PMP Final Exam Review, that has four more tests with some killer questions. Getting the PMP certification is definitely worth your while but you can't pass the test without some good resources (and I think mine are some of the best). Good luck to all you future PMPs out there!
Rating:
Summary: YOU NEED TO BUY THIS BOOK!!!!!!!
Review: If you're studying for the PMP 2002 exam you will be so relieved that Sybex decided to do this book. I have my A+, N+, and MCSE and I used Sybex books to study for all of the exams. Over the last two and half years, my job role has shifted into a project management. My director suggested that I go after the PMP. I bought the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge from PMI and nearly fell asleep every time I tried to read it. I
tried to order other books from their site but they all looked just as dense (all the examples use construction methodology that I didn't follow at all!). By chance I did a search on Amazon for PMP and luckily found this one just published from Sybex. It's packed with IT related references that
I can relate to. There's even an IT-related sample project that spans the course of the book. The author does a great job of building context with real world stories. Plus the CD has hundreds of practice questions, some have flowcharts and graphs. If you're like me -- an IT admin who is suddenly project managing IT projects -- you need this book!!
Rating:
Summary: Seems to be a good book, but more is needed
Review: The biggest gripe I have with this book has to do with the organization of content inside the chapters. The Inputs, tools and techniques and outputs are rather hard to find - and you really must patiently read everything the author wants to say to get what you want. This might be good or even beneficial for a first read - but if you are short on time or want to tear ahead you will begin to experience some frustration. The lack of clear organization is a fairly major limitation for a book that is aimed at exam preparation! The book is useless as a review/recap tool. You cannot go fast! In my assessment the PMBOK and the PMP for Dummies books are superior. This book would have been far better with if it had more process area and knowledge area diagrams and summaries, or even quick summaries after sections like many of the other books do. The book does have its positive points. The very well thought out and insightful case studies however provide relief when working through the rather dull presentation. The questions at the end of each chapter are generally of very high quality and will test your understanding in a deep way. Mistakes are very few. The case studies are probably the best I have seen in any PMP preparation book. I had to team this book with the PMBOK for content/concepts, and Rita Mulcahy's PMP exam CD for test taking to pass the PMP.
Rating:
Summary: Can use as a companion to the PMBOK Guide for the PMP.
Review: The PMBOK Guide (by PMI) is essential in preparing for the PMP, but follows the 9 Knowledge Areas approach. The approach necessary to pass the test is the 5 Process Groups (plus Professional Responsibility) approach. This Study Guide takes the 5 Process Groups approach and hence clears the confusion one may experience in reading the PMBOK Guide. They also go into more depth than the PMBOK Guide as can be seen by the fact that the book has more than twice as many pages. This Study Guide also has a CD-ROM with hundreds of practice questions (you can take 2 practice exams). The entire book is on the CD-ROM too. I have not tried their electronic flashcards for PCs and Palm Handhelds. Considering everything that the book offers, it is a great buy at [this price]. Other CD-ROM software programs that offer practice tests are over $300. The only other book that will prove very useful on top of this book is Rita Mulcahy's 'PMP Exam Prep'. It is a bit more expensive but is of much higher quality in preparing for the PMP exam. This Study Guide is wonderful as a secondary preparation material to Rita's book. Read my reviews of her book to get more info on preparing for the PMP. I always use multiple study guides to get multiple perspectives when preparing for an exam. So, if you can afford it, I would recommend both books for your PMP preparation. But if you want to invest in only one study guide, I would say get Rita's PMP Exam Prep. Good luck on the PMP!
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