Who Wants to Pass the
PMP Exam?
(No, you can’t phone a friend)
Richard Nerzig, PMP
Exam Taking Tips and Logistics
• Who should take the exam
• How to apply to take the exam
• What do I have to do to prepare
• Where do I take the exam
Overview
•
Who?
–
Perhaps you
•
How?
–
The Application Process
•
What?
–
Preparing for the Exam
–
Taking the Exam
•
Where?
–
Sylvan Learning Center
•
When?
–
Timing is everything
Who: Perhaps You
• Do you want to
– join a rapidly growing group of like minded
professionals (currently 18,000+ worldwide)?
– increase your knowledge?
– enhance corporate qualifications?
– enhance personal career opportunities?
– spend the next two months locked in a room?
How: The Application Process
Minimum Requirements
• Minimum requirements (Category 1)
– undergraduate degree or equivalent plus 4500
hours project management experience
– experience must be within the past 3 - 6 years
• Alternate Minimum Req’ts (Category 2)
– high school diploma or equivalent plus 7500
hours project management experience
How: The Application Process
Application & Resume
• Application and Experience Verification forms are
in the Certification & Standards booklet
• Resume must be included and coordinated with
the Experience Verification forms
• I provided great detail under the theory that this
minimizes being audited
• 15% of applications are rejected; most often due to
insufficient PM experience
How: The Application Process
Submittal Timing & Cost
• It takes PMI approximately 2 weeks to review and
disposition the application; if approved you will
receive an Exam Eligibility Letter from PMI
confirming your eligibility to take the exam and
providing instructions for scheduling with Sylvan.
• You have three months from date of approval to
schedule and take the exam, or you will have to
re-apply
What: Preparing for the Exam
Overall Study Programs
•
This class is one element in your overall Study Program.
•
Read the PMBOK including glossary several times
•
Read the other recommended textbooks; they are particularly helpful in
HR, Communications, Quality and Risk areas
•
Do multiple practice exams
•
Form study groups to understand the broad concepts and relate
management areas to process groups. You’ve got to be able to apply
the concepts to simulated project scenarios
•
Flash cards can be useful for the inputs/tools/outputs stuff. You’ve got
to know these cold
What: Preparing for the Exam
Other Resources
• PMI NYC Chapter Website:
www.pmi.org/chapters/ny/training
• PMI Website: www.pmi.org/certification/
• Other commercial resources
– seminars, CD-ROM based study programs - see
ads in PM Network magazine
What: Taking the Exam
•
Cram right up to the last minute. Or take the day before off.
•
You will take the exam in a small cubicle. Others will be taking other
exams concurrently in the same room.
•
You cannot bring ANYTHING into the room. You will be given a
pencil and scrap paper.
•
Gather yourself… bring your knowledge to the very front of your
brain. Stay focused.
•
You have 4 1/2 hours (plenty of time). You can bookmark questions
and return to them later. There is no penalty for wrong guesses.
•
When you are finished, you mouse click and get your results
immediately.
Where: Sylvan Learning Centers
• Eligibility letter from PMI will provide all details
of scheduling the exam at Sylvan
– Call Sylvan Learning Center’s phone number to schedule your exam
800-967-1100. See next slide for complete listing of locations.
– As of Jan 2000: ASI offers the exam. Tel: 877-244-1688
• Various cancellation policies relating to refunds;
read the fine print
• Bring photo identification
• There is a 15 minute tutorial on taking a computer
based exam
Sylvan Testing Center Locations
New York City Metro Area
Sylvan Testing Centers Listing as of 02/01/2000
S T AT E
S IT E #
CIT Y
AD D R E S S
Z IP
P H ON E
CT
2403
Hamden
1700 Dixwell Avenue
Hamden Commons
06514-3147
(203) 287-9677
2411
Glastonbury
2839 Main Steet
The Cambridge House
06033-1033
(860) 659-0400
2416
Norwalk
48 Westport Avenue
6851
(203) 847-0031
NJ
4103
Toms River
635 Bay Avenue
Seacourt Pavillion
08753-3313
(732) 349-4609
4104
Hamilton
3635 Quakerbridge Road9065
University Office Plaza
08619-1247
(609) 631-9794
4108
East Brunswick
754 Route 18
Suite 106
08816-4909
(732) 390-0515
4110
Verona
155 Pompton Ave
07044-2919
(973) 857-5412
4119
Fair Lawn
33-00 Broadway
07410-4603
(201) 475-1670
9064
Philadelphia/Deptford
1800 Clements Bridge Road
Building 2 Suite 15
08095-2022
(856) 384-4744
NY
19
Brooklyn Heights
175 Remsen Street, 6th Floor
Brooklyn-Downtown
11201-4300
(718) 222-1277
4202
White Plains
180 South Broadway
10605-1818
(914) 289-0437
4215
Garden City
320 Old Country Road
11530-1703
(516) 746-7367
4225
Manhasset
1447 Northern Boulevard
11030-3003
(516) 869-1236
4226
Albany
Washington Avenue Extension
Pine West Plaza, Bldg. 1A
12205-5600
(518) 869-6119
4228
Staten Island
1919 Hylan Boulevard
10305-2100
(718) 980-3079
4231
Queens/Rego Park
95-25 Queens Boulevard
Suite 710
11379
(718) 997-6356
When: Timing is Everything
• Take advantage of the flexibility
– you can schedule the exam in a week or three
months from now
– take it on the Tuesday after a holiday weekend
– factor in your own professional and personal
schedules
– you will want to be able to devote most if not
all of your free time to study in the weeks
Next Steps
• If you fail, you must apply to re-take the
exam and pay the required fee
• If you pass, you will receive formal written
notification from PMI
– begin accumulating PDU’s to maintain your
certification
Tips
Compiled by Charlene Huang and Mike Raboy
16 Tips for PMP Study and Test Taking Strategies
1. Be positive and be optimistic.
How you think is everything. Your thoughts will greatly influence your exam preparation and actual exam experience. Having a positive and optimistic attitude will help you prepare for the PMP exam.
2. Decide the outcome of PMP exam is to pass the exam!
In “The Art of War”, Sun Tzu said: “A great warrior knows a victory is at hand before engaging a battle.” Likewise, decide you WILL pass the PMP exam before taking the exam.
3. Set a target date for taking the PMP exam.
It gives you a sense of urgency when you work towards a deadline. And you will get more out of your exam preparation.
4. Have a study plan.
Like all the projects you have worked on, you need a study plan to guide your exam preparation. Be sure to include the followings on your plan:
a. Design your plan according to the content of the exam. For example, focus your preparation heavily on three areas: project planning, projects execution, and project control. b. Review course outline (i.e. The PM Certificate Program by IIL or PMP review course
outline) with PMBOK Guide side by side. c. Always conclude your review with sample exam.
d. Spend extra time to review questions you have missed on sample exam. For example, if you have missed on the concept of “BCWP”, go back to course outline, PMBOK Guide, and
Project Management: A System Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling by Harold Kerzner and review the “BCWP” concept for minimum of three times. 5. Stick to your study plan.
Decide on your preferred study method and stick with it. Start your plan early and study often. 6. Make PMBOK Guide your best friend.
a. Carry PMBOK Guide with you all the time. When you have a free moment (i.e. commuting), review it.
b. Memorize the glossary. Memorize the glossary. And memorize the glossary. c. Memorize the chapter overview (i.e. inputs, tool/techniques, and outputs). d. Understand all examples and charts that are listed in PMBOK Guide.
e. Review the content of PMBOK Guide over and over and over till you are ONE with PMBOK Guide.
1. Make PMIQ (ProjectManagementIQ by IIL) your best friend.
a. Go over all subject areas in study mode. b. Go over all subject areas in exam mode. c. Go over sample tests.
d. Test and retest until each subject area is at least 90% correct. 2. Use flash cards.
PMP Review Flash Cards by: Project Mentors Inc.
PMI'S BEST SELLER. Covers the definitions of PMBOK Guide in 500 self-study flash cards.
3. Create a sample exam binder.
Print out all questions that you have missed from PMIQ. Sort them based on PMBOK Guide chapters and insert them into a binder. Review them at least three times before the exam.
4. Exercise and have plenty of sleep the night before the exam.
The length of exam time is four and half-hour long. It takes tremendous amount of physical and mental strength to go through the entire exam. Exercise and plenty of sleep the night before will do wonder for you.
11. Take a PMP exam prep course.
When completing the PMP exam prep course, it gives you a sense of confidence and readiness for taking the PMP exam.
12. Make your testing appointment as soon as you receive an approval letter for taking PMP exam.
Testing centers tend to be booked very quickly. Be sure to make your testing appointment upon receiving the approval letter.
13. Bring a calculator on the day of exam.
Bring a non-programmable calculator and make sure the battery works.
14. Draw scheduling diagram nicely and calculate it perfectly once during the exam.
The same scheduling diagram will be appeared multiple times throughout the exam. By calculating it correctly the first time will save you time later on.
15. Be prepared to sit for a long time.
The exam is four and half hour long and no break is allowed. Be prepared to sit for a while.
16. Bring hard candy and M&Ms.
Sugar helps to keep your blood sugar and energy up; they will be very handy in a long exam situation.
Tips
Compiled by Cablevision
" T h e s t u d y e x p e r i e n c e i s a s v a l u a b l e a s t a k i n g t h e e x a m . "
- - G e t t o t h e e x a m e a r l y , b u t n o t t o o e a r l y o r y o u ' l l j u s t g e t n e r v o u s
w a i t i n g
- - B r i n g s n a c k s a n d s o m e t h i n g t o d r i n k w i t h y o u . Y o u c a n ' t h a v e t h e s e
i n
t h e t e s t r o o m b u t c a n t a k e a b r e a k .
- - B r i n g a s i m p l e c a l c u l a t o r , n o t a n e w o n e y o u h a v e n ' t u s e d b e f o r e
- - O n c e y o u b e g i n t h e e x a m , w r i t e d o w n t h e E a r n e d V a l u e f o r m u l a s o n t h e
s c r a t c h p a p e r t h a t i s p r o v i d e d o n c e y o u a r e
a t t h e c o m p u t e r . K n o w t h e f o r m u l a s c o l d .
- - R e a d e a c h q u e s t i o n c a r e f u l l y . S o m e t i m e s t h e w o r d s " E X C E P T " a n d
" N O T "
a r e i n u p p e r c a s e , o t h e r t i m e s i t n o t .
- - A f t e r r e a d i n g e a c h q u e s t i o n , t h i n k o f y o u r o w n a n s w e r b e f o r e l o o k i n g
a t t h e c h o i c e s p r o v i d e d o n t h e e x a m .
- - I f y o u d o n ' t k n o w t h e a n s w e r s o n o n e o f t h e m a t h p r o b l e m s , w o r k
b a c k w a r d s f r o m t h e c h o i c e s g i v e n .
- - B e p r e p a r e d f o r a r a n d o m s e q u e n c e o f q u e s t i o n s . T h e y a r e N O T s o r t e d
b y m a j o r p r o c e s s a r e a .
- - A l s o b e p r e p a r e d f o r s i t u a t i o n a l q u e s t i o n s , n o t j u s t o n e s t h a t
r e q u i r e
r o t e m e m o r y .
- - T h e t e s t o f f e r s y o u a n o p t i o n t o m a r k q u e s t i o n s f o r l a t e r r e v i e w .
Y o u
m i g h t w a n t t o j o t d o w n w h y y o u m a r k e d i t , a s
y o u c a n a c c u m u l a t e q u i t e a f e w q u e s t i o n s b y t h e e n d o f t h e t e s t .
- - F o u r h o u r s i s p l e n t y o f t i m e t o t a k e t h e t e s t s o d o n ' t f e e l l i k e y o u
h a v e t o r u s h .
2 . A P M I m e m b e r i n O h i o s e l l s s o f t w a r e t h a t d e s c r i b e d a s e l e c t r o n i c