PMP Exam Day Testing Tips

You have decided to complete your Project Management Professional (PMP®) Certification.    You have made a smart decision.   The PMP® certification sponsored by the Project Management Institute® (PMI) is the most recognized and respected certification in the field of project management world wide.  The salary survey performed by PMI found a 10% higher salary for PMPs vs. non PMPs in the United States.  Anecdotally there are reports of significant bonuses and  improved hiring rates of individuals having successfully

completed their PMP Certification.  Completing your PMP certification is a strong way to demonstrate to employers that you are a step ahead of the rest.

The PMP exam is based on information from the entire project management body of knowledge. The “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge” (PMBOK®),  provides an outline of the topics covered.  As per the PMI website,

The PMP Credential Examination measures the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques that are utilized in the practice of project management. The PMP examination is comprised of 200 multiple-choice questions. Of the 200 questions, 25 questions are pretest questions. Pretest questions do not affect the candidate’s score and are used in examinations as an effective way to increase the number of examination questions that can be used in future PMP exams. The pretest questions are randomly placed throughout the exam. The allotted time to complete the examination is four hours.

PMP Exam Questions

PMP® Credential examination questions:

• are developed and validated by global work groups of content experts;
• are referenced to current resources from project management textbook sources;
• are monitored through psychometric analysis;
• satisfy the test specifications of a job analysis.

The current passing score for the exam is 61 percent (106 questions correct out of 175 scored questions).

Top 5 Tips

1. Use Our PMP® Brain Dump Cheat Sheet. Our Brain Dump Cheat Sheet is Guaranteed to Help Boost Your Test Score.
2. Answers are based on PMI’s perspectives, not necessarily on one’s own experience.
3. Do not leave any question blank. A blank answer will be considered wrong.
4. The PMI takes a proactive approach to situations, this will assist you in identifying the correct answer.
5. Read the entire question fully before answering.

Pre-Test

• Only study for 1 hour the night before the exam.
• Make sure to get at least 8 hours of sleep the night before the exam.
• Wake up with plenty of time before your exam to allow for a healthy breakfast.
• Make sure you know the exact location and have directions to the test location.  Drive to the location ahead of time.
• Arrive approximately 30 minutes before you need to be there.  Spend at least 15 minutes in your car writing the
• PMP® Brain Dump Cheat Sheet from memory on a piece of
• paper over and over until you are sure you have it completely memorized.
• Spend the next 10 – 15 minutes just relaxing.
• Do not take anything with you into the exam location.  Be prepared to completely empty your pockets and place any large
• clothing in a locker.  Consider taking a small snack with you and place it in the locker provided for you just in case.

“Best Practice” Testing Techniques

• As soon as you start exam, write out your Brain Dump Cheat Sheet from memory. This will be invaluable during your exam.
• Read the answers first, then the question.
• Read the answers from the bottom up.
• Read the entire question fully – usually there’s more information than needed.
• Answers may have incorrect grammar. Do not be fooled by this, it may still be the correct answer.
• Answers with words such as “always”, “never”, “must”, “completely” are often the incorrect answers.

PMP Exam things to remember

• Answers are based on PMI’s perspectives not necessarily on your own experience.
• The PMI takes a proactive approach to situations; this will assist you in identifying the correct answer.
• Assume that lessons learned and historical information from past projects is always available.
• Do not be misled by answers that represent true statements but are not relevant to the question at hand.
• Assume that roles and responsibilities in projects are always properly defined.
• Answer the questions based on the PMBOK concepts first, then consider your own experience. If they are in conflict, the
• PMBOK is the answer you should choose.

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