The PMP Exam

The Project Management Professional exam is the best way for project management professionals to improve their skills and industry knowledge. It is given by PMI, the Project Management Institute.

Studies show that PMP exam graduates earn more money over time compared to executives without the designation. In addition, it shows a commitment to ongoing education and embracing industry standards of professionalism.

Complete Test

The test is made up of 200 multiple-choice questions that cover all aspects of beginning, planning, executing, tracking and completing a project. There are 4 possible answers to every question.

Of the 200 questions, 25 are pretest questions. These are trial questions that are used to test questions for future tests. They are positioned at random places throughout the exam and do not affect the final score.

Scoring

While PMI does not give official scoring criteria in their handbook, they published a document a few years ago that claimed 106 out of 175 was a passing grade. It is difficult to confirm if that is still the passing number.

Questions that are answered incorrectly are not marked negatively. They are simply not counted. The score is only calculated for correct answers.

Time Allocation

Candidates have four hours to complete the exam. There is a tutorial and a short survey at the beginning. Test takers need not complete these as they are optional. Any time used for taking these optional segments is not included in the time allocated for the main test.

Mark For Review

If a test taker is not sure of an answer, they can go ahead and make an educated guess, and then mark the question for review. At the end of the test, they can return to questions marked for review and give them further consideration.

It is a good idea to bring a calculator to the test. The newer test software has a calculator built into it. However, a physical calculator may be easier to work with given the pressure of the test. The exam is not designed to test a candidate’s math skills, but there are some calculations that need to be worked out.

Break Away

There are no official breaks during the exam. However, candidates can take their own break to get a beverage or visit the restroom. In that case, they pay a personal penalty of having less time to work on the test.

Test Preparation

The exam costs anywhere from roughly $250-$550. It depends on if the test taker is a member of PMI and if they take a paper-based test or computer-based test. There are a number of quality test preparation services available online. Students can choose generally from live or “on demand” training.

-Live. Teachers give the class in real time through a high quality web cam. This is somewhat similar to a real classroom. Instructors also provide personal time with each student. Learn More..

-On-Demand. Students with busy careers may not be able to make the set time schedule of a live class. On demand classes can be begun and ended at any time. Learn More..

High quality test preparation services often cover the costs of the test as part of the training fee. Some will even cover the expense of taking a retest if that proves necessary. In fact, many companies encourage their employees to take the PMP exam and will cover the costs.

The PMP exam is a serious undertaking. With the right preparation, each student will emerge victorious and gain the PMP certification.