All about PMP exam
The PMP exam is the test you must pass to get the PMP certification in project management. On this page we will explain all its secrets so that you can prepare it and pass it on the first try.
What is the PMP exam like?
The PMP exam consists of 200 multiple choice questions. Of the 200, 25 are what are called pre-test questions, which do not affect the qualification. These serve only to evaluate the validity of the other questions that do score. During the exam, both types of questions are mixed, and you don’t know which is which, so you must answer them all.
The maximum duration of the exam is 4 hours, which means that you must answer quite quickly. For this reason, it is important to prepare it well beforehand and use one of the online PMP simulators that we show you at the end of this page
The PMP exam covers the different knowledge areas of the PMBOK, and distributes its questions among them in the following percentages:
- Initialization 13%
- Planning 24%
- Execution 31%
- Monitoring and control 25%
- Closing 7%
How to pass the PMP exam
There are no magic formulas to pass the exam but doing it on the first time is very feasible if you prepare well. This is the only formula that really works.
The best way we know of to pass the PMP exam on the first time is to combine these three ways of studying:
Online PMP preparation course
Having a preparation course of at least 35 hours is a prerequisite to be able to take the exam, so you must do this anyway.
Our recommendation at this point is that you choose a course that includes an exam simulator and the possibility of interacting with the professors.
PMP exam simulator
Many courses already include a simulator. If this is not your case, we recommend that you hire one separately, since it is one of the most powerful tools to pass the exam on the first time. At the bottom of this page, you can see several options.
A good simulator should include the following features:
Minimum of 2000 different questions.
You will see that in several places they give you access to free PMP simulators with 100 or 200 questions. This is of little use, because in the end you end up repeating the questions over and over again, and these never manage to simulate the real situation, nor do they cover all the areas.
Possibility of taking the exam in real conditions
As we have told you, the Professional Project Management exam consists of 400 questions, and you have 4 hours to answer them. This means a question every 1:16 minutes, that is, quite fast.
For this reason, it is important to simulate the 4-hour exam at home until you can answer the questions within the deadline. Having many questions in the PMP simulator allows you to take several different exams, without always repeating the same one.
PMP preparation books
The books allow you to delve into the processes of the Project Management Institute and study on your own, so they are an essential tool to prepare for the exam. On this page we recommend two:
The first is the PMBOK, in its latest edition. The PMP exam is based on the project management procedures defined by the Project Management Institute in its guide; so it is imperative that you read and study this book.
An excellent alternative or complement to the PMI guide is Rita Mucalhy’s preparation book. Using this book is sometimes better than using the PMI guide, because it explains the same thing but in a much more focused way to pass the exam. It also includes a good PMP exam simulator.
Examples of PMP exam questions
Below we offer you some sample questions, taken directly from the PMI, of what you will find in the PMP exam. How can you see the format is always 4 answers where you must choose one.
In black we highlight the correct answer
An accepted deadline for a project is approaching. However, the project manager realizes that only 75% of the work has been completed. The project manager then issues a change request. What must the change request authorize?
- Additional resources using the contingency fund
- Approval to use contingency funds
- Team overtime to meet schedule
- Cause-Based Corrective Action
The project manager develops a process improvement plan to encourage process improvement throughout the life of the project. Which of the following is a valid tool or technique to help the project manager ensure the success of the improvement process?
- derailleur system
- Process analysis.
- benchmarking
- Configuration Management System
The project manager meets with the project team to review lessons learned from previous projects. What activity is the team involved in?
- Performance management
- Scope Identification
- risk identification
- Project monitoring meeting.
Dates to take the PMP exam
The exam is carried out periodically in the centers accredited by the PMI in the most important cities within the 210 countries where the Project Management Institute is present. Although there is an option to do it online in some cases,
From the moment your application is accepted (you can see the complete process here), you have 1 year to take the exam. With the possibility of repeating it up to 3 times. The available dates and times can be seen on the PMI page once you are registered, and your application is approved.
Where to take the PMP exam
The most common is to take the exam at a Pearson VUE center, which are the centers approved by the PMI. These are usually available in most large cities within the 210 countries where PMI is present.
It is also possible to take the PMI exam online under supervision via webcam and microphone, or in the case of not being able to take the exam online, or not having any Pearson VUE center in the country or within a radius of 240 km (150 miles), there is the possibility of requesting an alternative method. For both cases it is necessary to contact the Project Management Institute through its page.
Price of the PMP exam
The price of the exam depends on whether you are a member of the Project Management Institute or not. If you are not a member you must pay 555 USD or 465 Euros, if you are a member the price will be reduced to 405 USD or 340 Euros. In both cases, payment is made after PMI approves your application.
According to PMI studies on the US labor market, having the PMP certification represents a salary difference of 25%. How many times can you pay the cost of the exam and preparation materials with 25% of your salary? If you think about it that way, it is a good investment.
List of PMP exam simulators
Master of Project PMP Exam Simulator
Master of Project is a school specialized in online courses for certifications in project management, approved by the PMI as a Registered Education Provide.
In this case, it offers a very good PMP exam simulator, which allows you to practice the exam in totally real conditions. With this you will be able to significantly increase your chances of passing the exam on the first try.
Its main features are:
- This PMP exam simulator grants 28 PDUs, which makes it possible to certify part of the 35 hours requested by the PMI.
- Includes over 1,400 real questions
- Allows you to do seven PMP mock exams based on the latest PMBOK
- You can see the correct answer to each question and its rationale. You learn from mistakes.
- At the end of the simulation, it delivers a detailed performance report with recommendations for passing the PMP certification exam on the first try.
- 24/7 assistance from the support team
It allows two payment options to adapt to any pocket and need. The first, more expensive, allows unlimited access to the simulator. The second offers you a much cheaper monthly fee that allows you to adjust the cost to the time you need to prepare for the exam. You can see more information in the following link
PM Exam simulator is a company dedicated exclusively to offering exam simulators for the different Project Management Institute certifications, which is why they make their PMP simulator one of the best alternatives on the market.
Its main characteristics are:
- It includes 1,600 real questions that allow you to simulate up to 8 complete exams.
- Updated to the latest version and exam outline. Which allows you to practice in a totally real situation.
- It includes detailed explanations of the answers, so you can learn from your mistakes and not repeat them.
- Three modes of use: exam mode, timed mode, and learn mode
- Access for 90 days applicable up to 150 days. It adapts to the time you need to prepare.
- Rated 5 stars on Facebook and Google
- Prices from 139 USD
Note: this page does not distribute the exam simulators shown in this section. For any question, contact the distribution company directly using the free information button that appears next to it, and filling in the form that will appear on the landing page.