Who Wants to Pass the
PMP Exam?
(No, you can’t phone a friend)
Richard Nerzig, PMP
Exam Taking Tips and Logistics
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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
When should I take the exam
PMI NYC CHAPTER
Overview
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Who?
– Perhaps you
•
How?
– The Application Process
•
What?
– Preparing for the Exam
– Taking the Exam
•
Where?
– Sylvan Learning Center
•
When?
– Timing is everything
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•
Next Steps
Questions
PMI NYC CHAPTER
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?
If you answered yes to these questions….
PMI NYC CHAPTER
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
– experience must be within past 5 - 8 years
PMI NYC CHAPTER
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
PMI NYC CHAPTER
Sample Resume
PMI NYC CHAPTER
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
• Fee: $405 members; $555 nonmembers
PMI NYC CHAPTER
What: Preparing for the Exam
Overall Study Programs
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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
The exam is designed to be difficult
PMI NYC CHAPTER
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
• Observations from previous exam takers
PMI NYC CHAPTER
What: Taking the Exam
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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.
PMI NYC CHAPTER
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 800967-1100. 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
PMI NYC CHAPTER
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
ZIP
P H ON E
(203) 287-9677
CT
2403
Hamden
2411
Glastonbury
2416
Norwalk
4103
Toms River
1700 Dixwell Avenue
Hamden Commons
06514-3147
2839 Main Steet
The Cambridge House
06033-1033
(860) 659-0400
6851
(203) 847-0031
08753-3313
(732) 349-4609
48 Westport Avenue
NJ
4104
Hamilton
4108
East Brunswick
4110
Verona
4119
Fair Lawn
9064
Philadelphia/Deptford
635 Bay Avenue
Seacourt Pavillion
3635 Quakerbridge Road9065
University Office Plaza
08619-1247
(609) 631-9794
754 Route 18
Suite 106
08816-4909
(732) 390-0515
155 Pompton Ave
07044-2919
(973) 857-5412
33-00 Broadway
07410-4603
(201) 475-1670
1800 Clements Bridge Road
Building 2 Suite 15
08095-2022
(856) 384-4744
175 Remsen Street, 6th Floor
Brooklyn-Downtown
11201-4300
(718) 222-1277
NY
19
Brooklyn Heights
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
4228
Staten Island
4231
Queens/Rego Park
95-25 Queens Boulevard
Suite 710
4240
Brooklyn Heights
175 Remsen Street, 6th Floor
5416
New York/Wall Street
33 Whitehall Street, 17th Floor
PMI NYC CHAPTER
Washington Avenue Extension
Pine West Plaza, Bldg. 1A
12205-5600
(518) 869-6119
10305-2100
(718) 980-3079
11379
(718) 997-6356
Brooklyn-Downtown
11201-4300
(718) 222-1277
Broad Financial Center
10004-2112
1919 Hylan Boulevard
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
preceding your exam
PMI NYC CHAPTER
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
GOOD LUCK TO ALL!
PMI NYC CHAPTER
Tips
Compiled by Charlene Huang and Mike Raboy
1.
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.
4.
2.
3.
Create a sample exam binder.
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.
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:
Testing centers tend to be booked very quickly. Be sure to make your testing
appointment upon receiving the approval letter.
13.
5.
Use flash cards.
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.
Have a study 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.
Go over all subject areas in study mode.
Go over all subject areas in exam mode.
Go over sample tests.
Test and retest until each subject area is at least 90% correct.
PMP Review Flash Cards by: Project Mentors Inc.
PMI'S BEST SELLER. Covers the definitions of PMBOK Guide in 500 self-study flash
cards.
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.
Make PMIQ (ProjectManagementIQ by IIL) your best friend.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Stick to your study plan.
Bring a calculator on the day of exam.
Bring a non-programmable calculator and make sure the battery works.
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.
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.
PMI NYC CHAPTER
Tips
Compiled by Cablevision
"The
study
experience
is
as
valuable
as
taking
the
exam."
-- Get to the exam early, but not too early or you'll just get nervous
waiting
-- Bring snacks and something to drink with you.
You can't have these
in
the test room but can take a break.
-- Bring a simple calculator, not a new one you haven't used before
-- Once you begin the exam, write down the Earned Value formulas on the
scratch paper that is provided once you are
at the computer.
Know the formulas cold.
-- Read each question carefully.
Sometimes the words "EXCEPT" and
"NOT"
are in upper case, other times it not.
-- After reading each question, think of your own answer before looking
at the choices provided on the exam.
-- If you don't know the answers on one of the math problems, work
backwards from the choices given.
-- Be prepared for a random sequence of questions.
They are NOT sorted
by major process area.
-- Also be prepared for situational questions, not just ones that
require
rote memory.
-- The test offers you an option to mark questions for later review.
You
might want to jot down why you marked it, as
you can accumulate quite a few questions by the end of the test.
-- Four hours is plenty of time to take the test so don't feel like you
have to rush.
2. A PMI member in Ohio sells software that described as electronic
flashcards containing all of the terms in the
PMBOK Glossary.
He sells it for only $23, which includes shipping.
If
you would like to download a demo, check out
his web site at
www.pmprep.com
PMI NYC CHAPTER