When I took my PMP course, the instructor shared a foolproof method to pass the exam. I’m sharing that same advice with you, which has worked for me and many others I’ve coached over the years. Best of luck on your journey to becoming a PMP!
First Things First
Be prepared to put in the work. This is a serious exam, professionally proctored. You can’t just take a class, skim a book, and expect to pass. And no, shortcuts like cheat sheets won’t help you here.
That said, I’ve never seen anyone fail who truly followed this advice. If you stick with it, you should pass. Of course, no guarantees—but your chances will be excellent.
Study Guide
Don’t rely on the PMBOK Guide to study. The PMBOK is a reference tool, not a learning resource. You’ll use it after passing the exam to review processes and best practices. For exam prep, focus on well-structured guides like those by Crowe or Mulcahy.
Pro tip: Make sure the guide you’re using matches the current version of the test (as of this writing, Version 7). Be cautious of discounted study materials online—they’re often outdated and not relevant.
Recommended resources:
Andy Crowe’s The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try
Rita Mulcahy’s PMP Exam Prep
Make and Memorize Your Flash Cards
Flash cards are your best friend. Write down anything from the exam guide that you don’t know, and carry them everywhere. Waiting in line? Flash cards. Microwave timer still running? Flash cards. Can’t sleep? You know the drill.
Office supply stores sell portable flash cards on key rings—these are perfect for on-the-go study.
The Exam Wizard
Go to The Exam Wizard and invest in a subscription. It offers up-to-date PMP practice tests that you can take at your own pace.
Suggested study schedule:
- 1 month before the exam: 10-question practice test daily.
- 2 weeks before: 50-question practice test daily.
- 1 week before: 100-question practice test daily.
Add any questions you get wrong to your flash cards and keep practicing.
PMP Formulas
The PMP exam includes several formulas, many of which you’ll likely never use again unless you work on large-scale construction or manufacturing projects. Still, you must memorize them for the exam.
Here’s the plan: as soon as you sit down at the testing center, use the scratch paper they provide to brain dump all the formulas from memory before answering any questions.
For reference, here’s the list of formulas I memorized: PMP Formulas.
No one can tell you what formulas will be on your exam. Every exam is different. My exam had literally two formulas. I had to calculate the number of communication channels, and I had to calculate the Point of Total Assumption. There were no other formulas on my exam. A friend of mine told me his exam was almost entirely formulas.
The test doesn’t have the formula on it and ask you to plug in some numbers. Every question is a scenario. You have to recognize the scenario and then choose which formula. Aha! The brain dump comes in real handy at that moment!
“But, Rob,” you ask, “did you use these formulas every day in all of your agile coaching, scrum mastering, and project managing that you have done?”
Yes. But only the lines of communication formula, and today, I disagree with the way it is calculated. It should be multiplied by two. But that is another article.
Timing is Everything
Don’t wait too long after your PMP course to take the exam. Ideally, schedule it within 30 days. The longer you wait, the harder it becomes to stay motivated—and many people never end up taking the test at all.
Taking the Test
Here’s what to expect and how to handle it:
- Arrival and security: Be ready to lock up your phone, smartwatch, and other electronics. You’ll likely be wanded down and asked to turn out your pockets.
- Settle in: They’ll provide paper and a pencil. Before starting the test, brain dump all the formulas you memorized onto the scratch paper.
- Stay calm and focused: You’ll probably feel like you’re failing. This is normal—the exam is designed to make you second-guess yourself. Trust your preparation, keep moving forward, and don’t let panic take over. When I took the exam, after about 20 questions, I was sure I had them all wrong and I was going to fail the exam. My tutors in my course warned me about that feeling and to ignore it.
- Use process of elimination: On the electronic exam, you can often right-click to eliminate wrong answers. Use this feature to improve your odds.
- Guess strategically: If you’re truly stuck, choose the longer answer. While not foolproof, it often works.
- Trust your intuition: Don’t overthink. If you find yourself debating between two options, go with your gut and move on.
- Finish strong: By the halfway point, you’ll likely start to feel more confident. The panic will subside. You will have answered some questions correctly. If you took the advice above, you are almost certainly passing the exam no matter what your fear is telling you. Push through, and you’ll make it to the finish line.
Receiving Results
Once you’re done, the testing software will immediately tell you whether you passed and provide results. The score report includes the following:
- Pass or Fail: PMI does not provide a percentage score, so you won’t see how many questions you answered correctly.
- Performance Domain Results: The PMP exam is divided into three domains based on the current Exam Content Outline:
- People: Focuses on leading teams effectively.
- Process: Emphasizes technical project management processes.
- Business Environment: Deals with the alignment of projects to organizational strategy.
- Above Target: Exceeded the expectations for this domain.
- Target: Met the expectations for this domain.
- Below Target: Did not meet the expectations; some improvement needed.
- Needs Improvement: Significantly below the expectations; substantial improvement needed.
- Additional Details:
- A breakdown of how well you performed on each domain helps you understand your strengths and areas for improvement.
- Feedback on overall performance.
No one but PMI knows the test scores or what constitutes a pass or fail. Rumors abound. Is it 60% correct across the board? 90% in one area but at least 40% in another? No one can say. That’s why, while you take the test and feel like you are failing, I want you to ignore the voice in your head saying you are failing. You don’t know that you are failing! It just feels that way. Steady on!
Final Thoughts
This method has worked for many people, but remember, no guarantees! PMI might change the test format or content in the future. (If you’re reading this 100 years from now, good luck with your holographic, role-playing exam!)
For now, focus on preparation, trust the process, and you’ll do great. Best of luck on your PMP journey!
