PMP Exam - What and How ?

What is PMP ?

• PMP (Project Management Professional) is one of the prestigious certifications for Project Managers and it is the most sought after in the industry.
• The certification exam is conducted online by PMI (http://www.pmi.org) through the prometric centres (www.prometric.com/pmi) .
  

Prerequisites:

• Refer the handbook in pmi site(http://www.pmi.org/PDF/pdf_pmhandbook.pdf). Use version March'09
  
• PM Experience - About 3 years  (or 4500 hrs of project management "role" for graduates)
  
• Formal course  - minimum 35 hrs of course from any REP (refer the list in www.pmi.org). Be aware that not all courses are certified for these 35 hrs.
  
• Complete the application process and send the application to the pmi.
  

About the Exam:

• Exam has 200 questions with only 175 gradable questions (for 25 questions marks are not considered as they are more of a survey kind or piloting new test questions)
• Total hrs for the exam are 4 (This is sufficient time so don't be scared)
  
• Here is the breakup of the percentage of question from the processes covered in exam :
• IPECC (Initiating, Planning, Executing, Controlling, Closing)
  
  
  Initiating process – 11% - 19 questions
  -Planning process – 23% - 40 questions
  -Executing process – 27% -  47 questions
  -Monitoring and Controlling process – 21% -  37 questions
  -Closing process – 9% - 16 questions
  -Professional responsibility – 9% -  16 questions
  
  

• Answer every question as there is no negative marking
• Passing marks are 61% i.e. 106 out of 175 questions.
  

Fees:

• For PMI members: USD 405
• For non-PMI members: USD 555
• PMI membership fee: USD 129
• So you save USD 21 if you get membership first and then apply for exam. It is not a matter of 21 USD but more importantly you get access to PMI site where you have excellent material and free down-loadable PMBOK4. Also you get PM magazines with excellent case studies and articles. The membership is valid for a year.
• Cost to retake an exam: USD 275
• You can re-take upto 3 times
  

PMP Application Form

Some good practice exam sites

• http://www.pmstudy.com/enroll.asp  
• http://www.readysetpass.com/PMP_Practice_Exams.html
• http://www.tutorialspoint.com/pmp-exams/pmp_mock_exams.htm
  

Recommended Books:

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The PMI TIPS

How do I learn the Knowledge Areas ?
I                  -    Integration
Saw            -     Scope
Two            -    Time
Cows          -    Cost
Quietly        -    Quality
Having         -    HR (Human Resource)
Coffee  &    -    Communication
Reading       -    Risk
Poetry         -    Procurement

More to come........