Project Management Institute (PMI) offers PMP certification which is a globally recognized accreditation. The certification is an endorsement of project management experience and knowledge of its holder. Those who want to pursue their careers in the field of project management consider PMP certification as the best option for career advancement.

PMP demands a highly focused effort put in by the aspirants to obtain the credentials. Passing the PMP exam is not an easy task especially if the candidate is not fully prepared. Therefore, it is important to get the idea of the PMP exam and PMP formulas are a part of it. So one must know the pattern and how many different types of questions contribute towards the overall exam.

You can read our Top 10 PMP Training comparison post.

PMP Exam Pattern

PMP exam has a duration of 4 hours. In this duration, the aspirants have to attempt 200 questions. These questions are multiple-choice questions. And these questions have different types that PMI uses to smartly assess your understanding, knowledge, and experience along with your ability to focus, interpret, and attempt the questions. One of these types is PMP formula-based questions.

However, it is important to note that there is no breakup of question types like the one you see for project management domains of process groups. Hence you should try your best to practice the different domains and different types of questions. You should also practice how to pick the right choice among several others.

Every exam is unique because all candidates get a different set of questions. The PMI never acknowledges the number of questions types you will receive in the exam. There are many exam takers who got 15-20 math-based questions, and others who got around five math-based questions. One can generally aspect that approximately 20 questions (10%) will be about PMP formulas. It means that to qualify in the PMP exam, you must focus on the PMP formulas as well. So that you can score well in the PMP formulas based question types to score well in the whole PMP exam.

Question Type Based on PMP Formulas

The good part with the PMP formulas is that you must have studied courses like math, STAT, etc. in your school and graduation degrees so you must have a basic idea to solve these types of questions based on PMP formulas. However, the most important aspect you need to keep in mind is to understand these PMP formulas well. Then practice them by reading the questions carefully, then interpreting the provided values and how they can fit in the PMP formulas. You should not assume any values that are not provided in the questions, everything should be interpreted carefully based on the provided information.

We will walk you through the 15 PMP formulas that you need to prepare for your PMP exam.

Critical Path Method PMP Formulas

In this section we will discuss PERT and Float.

PMP Formulas #1 – PERT Distribution

PERT stands for Program Evaluation and Review Technique and was developed as an advanced project schedule planning and management system by the US navy in the 1950s. In regards to PMP, PERT is primarily used as an added technique to the Critical Path Method for scheduling activities. PERT can also be applied to stand-alone estimates of work items and activities.

The PERT method transforms the three-point-estimate into a bell-shaped curve and allows to determine probabilities of ranges of expected values. The three-point estimate refers to Optimistic estimate (O), Most likely estimate (M), and Pessimistic estimate(P).

Triangular Distribution

The simple yet commonly used calculation contains the average of the 3 estimated values. The PMP formula of this triangular distribution is:

E = (O + M + P) / 3

This formula gives the expected amount of time or cost. If you are using the value of time in the parameters, you will get the expected time. Whereas, if you are using the value of cost in the parameters, you will get the expected cost. The weight of each estimate in this equation is identical. Thus, the ‘most likely’ case does not affect the final estimate more than the 2 less likely estimates. This is different from the beta distribution method.

The Beta Distribution

The PERT beta distribution varies in the weighting of the ‘most likely’ case. In beta distribution the more likely is given more weightage. The advantage of this weightage is that the impact of the outliers is reduced, hence the possible impact of the risk is also reduced in the calculation. The PMI methodology suggests this calculation as an alternative to the triangular distribution for cost estimates (however it can also be used for time estimates).

E = (O + 4*M + P) / 6

As you can see that in this PMP formula, there are two differences from the triangular distribution. The first difference is the most likely (M) estimate value is multiplied by 4. And the overall divisor is then increased to 6.

The Standard Deviation

Standard deviation is a statistical concept that gives a measure of the ‘spread’ of the values of a random variable around the mean of a distribution. If the value of the standard deviation is low, it means that the data points are close to average. Whereas if the value of standard deviation is high, it means the data points have a large range of spread.

The following PMP formula is used to calculate Standard Deviation of the PERT distribution

Standard Deviation = (P – O) / 6

For estimating an entire path (analogous critical path method), a similar concept is applied yet using a combined standard deviation of all activities.

The variance of an activity

The activity variance calculation is calculated by taking a square of standard deviation.

Variance=((𝑃−𝑂)/6)^2

Example:

A team of subject matter experts is estimating the time it takes to complete an activity. They use the three-point estimation technique. And come up with the following values.

Optimistic Estimate O = 15 days

Most Like Estimate M = 22 days

Pessimistic Estimate P = 26 days

According to the triangular distribution, the value of E = (15 + 22 + 26) /3 which gives the value of E = 21 days. Whereas according to the Beta distribution, the value of E = (15+ 4 x 22 + 26)/6 which gives the value of E = 21.5 days.

Standard Deviation

The standard deviation in this case is:

Standard Deviation = (26 – 15) / 6 = 1.83

Probabilities and Range of Expected Duration

We can calculate the range of an activity duration by using the PMP formula

Activity Duration=EAD±𝑆𝐷

And for standard deviation n, we can use the PMP formula as

Activity Duration=EAD±(n x 𝑆𝐷)

In our example, we have calculated the expected duration value which is 21.5. And the standard deviation which is 1.83. So we can also calculate the range of the probability based on the ranges of deviations.

*The Empirical Rule declares that about all data lies within 3 standard deviations of the mean for a normal distribution. Under this rule, 68% of the data falls within one standard deviation. Ninety-five percent of the data lies within two standard deviations. Within three standard deviations is 99.7% of the data. So our probability column is not calculated from this example. This is extracted from 3 sigma levels.

So according to the values we have derived, we can say that with 68.3% probability, the duration of the activity will be between 19.6 and 23.3 days. And with the probability of 95.5 %, we get a value of 17.8 days to 25.2 days. And for the probability of 99.7 % we get a value between 16 to 27.

Important Tip:

In the above example we just showed how you may need to calculate the values which are required in the PMP exam. The above example is just to show how calculations can be performed if required. First of all, it is not important that all PMP formulas will be tested in the PMP exam. The number of PMP formula-based questions may vary. In addition to this, in certain types of PMP formulas, you need to be careful in your interpretations and application as the question may just ask you the value that requires simple calculation.

PMP Formulas #2 – Float

Float (Slack) of activity detects how long an activity can be delayed without affecting the project end date. If an activity has a zero float, it means that the activity is on the critical path. And any delay in the activity will result in the delay of the overall project. Therefore project team must be aware of the fact that which activity is on the critical path. And even if an activity is not on the critical path, how much it can be delayed.

We can calculate the Float of any activity in two ways. One way is to calculate the float by using PMP formula

Total Float = Late Start (LS) – Early Start (ES)

For this sake, we determine the values of Late Start (LS) and Early Start (ES) for each node

Likewise, there is an alternative to the above PMP formula

Total Float = Late Finish (LF) – Early Finish (EF)

According to which we may use Late Finish (LF) and Early Finish (EF) values rather than Late Start (LS) and Early Start (ES). Technically speaking, the difference between both these Start and Finish values should be the same.

Earned Value PMP Formulas

Earned Value PMP Formulas calculate planned, actual, and future forecasts about the project. These PMP formulas help us to see whether the project is progressing as planned; if it is on time, on budget. For the application of these PMP formulas, you must know the terms:

• Earned Value = EV
• Planned Value = PV
• Actual Cost = AC
• Cost Variance = CV
• Schedule Variance = SV
• Cost Performance Index = CPI
• Schedule Performance Index = SPI
• Budget at Completion = BAC
• Estimate to Complete = ETC
• Estimate at Completion = EAC
• Variance at Completion = VAC
• To-Complete Performance Index = TCPI

PMP Formulas #3 – Cost Variance (CV)

Usually, a cost variance is a difference between the real amount of a cost and its budgeted or planned amount. This can be calculated by

CV = EV – AC

The value of the cost variance reflects whether the project is performing well or not. If > 0, it means project budget is performing well, more outcome has been produced with less budget. If < 0, it means you produced less output and spent more budget. Whereas  CV = 0 means that the project cost is consumed as planned.

For example, if a company had actual repairs expense of $1000 for a specific month but the budgeted amount was $750, the company had a cost variance of $750 – $1000 = -$250.

You must remember the equations and note that it is not always necessary that you are given the value of EV and AC and then asked to calculate CV. It could be any value you may need to calculate provided the other values.

PMP Formulas #4: Schedule Variance (SV)

Schedule Variance’s aim is to measure schedule performance through the difference between the earned value and the planned value. Accordingly, its formula is as follows:

SV=EV−PV

The value of the schedule variance reflects whether the project is performing well or not. If > 0, it means the project is performing well, earlier completion has been achieved than the expected time. If < 0, it means you produced less output and spent more time. Whereas  CV = 0  means that the project schedule is followed as planned.

For example, if a construction of a house was expected to take 50 days, but actually only 80 percent of the house was completed in 50 days. So what is the Schedule Variance? In this case, PV = 50 days, however within 40 days we just completed 90% of what was expected. We need to identify the EV on day 40. In this case, we were supposed to complete 80% of the overall work completed on day 40. Whereas we completed the work which was supposed to be done by (90% of 40) i.e. 36 days. So in this case PV is 40 days and EV is 36 days. So the SV = 36 – 40 with respect to the day 40 which is Schedule variance of -5. Since the SV is < 0, so we can say that the project is lagging behind.

PMP Formulas #5: Cost Performance Index (CPI)

One of the most commonly used PMP formulas for control cost is CPI. It measures the cost efficiency of budgeted resources, expressed as a ratio of earned value to actual cost. Accordingly, its formula is as follows:

CPI=𝐸𝑉/𝐴𝐶

You can recall what we did in the Cost Variance PMP formula. Which finds the difference between EV and AC. Here we get the ration of the two. If our Earned Value is greater than the actual cost it means CPI > 1, so this means the project is performing well. And CI < 1 means, the project is utilizing more than the budgeted cost.

Referring to the same example we discussed in the Cost Variance PMP formula. In which EV=$750 and AC= $1000. So we get CPI =750/1000 = 0.75. Which is less than 1 so we will interpret that the project is consuming more than budgeted cost value.

PMP Formulas #6: Schedule Performance Index (SPI)

The schedule performance index (SPI) is a measure of schedule efficiency, it represents the ratio of earned value to planned value. It is one of the most used PMP formulas for the control schedule. Its aim is to measure how efficiently the project team is accomplishing the work. Accordingly, its PMP formula is as follows:
SPI=𝐸𝑉/𝑃𝑉

You can recall what we did in the Schedule Variance PMP formula which finds the difference between EV and PV. Here we get the ration of the two. If our Earned Value is greater than the planned value it means CPI > 1, so the project is performing well. And CI < 1 means, the project is utilizing more time than the estimated time.

Referring to the same example we discussed in Schedule Variance in which PV is 40 days and EV is 36 days. SPI = 36/40 =.9. Which is less than 1 so we will interpret that the project is lagging behind.

PMP Formulas #7: Budget at Completion (BAC)

We detect BAC during the cost management activities, more specifically in the “Determine Budget Process” of a project. BAC includes contingency reserves for activities and defines how much money will be spent during the project in total. Accordingly, its PMP formula is as follows:

Total Budget = Total activity cost estimates + Total contingency cost reserves

Cost Contingency reserves are the budget within the cost baseline that is allocated for identified risks, which are accepted and for which mitigation responses are developed. In other words, contingency reserve is an estimated amount added to a project base estimate to cover the inherent project risks.

For instance, if the project team feels that there is a 10% risk in the project. And they need a 10% contingency reserve for a $2,000,000 project, they will add 10% of the base estimate of $200,000. Which calculates the contingency cost reserve as $20,000 in the total budget. Hence the total budget will be $200,000 plus $20,000. So the total budget at completion will be $220,000.

PMP Formulas #8: Estimate at Completion (EAC)

The expected total cost of completing all work expressed as the sum of the actual cost to date and the estimated sum to complete the project. We can use different PMP formulas to find EAC depending on which parameters we have available.

Approach #1:

It assumes that all future ETC work will be accomplished at the budgeted rate. Accordingly, its PMP formula is as follows:

EAC = AC +  (BAC− EV)

This PMP formula brings the impact of Earned value within the budget at completion. If our project is already over budget, it means we have EV less than zero. So subtracting EV from BAC will eventually result in a larger value than budgeted earlier. And if our project EV is positive and our project is doing well. Then the EAC will result in smaller value than the Budget at completion.

Approach #2: 

It assumes that we expect the achieved cost performance until now, will continue in the future. Accordingly, its PMP formula is as follows:

EAC=BAC/CPI

This is the same perspective of the Cost Index. If it is less than 1, the EAC will be greater value. Otherwise it will be smaller than the Budget at Completion.

Approach #3:

It assumes that we will perform ETC work at an efficiency rate that considers both the cost and schedule performance indices. Accordingly, its PMP formula is as follows:

EAC=AC+[(BAC−EV)/(CPI x SPI)]

This is another approach to calculate the next impact of the Cost Performance Index and Schedule Performance Indicator on the Budget at completion.

You need to practice on which of those PMP formulas you are going to apply.

PMP Formulas #9: Estimate to Complete (ETC)

Estimate to Complete (ETC) represents the expected cost to finish all the remaining project work. So, you can calculate your budget ETC at any point in time depending upon the progress of the project at that specific time. This can be determined by the re-estimation of the remaining works in a project. The PMP formula for the ETC is as follows:

ETC=Re-estimation of Remaining Works

We can calculate it by subtracting the Actual Cost (AC) of the accomplished activities from EAC. Assuming the work is proceeding as planned, we can calculate it using this PMP formula

ETC=EAC−AC

A very simple aspect is the cost required to complete the remaining work. If your project is performing well and you have achieved more than the anticipated with the actual cost. Then your Estimated to Completion will be less than the remaining budget. However, if your project has consumed more cost than the expected cost, it means your project is already over budget. And now your ETC will be more than the remaining budget. Therefore, to reassess the budget estimate to complete the project, you should know the actual cost

PMP Formulas #10: Variance at Completion (VAC)

Variance at Completion is the difference between the budget at completion and the estimate at completion. To identify VAC, the following PMP formula is used:

VAC = BAC− EAC

Variance at Completion is the difference between the Budget at Completion which was calculated earlier. And then Estimate at Completion which was calculated during the execution of the project. The variance will be interpreted the same way as Cost Variance or Schedule Variance.

Positive VAC implies that the project is under budget. Whereas negative VAC means that the project will be over budget.

PMP Formulas #11: To-Complete Performance Index (TCPI)

TCPI represents the ratio of the cost to finish the outstanding work to the budget available.

There are two approaches to calculate TCPI.

Approach 1:

If there isn’t a new EAC value, we use the following formula:

TCPI=(𝐵𝐴𝐶−EV)/(BAC−AC)

Approach 2:

If there is an EAC value, then we use the following formula.

TCPI=(𝐵𝐴𝐶−EV)/(EAC−AC)

PMP Formulas #12: Present Value Formula

One of the PMP formulas which focuses on the time value of money and the value of future cash flow is less today than its amount in the future. The PV can help in the project selection process. We calculate this through the Present Value (PV) formula. The formula is as follows:

PV=FV/(1+r)^n

Where,

• PV = Present Value
• FV = Future Value
• r = Interest rate
• n = Number of periods

You are a project manager and you have to recommend one project to choose for implementation. For the decision-making purpose you have calculated the NPV for each of the projects. Project A has NPV $50,000, Project B has NPV of $55,000, Project C has NPV of $30,000. And Project D has an NPV of $45,000. Which project you will recommend opting for?

A) Project B

B) Project D

C) Project A

D) Project C

The answer is Project B (Choice A) as it has the highest NPV.

Another example could be that project will complete in three years, In 1^st year the rate of return is 5%, the second year the rate of return is 5.5% and for the third year, the rate of return is 6%. What will be the NPV for the project? In this case you will need to calculate the PV for each year and then add all the values to calculate the Net Present Value of the project.

Tip

Once you know the PMP formulas, you can easily calculate specific value when you know the rest of the values. For instance, you may need to calculate the PV if you know the values of FV, r, and n. Likewise, you can calculate the value of r, or n if you have the values of other variables. In other words, once you know the PMP formulas, you can play with the formula to calculate the undefined value within the formula.

PMP Formulas #13: Number of Communication Channels Formula

Another PMP formula you need to understand is that the number of communication channels can be calculated if we have the number of stakeholders. The formula for calculating the number of channels is as follows:

Number of Communication Channels=N*(N−1)/2

Where N = number of stakeholders

For example, if we have 10 stakeholders, the number of communication channels can be calculated as 10*(10−1)/2, which gives the value of 45. It is easy to understand that the number of channels is like connecting each stakeholder with another one. So it is N-1, furthermore, there will be only one communication channel between the two stakeholders. So rather than have two communication channels for Stakeholder A and Stakeholder B, we just need half of it. That is why the number is then divided by 2.

PMP Formulas #14: Expected Monetary Value

We usually use it in risk quantitative analysis to measure the EMV of an opportunity or threat. We calculate it by the following PMP formula:

EMV=Probability x Impact

You can think of EMV as an average of the best- and worst-case scenarios. It accounts not only for the dollar figure assigned to each outcome but also for the likelihood of that outcome occurring.

To determine EMV, multiply the dollar value of each possible outcome by each outcome’s chance of occurring (percentage), and total the results.

For example, if you bet $150 on number 6 which will come up in a single try when you roll on the dice. There is a chance of occurring of number 6 is 1 out of 6. Whereas, the chance of losing $150 is 5 out of 6. So, the EMV for this scenario will b calculated as

($150 X 1/6) + *(-$150 X 5/6) = $25 – $125 = -$100

Generally, for EMV, decision trees are used to cater for complex scenarios like different cases have sub-cases. And each case has its probability and likelihood. So as a project manager, you need to look for the EMV. You should consider the largest value choice from the available choices. 

PMP Formulas #15: Point of Total Assumption (PTA)

PTA is applicable only in the Fixed Price Incentive Fee (FPIF) Contracts. Costs above the PTA level are considered to be due to mismanagement. You can calculate PTA by using the following PMP formula:

PTA= [(Ceiling Price − Target Price)/ Buyer′s Sharing Ratio)] + Target cost

For instance, if target cost is $100,000, target fee is #25,000, Target Price is $135,000, ceiling price is $160,000. And sharing ratio is 60:40.(i.e. buyers sharing ratio is 60 percent)

You can calculate PTA as:

PTA = (160,000 – 135,000)/ (60/100) + 100,000 = 141,666.7

The post PMP Formulas – 15 Formulas You Must Know to Pass PMP Exam appeared first on Project Hipo.

What is the PMP Certification?

PMP stands for Project Management Professional certification. It is a globally recognized professional certification for project managers. Project Management Institute (PMI), a US non-profit organization offers PMP certification. A well recognized and respected credential, PMP certification is considered essential for the project managers. Mainly for those who wish to take the next step or advance their career.

Besides, PMP certification is truly global. In other words, once you become PMP certified, you can work virtually in any industry, any location, using any methodology irrespective of any geography or domain. It is acknowledged worldwide.

Nevertheless, this certification is the most acclaimed across the globe. Moreover, it is considered as the gold standard of project management.

Remember that attaining a PMP credential is valuable in your career because you can reach out to potential employers across the globe.

Further, you can be in contact with PMP certified professionals and aspiring PMPs through project management discussion boards and forums. Therefore, PMP certification increases your expertise with knowledge sharing. PMP certification helps in improved project performance.

Moreover, PMP certification attests to your expertise in project management. Regardless of the title of the project manager you are holding or not, you are considered someone who can bring the project to completion.

Additionally, PMP certification benefits employees as well as employers. Regarding employers, in the organizations having more than 1/3 of PMP certified project managers; more of the projects get completed on time, on budget, and meeting original goals.

And, about employee salary, PMP certified individuals earn higher salaries (on average 25% more) than non-certified individuals.

On top of the above, PMP certification signifies that PMP certified individuals speak and understand the global language of project management.

To summarize, to move forward in your project management career, you need a resume that makes an impression on recruiters with the right skills and knowledge. These days’ companies look for professionals who can perform the work required to successfully manage the projects. Hence, many employers typically prefer candidates with PMP certification from the Project Management Institute (PMI). Most importantly, in industries like manufacturing, financial services, and construction, PMP certification is a must-have to even be considered for a position.

Last but not the least, Technology and IT magazine named CIO magazine ranked PMP as the top project management certification.

What is the PMP Exam?

Before giving the details about the PMP exam schedule, let’s look more closely at the PMP exam itself. Project Management Institute (PMI) conducts the PMP certification exam. The PMP exam consists of 180 questions. There are 230 minutes to complete the exam.

The PMP Exam Questions will be a combination of multiple-choice, multiple responses, matching, hotspot, and limited fill-in-the-blank types of questions. The duration of the PMP Exam is ~4 hours (230 minutes).

The main points to remember for PMP Exam are:

1. This exam is not a test of the information in the main reference book i.e. PMBOK Guide
2. You cannot pass the exam by just focusing on real-world experience.
3. PMP Training in project management which is aligned to the PMBOK Guide plays a vital role in passing the PMP Exam.

PMP Exam plays a vital role as it reflects the practices of the project management practitioner accurately. Moreover, this exam has been designed to objectively assess and measure project management knowledge.

Qualified PMP experts write and review all the questions on the exam. Further, these questions are mapped with the PMP Exam Content Outline to ensure that an appropriate number of questions are placed in the PMP Exam.

What is the PMP Exam Passing Score?

In earlier times, PMI published 61% as the passing score for the PMP exam. To achieve it, the PMP aspirant needed to correctly answer 106 or more out of 175 exam questions. Besides, PMI did not declare about PMP Exam official score. Recently, PMI has adopted a more scientific approach by giving proficiency level (Proficient, Moderately Proficient, and Below Proficient) or Target level (Above Target, Target, Below Target). Furthermore, they determine the score through sound psychometric analysis.

PMP Exam Schedule

Generally, exams have scheduled dates to appear for. Regarding the PMP exam schedule, there is no defined schedule or PMP exam date. You can schedule the exam based on your schedule and testing center’s availability. PMP exam is conducted by Pearson VUE test centers. Due to pandemic Covid-19, PMI started to offer PMP online proctor testing since mid-April 2020.

Likewise, many people think that there is a fixed PMP exam schedule and you must sit for the exam on the scheduled dates. However, it is not like that in the case of the PMP exam schedule, there are certain steps you need to follow:

1. You need to check about the eligibility of PMP exam

As per the above table, you need to meet the education and experience requirements. Further, you must have attended project management training (PMP Training) for approx 4 days and earned 35 Contact hours or PDU’s.

2. Fill the application form at www.pmi.org. There are 2 modes to fill the application form i.e. Online and Paper-based. PMI recommends filling the application form in online mode.  The reason is that it is a faster way to process the PMP application.

3. Once you have completed the application form and submit to PMI then it takes approx 5 days to process the application.

4. Then you need to pay the PMP exam fee.

5. Now PMI will either approve your application or it will go under the audit process to verify your eligibility details with evidence supported by your senior manager or reporting manager.

6. Once the application clears the audit process, then you fix your PMP exam schedule from the Pearson VUE website as per your schedule and availability. You just need to make a note that once the application is approved then you have 1 year as eligibility period to choose your PMP exam schedule and appear on the PMP exam date.

When is the next PMP exam date?

This is one of the popular questions asked by aspirants who are planning to go for PMP Certification.

Individuals who are preparing for PMP certification often wonder that we are studying for the PMP exam but when is the next PMP exam date?

Hence, the answer is that the PMP exam schedule is whenever you want to schedule it. The only prerequisite is that your PMP application must be approved. Then, you will be able to make your PMP exam schedule with an available slot from Pearson VUE test centers.

Pearson VUE test centers conduct a lot of different examinations. So, there might be busy dates or often slots are not available as per your convenience for the PMP exam schedule. Therefore, we recommend you to fix your PMP schedule at least one month before the PMP exam date you are planning to take the exam.

Changes in PMP Exam Schedule

In the past, the last PMP exam date to take the current version of the PMP exam was 30^th June 2020. Now due to the Covid-19 pandemic, PMI has decided to extend the current PMP exam date from 30^th June 2020 to 31^st Dec 2020.

PMI conducts research on regular intervals for change in industry trends, professional progress, and implications across the industry. It results in the evolution of the new PMP exam content outline to keep up with the current changes. Therefore, the new content outline for the PMP exam got published on 30^th June 2019. Now, a new exam with a new content outline will be starting from 2^nd Jan 2021.

What are the changes in the PMP exam new content outline?

PMP exam content outline determines what will be the content in the PMP exam.

The current PMP exam is based on 5 performance domains as per current PMP content outline i.e. Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing.

And the new PMP exam content outline will be based on 3 performance domains i.e. People, Process, and Business Environment. It was published on 30^th June 2019.

Hence, if you choose a PMP exam date from 2^nd Jan 2021 it will be based on a new PMP exam content outline i.e. 3 domains.

Thus, if you choose a PMP exam date after the change and with the new content outline, it will require you to have experience in and answer questions from 3 domains along with percentages mentioned below:

• People (42%)
• Process (50%)
• Business Environment (8%)

To date, PMP exams were based on predictive project management approaches. Now, the new PMP exam will be a combination of the predictive project management approach and agile or hybrid approach.

Important dates to remember for the PMP Exam Schedule:

30^th June 2019: PMI published new PMP Exam Content Outline

31^st Dec 2020: Last PMP exam date to take the current version of the exam

2^nd Jan 2021: First PMP exam date to take the new version of the exam

What is the way to reschedule or cancel your examination?

For rescheduling the PMP exam date or canceling the PMP examination, you need to login to PMI’s site. And, click the links onscreen to cancel or change the time of your PMP exam schedule.

You need to make a note that PMI doesn’t accept email as an acceptable form of communication to cancel or change the time of your PMP exam schedule.

Another way to cancel or change the time of your PMP exam schedule is to call the test vendor directly to cancel or reschedule your PMP exam date. But you can adopt this way to cancel the PMP exam schedule you fixed if you are facing any issue due to some issues such as internet connectivity etc.

Cancellation & Refund of PMP Exam

At any point in time, you can cancel or change the time of your PMP exam schedule. Owing to limited seat capacity at test centers, if you change or cancel the PMP exam schedule at a late-stage then fees will be charged.

Therefore, to avoid a rescheduling fee, you must cancel or reschedule the exam more than 48 hours before the fixed PMP exam schedule. Or before 30 days period starts off the fixed PMP exam schedule.

Scenario 1: If you cancel or change the PMP exam schedule within 48 hours or 2 calendar days of the scheduled PMP exam date, all fees and the ability to reschedule are forfeits.

In other words, if you plan to wait until you are within 2 days of your fixed PMP exam schedule, you will be able to cancel the exam but PMI will forfeit the exam fee. Therefore, you will not be able to change the PMP exam schedule at this point. Hence, you need to pay re-examination fees to fix a new PMP exam schedule.

For Instance:

In a nutshell, please make sure that cancellation or changing the PMP exam schedule must happen before you are within 2 calendar days of your PMP exam date.

Scenario 2: If you cancel or change the PMP exam schedule within 30 days of your scheduled PMP exam date then PMI will charge a fee of USD 70.

Points to remember

That 30 day period doesn’t include the day of the exam appointment. Therefore to save the fee, you must cancel or change the PMP exam schedule before a 30 day period starts. For instance, if your scheduled PMP exam date is 6^th July then you must cancel or change the PMP exam schedule on or before 5^th June to avoid the fee.

For Instance:

If you want to get a refund of the PMP exam fee, then you need to make sure that you have not scheduled or have taken the PMP exam within the time frame. Hence in this scenario, you can request a refund within 30 days from the date of purchase.

But you have to pay the rescheduling fee if you have canceled the PMP exam or changed the PMP exam schedule outside 30 days from the date of purchase and up to 48 hours before the scheduled PMP exam date.

Once PMI has processed the refund, then the PMP application will get closed. Therefore, the eligibility period will no longer be valid. Besides, another way to request to refund the PMP exam fee is to send the email to customercare@pmi.org.

PMI will not give you any refund under the following circumstances:

Case 1: Let’s suppose that your eligibility period of 1 year expires and you haven’t fixed a PMP exam schedule yet. In such a scenario, you will not receive a refund. Therefore, the entire amount of PMP exam fee will be forfeited. Besides, if you still wish to obtain the certification then you have to reapply and submit the fees of certification again.

Case 2: Let’s suppose that you have fixed the PMP exam schedule but couldn’t appear for it. Or you have neither canceled the exam nor provided rescheduling notification to PMI’s testing partner then you will not receive the refund. Therefore, the entire amount of PMP Exam fee will be forfeited.

Scenario 3: If you are unable to change the PMP Exam schedule before 30 days within the fixed PMP exam date then extenuating circumstances policy may apply. 

Here, extenuating circumstances refer to a medical emergency, illness, or death in the immediate family, natural disaster, a pandemic like COVID-19, or military deployment. 

Hence, in such scenarios, it will be under the discretion of PMI to evaluate these situations on case to case basis and to determine whether a refund of the rescheduling fee is appropriate or not. If PMI doesn’t approve the extenuating circumstances then you will be required to pay the full re-examination fee to sit for the exam.

You can contact PMI customer care within 72 hours following the missed PMP exam schedule. Depending upon the circumstances, you will be asked to explain along with supporting documents such as medical documents, accident reports, etc. If PMI approves it, then you can change the PMP exam Schedule or cancel your exam without penalty.

Summary: PMP Exam Schedule

PMP certification is the most acclaimed project management certification across the globe.

PMP exam is conducted by Pearson VUE test centers. PMI has no fixed PMP exam schedule. Once the aspirant is ready to appear for the PMP exam, he or she needs to fix the PMP exam schedule and slot at Pearson VUE test centers as per the availability.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, PMI has postponed the new exam with a new PMP content outline from 30^th June 2020 to 31^st Dec 2020. The new PMP content outline was published on 30^th June 2019.

To save the rescheduling fee of USD 70, you must cancel or change the PMP exam schedule more than 48 hours before the fixed PMP exam schedule or before 30 days period starts off the scheduled PMP exam date.

The post PMP Exam Schedule – When Is The Next PMP Exam Date? appeared first on Project Hipo.

There are four major steps in PMP application;

1. Create PMI Profile
2. Education Details (Academic & Professional)
3. Experience Details (Project Management Experience)
4. Exam Details & Submit Application

We will go over each step in detail with a sample PMP application in this post.

PMP Application – Step-by-Step Guide for PMP Application

PMP certification is one of the most popular, recognized, and important credential for project management profile in the industry. This certification will help professionals like you in becoming competent in handling projects. Besides, it helps in rising your career graph. 

PMP certification helps to familiarize the professionals with the concepts and techniques of effective project management. It addresses the requirements of project managers in project integration, quality, cost, human resources, risk and time. Moreover, it builds up skills in communication management. Hence, going for PMP certification is the right choice as it shows your commitment to the project management profession. Besides, it demonstrates credibility and also allows you to earn higher salaries. Furthermore, it raises your resume above the non-certified professionals, making you confident in handling projects and high market value. In a nutshell, PMP certification is the quickest way for project managers to earn a higher salary, better job opportunities, credibility in the market, better networking, more challenging projects, job security, enhancement in knowledge and skills and last but not the least global recognition.

As per the latest survey by Project Management Institute, PMP certified individual on an average has 25 % higher salary than non-certified professional.

PMP Requirements You Must Meet Before PMP Application

The first step for applying to the PMP exam is to fill the online PMP application form at PMI.org site. Now, there are 2 main requirements to be fulfilled before filling the application form for the PMP exam. Hence a candidate has to meet these PMP requirements before applying for the PMP certification exam.

The first and foremost requirement is to have the required education and experience level. Secondly, you need to have a project management education. Now let us understand these requirements in detail:

1. Education and Experience Level

If you hold a four-year degree or global equivalent then

• You need a minimum of 3 years of unique and non-overlapping professional experience in project management
• Besides, within the above time period, you need to lead or direct the project for at least 4500 hours (36 months)

Or

If you hold a secondary degree such as high school diploma or global equivalent then

• You need a minimum of 5 years of unique and non-overlapping professional experience in project management
• Besides, within the above time period, you need to lead or direct  the project for at least  7500 hours (60 months)

Note: Make sure that all the project management experience must have been accrued from the last 8 consecutive years before the submission of the PMP application.

2. Project Management Education

In project management education, you need to document at least 35 contact hours that you have earned from a training program. And the training program should address the learning objectives in project management.

One hour of classroom training equals one contact hour needed to meet this requirement.

It doesn’t matter when you have completed this training. What matters is that all the coursework must be completed at the time of your application.

PMP Application Step-by-Step

If you satisfy the requirements mentioned above for the PMP exam then you have 2 options to fill the application form. The first option is online mode and the second option is paper-based. We recommend filling application in online mode at PMI.org since it is faster and also recommended by PMI.

Now we will explain the steps to fill the application form in following headings with a high-level overview of PMP application along with images to make you understand the easy way to fill the application form.

Step #1 – Create a PMI Profile

• Go to pmi.org and click the ‘Register’ button
• A page will appear for ‘Create an Account’
• If you already have a PMI username and password then click ‘Login’. Else enter your information to create an account

• Now enter your personal information

• Select the current job title, the year you were born, total years of full-time work experience, the experience of managing projects that last over 4 weeks, what best describes how you view project management as it relates to your career, does your organization have a PMO or group devoted to project management? And primary organization focus and area of focus are optional fields

• Now enter the account information like username, password, and confirm password, select a security question and enter the answer for the security question.
• Now the ‘Create Account’ button will get enabled
• Click ‘Create Account’ button
• Now ‘Registration Confirmation’ page appears with a message “Your PMI.org account is good to go”

• Click on “Go to PMI Home Page”
• Click on the drop-down next to ‘Certifications’ and click ‘Apply Now’
• Certification Program page appears

• Click on ‘Apply for PMP Credential’
• It will take you to ‘PMP Application –Step 1: Education” page
• In “Education” step of your PMP application, you will be filling your academic and professional (35 contact hours PMP training) education details.

• First, you will submit your academic education background.
  • If you have a four-year degree or above, you will need to submit 36 months of project experience in the next step of your application.
  • If you have a secondary degree, you will need to submit 60 months of project experience in the next step of your application.

Step #2 – PM Experience Details

In “Experience” step of your PMP application, you will be filling your project experience details.

• If you have secondary degree, you will need to submit 60 months of experience.
• If you have four-year degree or above, you will need to submit 36 months of experience.

The application wizard will not allow new entries once you submitted the minimum requirements for PM experience. Therefore, provide the most recent experiences first.

Important: PMI expects to see your project management experience. Therefore, you must provide project management related terms in this step. (e.g. cost, change request, budget, schedule, sponsor, customer requirement, deliverable, reports… etc.)

• If you still want to make any changes, you can click the ‘Edit’ button

Step #3 – Exam Details & Submit Application

• Once you completed your application, click on “Submit Application” and your application will be sent to PMI for review.

What should I do if my PMP application hits the audit?

PMI (Project Management Institute) is a world-leading institute for project management. Hence, it takes a lot of consideration to scrutinize the applications for the PMP certification exam.

PMI Audit process is a very simple process that asks for confirming the details of eligibility criteria which you have filled in the application form against the documentation and signatures of concerned authorities.

In steps to apply for the PMP exam, once you make the payment then the PMP application goes for audit. It becomes quite confusing as to whether the application form is being rejected or PMI found some inaccurate details? But don’t get puzzled. Here PMI is just asking you to provide rightful documentation along with the details furnished in the application form.

Steps of PMI Audit process

The first and foremost step is to fill the application form as per the steps mentioned above. Secondly, once the PMP application form is complete then you submit the application to PMI for verification and approval. It takes roughly 5 days for the PMP exam application to be approved. Thirdly, you need to make payment of PMP exam fees

Once you pay the PMP exam fees, then PMI sends you an email. An email can be for 2 different things.

• Either PMI approves the application. That means it gives the go-ahead signal and you can schedule the exam. Then you can appear for the exam and get certified.
• Or your PMP application has come under audit. The audit is a random process to pick the application form so don’t panic. It just requires you to confirm your eligibility details with required evidence duly attested by senior or reporting manager.

The purpose of the PMI audit

The purpose is to keep the reputation and quality of certifications endorsed by PMI.

• PMI allocates 90 days to complete this process.
• Hence, if your PMP application goes for audit then you need to collect all the documentary evidence i.e. education details, contact hours or experience certificate.
• You will receive a PDF with all the details filled in via email. You need to get the signature from the reporting manager. Then prepare a packet and send it to the address mentioned in the email.
• Once they receive this packet and they roughly take 5-6 days to verify. Hence when they are done with the audit, you will receive an email stating that you can schedule the exam and appear for the exam.

During the course of an audit, PMI verifies following:

• Firstly, it verifies project management experience
• Secondly, PMI verifies formal education.
• Thirdly, it verifies 35 contact hours of project management education.

Steps to verify project management experience are:

• A reporting manager or senior person or supervisor who has knowledge of the experience on your application is required to review and then complete the “Project Management Experience Audit Report”.
• Once they complete the form, they are required to place the Project Management Experience Audit Report in an envelope.
• Sign his/her name over the sealed flap of the envelope and return the envelope to you via in person or by postal mail.

Note that PMI doesn’t accept faxed or scanned forms and they don’t accept incomplete submissions either.

 Step to verify attained education

• Applicant must include a certificate, transcript or diploma from the school with which you earned your degree.

Step to verify 35 contact hours of project management education

• The applicant needs to provide documentation demonstrating the successful completion of each course submitted which meets the requirements of 35 hours of project management education. You must include a certificate, transcript, or letter of attendance from the company, REP (Registered Education Provider), school or institute that provided the training.

Summary

PMP certification is the most prestigious certification in the field of project management. It is the quickest way for project managers to rise in their careers and avail numerous benefits. The best way to fill the PMP application form is online mode. It is faster and easier as compared to paper-based applications. You need to meet the education, experience and project management education requirement in order to apply for the PMP exam. PMI does the PMP audits on a random basis to maintain the credibility of PMP exams endorsed by PMI. They verify eligibility criteria against documentation and the signature of the concerned authority.

The post PMP Application – Step-by-Step Guide [New Method] appeared first on Project Hipo.

We have reviewed the top five PMP exam simulators in the market:

• Master of Project Academy PMP Exam Simulator
• PM Prepcast PMP Simulator
• Rita FASTrack PMP Simulator
• EduHubSpot PMP Exam Simulator
• PM Training Simulator

The more you practice with a good pool of PMP exam questions, the better you can score in your PMP exam. You need to make sure that you are confident enough when faced with questions about project management from the PMBOK guide. To gain that confidence, you need to utilize the best PMP exam simulator. The best simulator is the one that has quality practice questions, lets you do several tests, is cost worthy and also easy to use.  You should practice all the available questions, read the correct answers with the provided explanations to fully evaluate as well as enhance your knowledge about PMBOK’s project management concepts.

Best PMP Exam Simulator

We have reviewed the best PMP exam simulators in the market and made a detailed comparison of each. We have evaluated the best PMP exam simulators based on five criteria:

• Quality of questions
• Number of questions/test
• Answer rationales provided
• Is a free demo available?
• Pricing

Based on our comparison of the PMP exam simulators, the following is the high-level comparison of the best PMP exam simulators. You can find the details of each PMP exam simulator in the following headings.

Based on these categories, we have reviewed the top 5, best PMP exam simulators, we rated them on a 0-5 scale. We also provided insights about each option. Review the options and opt for the best PMP simulator for you.

#1 Master of Project Academy PMP Exam Simulator

Price

The first in our list of best PMP exam simulators is the Master of Project Academy PMP Exam Simulator. This simulator stands out among all other best PMP Exam simulators, especially when it comes to pricing. You can choose to buy the online exam subscription for a minimum of a one-month duration. Compared to other best PMP exam simulators, you have to make the purchase for a minimum of 3 months, and for Rita Fast Track, the minimum subscription is for 6 months. Read our full Master of Project Academy PMP Exam Simulator Review.

The Master of Project Academy PMP Exam Simulator costs only $45 a month or if you invest only $100 more, you will get lifetime access to the simulator. Furthermore, no other simulator offers a lifetime subscription. So this is another advantage of choosing the Master of Project Academy PMP Exam over others.

When studying for the PMP certification, you should consider the price for the PMP Exam, which is US$555. If you also add the price of the PMP Exam simulator, it might become considerably pricey. However, if you choose to purchase Master of Project Academy PMP Exam Simulator, you will only add $45 a month or $145 for unlimited access to your PMP Exam study costs.

User Interface & Features

The Master of Project Academy PMP Exam Simulator is available online. After purchasing the subscription, instant access to the simulator becomes available to you. Using the simulator does not require you to have technical skills. In other words, you do not need to install or configure before using it as for the desktop software.

The list of questions is listed vertically on the web page. You can easily scroll through the questions as you go through each of them. The questions and the answers are displayed in a bold and prominent font so it is easy for anyone to read the text. Especially the visually impaired persons can read the questions and answers without putting a strain on their eyes.

Choosing the correct answer is done with the mouse click. You will click on the slider button and it will select your answer, as shown in the image below:

To display the result of your assessment, you will click on Finish and the result will be displayed. Moreover, all your questions that you had attempted will also be displayed with correct answers and rationales, as shown in the image below.

Quality of Content

The questions in the simulator are real exam-like questions. These are entirely based on PMBOK. You will not find any irrelevant content in there, nor will you find any grammar or spelling mistakes in the text. Moreover, the given answers and the rationales are very easy to follow and help you understand the subject more.

The user reviews on the Master of Project website confirms the very good quality of the questions available in the simulator. One user of the simulator wrote:

“After completing my PMP training, I wanted to practice sample questions and was looking for these on the web. I had found many free and paid resources but I didn’t find any as comprehensive as Master of Project Academy’s PMP Exam Simulator. The best part of the simulator is when you had a wrong answer, you can check the rationales and find what you did wrong. This is the best PMP exam simulator indeed..”

Hence, it becomes further clear that the Master of Project Academy sells the best PMP exam simulator.

Prepcast PMP Simulator

Price

Another in our list of best PMP exam simulators is the Prepcast PMP simulator. You can read our full PM Prepcast PMP Simulator Review. 

For $139, you can buy a subscription of 3 months. Once you have used it for 3 months if want to use it for more time, you will need to pay for another 3-month subscription. There is no monthly subscription available so this is one disadvantage to this pricing scheme. The good bank of questions that you will get for this price is justified though.

User Interface & Features

The Prepcast simulator opens in a small window on the web page and shows one question at a time. The font used in the simulator is small and it may be difficult for visually impaired persons to read the text easily.

You can mark the questions for later review and when the exam is finished, answers are displayed with explanations. Relevant reference to PMBOK for further details is also provided with each answer.

There are three exam modes in the simulator. One mode shows hints when you’re doing questions and there is no time limit in the test. The other mode also shows hints but is time-limited. Finally, the third mode simulates the real-like PMP exam user experience. There is also a separate exam only on ITTOs, so this is a good feature if you want to assess only your ITTO knowledge.

Quality of Content

The overall quality of the questions in Prepcast is appreciable but is a little less than perfect. User reviews suggest that the questions have good explanations given against each of them and going through them does help you in the last stage of your PMP exam preparation. But some users suggest the contrary. Their reviews say that many questions are not the same questions that you will see on the actual PMP exam, as they are not entirely from PMBOK.

Overall, the Prepcast PMP Exam simulator is worth your money and it can be considered as an option when choosing between the best PMP exam simulators. 

Rita Fast Track

Price

Rita Fast Track, with all its pros, comes with a hefty price tag of $259 (6-month subscription) or $299 (12-month subscription). There is also no option to purchase with a lower fee for a fewer number of months. This is a big downside of Rita Fast Track, which may push one away from its purchase. Even though the quality of the overall product is above average, perhaps its price is too high for many PMP aspirants. You can see our detailed review on Rita PMP Exam Simulator – PM FASTrack Review post.

Comparing the price of Rita Fast Track with Master of Project Academy PMP Exam Simulator, you can get the latter for $145 for a lifetime subscription. If you go for the 12-month subscription of Rita Fast Track, you will be paying $299 ($54 more!)

User Interface & Features

Rita Fast Track has a full-page web interface and the questions are displayed in a neat layout. You will find one question on the screen at a time. Then you will click the next button to move onto the next question. This consumes not only some time while navigating through the questions, but you also don’t get a chance to see what other questions you can quickly skip to if you ever want to.

On the user interface, you will find extra buttons for highlighting text that you want to focus on and also for striking through the text, to strike what is unneeded. When you finish your test, the result too is displayed neatly, with answers and explanations. Furthermore, you will find a graphical report too for your test.

Fast Track is advantageous for Spanish, Arabic, and Portuguese speaking people. Also as the questions and answers are available in these languages too.

Quality of Content

There are 1600 questions available for practice in Rita Fast Track. The questions are of good quality. Although some user reviews say that some questions in the simulator are not directly relevant to what is taught in the PMBOK. It may be because Rita Fast track is there for a very long time and they might not have properly updated all the questions according to the latest PMBOK edition.

When you are reviewing your questions at end of the test, the Fast Track simulator shows you the correct answers, gives explanations, and also references to PMBOK and Rita’s PMP Exam Prep book where you can go to find more details. Furthermore, you can also see how you scored separately, in each Knowledge Area.

EduHubSpot PMP Exam Simulator

Price

The EduHubSpot PMP Exam Simulator has a very different pricing scheme than other PMP exam simulators. You are offered to purchase test modules, and each module contains 200 random questions. You can buy as many modules as you want. There is a total of four modules available and also there is one separate module, which contains 275 questions for all Knowledge Areas.

Each purchase of the module grants you access to questions for 3 months and each module costs $14.99. There is an advantage in this pricing scheme that you can buy the number of questions that you only need.

User Interface & Features

The user interface of the EduHubSpot exam simulator comprises a single question layout and one question can be seen on the screen at a time. The content on the screen is placed in a simple fashion. It is easy to navigate to the next questions. You can mark the question for later review and can also pause the test timer if needed.

When starting the test, you have the option to take the test by a particular Knowledge Area. Or you take the test by the available modules, which comprise random questions. When you finish the test, the scorecard shows you your score by each Process Group as well as by other groups such as ITTO, Math, Professional Responsibility.

There isn’t catchy stuff that you will find on the EduHubSpot PMP exam simulator but for the price that you will pay, what you are getting is justified.

Quality of Content

There are very mixed reviews on the Internet about the quality of the questions, answers, and explanations in the simulator. However, the majority of the users find the quality of the questions just average. Some users say the questions are the same as they’ve seen in the real exam. Whereas some users found the questions not aligned with the PMBOK. Therefore, you will need to decide carefully before making the decision to purchase this simulator.

PM Training Practice Exams

Price

The last one in our list of the best PMP Exam simulators is PM Training Practice Exams. This one has a price tag of $68, and for this price, you get access to 1000 questions, for 3 months. The price is not high but you must consider the other factors before finalizing this simulator, such as the quality of questions, which very much contribute towards the value that the simulator provides to you.

User Interface & Features              

When you start the simulator, it opens up in a new but small window. The question and the answer options, most of the time, do not fit in the window. So you need to scroll down to see all the answers, and the next and previous buttons. This makes the user interface not a very friendly one, since you have to use the scroll bar to see the complete content on the screen.

You have two options when attempting the test. With one mode, you simply go through the questions and see the result. The other mode allows you to see the answer and the explanation for each question as you go. There is also a ‘whiteboard’ feature that lets you write notes and make math calculations in a separate window. The exam simulator also lets you save the test and resume anytime later from where you left it. These are some of the good options in this simulator.

You get in the simulator 10 Knowledge Area tests and 20 tests comprising random PMP exam questions. These are a good number of tests, however, being not able to get enough questions in a single test is also a little annoying since you have to start many tests separately to practice the questions.

Quality of Content

The quality of the questions available in this simulator is about average. Some user reviews suggest that some questions in the simulator have errors as though they had not been proofread. There are also grammar and spelling mistakes, some users reported. Nonetheless, if you don’t care much about these errors, and want just the list of questions, answers, and explanations, at a low price, this simulator would fulfil your needs.

Free PMP Exam Simulator Options

There is nothing free in the world so are the practice questions and the PMP Exam simulator. When you are investing $555 for the PMP exam fee, investing some more money to ensure you pass the PMP exam cannot be a waste of money. Rather, we highly recommend you practice PMP exam questions, in addition to your study, before you finalize your exam preparation.

Therefore, buying a comprehensive and the best PMP exam simulator is definitely a wise choice. We have described above the best PMP exam simulators that you can choose to buy for your PMP exam preparation. All the best PMP exam simulators listed above offer a free demo exam, which you can try first and then decide which simulator to buy.

Summary

When looking for the best PMP exam simulator on the Internet, you must evaluate the best ones before you buy them. In this post, we have reviewed 5 best PMP exam simulators so that you can easily decide which is the best PMP exam simulator for you and which one to buy.

Remember, when choosing the best PMP Exam simulator, you must look for many things offered by the simulator such as the number and quality of questions, whether it provides answers with rationales or not, ease of use, and of course its price tag.

The best PMP exam simulator does not necessarily have to be the most expensive simulator on the market. If the simulator is selling for a very high price, it may be due to the high development cost of the seller. The first thing that you must not comprise is the quality of the questions. Then the other criteria to choose the best PMP exam simulator must be secondary.

We listed above in the table the 5 best PMP exam simulators, and also gave them rankings and explained how each of these is in terms of price, quality of content, the number of features, and ease of use. The topper among the 5 best PMP exam simulators that we have discovered is the Master of Project Academy PMP Exam Simulator, which offers a perfect bank of questions and when it comes to its price, it will not be heavy on your pocket, too.

The post Best PMP Exam Simulator – Top 5 PMP Simulators appeared first on Project Hipo.

In this article, we will explain to you about the PMP exam, PMP passing score, PMP exam pass rate, and interpretation of PMP exam results. This will help you to understand about PMP certification exam, PMP passing score, and PMP exam pass rate in detail.

Before diving into the details of the PMP passing score and PMP exam pass rate, let us first talk about PMP Certification.

PMP Benefits

PMP certification is a globally recognized, most popular, and valuable credential for project managers in the industry. This certification shows that you have the experience, training, and competency to lead and direct the project. This recognition is seen through expanded marketability to employers and a higher salary.

PMP certification is worldwide recognized regardless of industry, profession, or geographical scope of operation.

Besides, as per the Project Management Institute survey, this PMP certification positively impacts project manager salaries by an average of 25% more than their noncertified professionals.

PMP certification holds the global standards of excellence for validating the skills and the knowledge essential in a project management team. It further ensures that PMP certified individuals speak and understand the global language of project management.

Moreover, PMP certification helps you to expand your network by connecting you to a community of professionals, organizations, and experts worldwide.

PMP Certification Eligibility Criteria

To apply for PMP certification, you need to meet the below PMP prerequisites or eligibility criteria:

1. Check your education and experience level against the eligibility criteria as per prerequisites of PMP certification mentioned below.
2. You need to attend project management training from a recognized training institute and earn 35 PDUs or contact hours.

Once you fulfil both PMP certification requirements, then you need to plan to appear for the PMP exam.

Remember that all the experience pertaining to project management must have been gained within the last 8 consecutive years prior to your submission of application.

Now, let us first talk about the PMP exam.

What is the PMP Exam?

To become PMP certified, you need to appear for the PMP certification exam. This exam is conducted by the Project Management Institute (PMI).

PMP Exam contains 180 questions. There are 230 minutes to complete the exam. The PMP Exam Questions will be a combination of multiple-choice, multiple responses, matching, hotspot, and limited fill-in-the-blank types of questions.

The main purpose of PMI to include these questions in the PMP exam is to monitor the performance of these questions and validate them for inclusion in the future exam database.

These questions are randomly placed all across the PMP exam. Here, the challenge is that you cannot identify these pretest questions in the exam as they are randomly placed.

You have to attempt all the questions with the same sincerity.

PMP exam is a closed book exam. Hence, you cannot refer to any material during the exam.

You will be given 4 hours to finish the PMP exam. Remember that there are no scheduled breaks during the examination. If you need then you are allowed to take the break but your exam clock continues to count down.

Before the PMP exam has started, you will get 15 minutes to go through the tutorial followed by a survey. It is not mandatory and this time is not included in the exam time of 4 hours.

Main points to remember for PMP Exam are:

1. This exam is just not a test of the information of the main reference book i.e. PMBOK Guide
2. You cannot pass the exam by only focusing on real-world experience.
3. PMP training in project management which is aligned to the PMBOK Guide plays a vital role in passing the PMP Exam.

Furthermore, this exam has been designed to objectively assess and measure project management knowledge.

Besides, certified PMP experts write and review all the questions on the exam. Moreover, these questions are mapped with the PMP Exam Content Outline to ensure that an appropriate number of questions are placed in the PMP Exam.

The basis of the PMP Exam is the blueprint contained in the PMP Exam Content Outline. This lists the percentage of questions contained in each project management process group.

Questions in the PMP exam are generally based on PMBOK Guide and Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility. Hence, PMP aspirant needs to demonstrate his proficiency in 5 domains.  The below table represents the percentage of questions pertaining to each of the domain areas.

PMP Passing Score

There is a common belief that 61% is the PMP passing score however it is not an official score announced by PMI.

In actuality, there is no fixed PMP passing score. The fact is that no two PMP candidates will get the same set of questions. Therefore the passing score will vary.

Moreover, it depends upon the difficulty level of the question you will get in the PMP exam. Besides, each question does not have equal weightage. If you are lucky enough to get easy questions in the PMP exam then the PMP passing score will be higher in your case as compared to the PMP aspirant who will get relatively more difficult questions. As a result, it becomes even more inconclusive to determine how much PMP aspirants need to score in order to pass the exam.

The best rule is to not worry about the PMP passing score. We recommend PMP aspirants to study well and practice multiple mock exams and questions from different sources. You should try to achieve 75% or more in your practice exams consistently to build your confidence and make yourself pass the PMP exam confidently.

PMP Exam Pass Rate

What was the past rate before?

In earlier times till 2005, PMI has set the PMP passing score as 68.5%. This means PMP aspirants need to correctly answer 137 questions out of 200 questions. After some time, PMI drastically increased the PMP passing score to 80.6% (This means you need to score 141 out of 175 questions correctly). Further then PMI observed that there was a reduction in the number of candidates at this score considerably. Then in 2 months time period, they revised the PMP passing score from 80.6% to 60.6% and it was last published PMP passing score. It means that PMP aspirants need to answer 106 or more out of 175 questions correctly.

Further in the year 2007, PMI changed the criteria for passing the PMP exam. It started declaring results through proficiency level for each domain in test results rather than percentages in each domain.

PMI adopted a more scientific approach by using the sound psychometric analysis to determine the PMP passing score. PMI makes use of subject matter experts across the globe that cross-references the data of how candidates have actually performed to make sure that level of difficulty on each PMP exam is justified.

What is the PMP Exam Pass Rate Now?

In the current state, when you appear for the PMP exam, test results will represent the proficiency level i.e. whether the PMP candidate is ‘Proficient’ or ‘Moderately Proficient’ or ‘Below Proficient’ in each of 5 domains. Now, you will not get to know the numerical percentage you have scored in each of the 5 domains.

PMP passing score is based on how you rank in each of the five Process Groups, compared to average global rankings of other exam takers and certified project management professionals.

It further ensures that the exam is fairly done to provide project management statistics and overall industry knowledge assessments on a global level.

The PMP exam pass rate is the total number of people who passed the exam divided by the total number of students sat for the exam.

PMP Exam Pass Rate = (Number of People Passed the PMP Exam)/ (Number of People Sat for the PMP Exam)

Of course, there are statistics in PMI for these numbers however they do not disclose this information. There are some guesses, interpreted numbers but no one knows the actual PMP exam pass rate.

Interpretation of proficiency levels to understand PMP result

PMI has not given any clear indication that what will be the combination of proficiency levels which lead to overall PMP results. On analyzing various reports of PMP exam results, we have derived below observations:

1. If PMP candidate achieves ‘Proficient’ in all 5 domains then undoubtedly you have reached the PMP exam pass rate.
2. Incase PMP candidates achieve ‘Proficient’ in 4 domains and ‘Moderately Proficient’ in 1 domain then you have reached the PMP exam pass rate
3. Incase PMP candidate achieves ‘Moderately Proficient’ in all 5 domains, then you may have reached the PMP exam pass rate.
4. If PMP candidate achieves ‘Proficient’ in 3 domains and ‘Below Proficient’ in 2 domains, then there is a high probability that you will pass the PMP exam
5. Incase PMP candidate achieves ‘Moderately Proficient’ in 4 domains and ‘Below Proficient’ in 1 domain then most probably you will pass the PMP exam
6. If PMP candidate achieves ‘Below Proficient’ in 3 domains regardless of what you have achieved in the other 3 domain then most likely you won’t be able to reach the PMP exam pass rate
7. Incase PMP candidate achieves ‘Moderately Proficient’ in 3 domains and ‘Below Proficient’ in 2 domains, then it is very likely that you will fail the exam
8. If PMP candidate achieves ‘Below Proficient’ in more than 3 domains, then most likely you will not reach the PMP exam pass rate.

Below find the sample of PMP Exam Report, we get once we pass the PMP examination

You can see Donald Wheeler’s full PMP pass report here.

Conclusion

There is no official PMP passing score or PMP exam pass rate declared by PMI. The last published PMP Passing score was 61%. Now PMI doesn’t declare the percentage you score in each of 5 domains. In fact, PMP exam results are based on proficiency level i.e. ‘Proficient’, ‘Moderately Proficient’, or ‘Below Proficient’. Hence, there is no fixed PMP passing score. The best way to go for the PMP exam is not to worry about the PMP exam pass rate. Try to focus on scoring more than 75% in your practice exams to sit and pass the PMP exam confidently.

Once you’ve earned your PMP, the next step is keeping it in good standing. You need to earn PMP PDUs to keep your PMP in good standing. Learn 11 Ways to Earn PMP PDUs.

The post PMP Passing Score – What is PMP Exam Pass Rate? appeared first on Project Hipo.

First, let us understand what does PMP certification holds?

What is PMP?

The Project Management Institute (PMI) offers a professional credential for project managers named as Project Management Professional (PMP). As per current status at PMI.org, there are almost 1,000,000 PMP certification holders worldwide who have earned universally recognized knowledge.

PMP certification gives confidence to PMP holders that this credential has been developed based on best practices and inputs from practitioners who were involved in developing the standards.

Working professionals who are in the field of project management are aiming for PMP certification to build their careers. The reason is that this certification has tremendously gained its recognition across the globe.

There is no easy way to climb up the ladder in the career. You have to put a lot of hard work and make use of the right skills and knowledge. Further, you need to keep enhancing your skills, make yourself recognizable in the industry, and keep on searching different ways to expand your marketability. Hence, this is where PMP certification comes into the picture.

Benefits of PMP Certification

PMP certification is a stepping stone to expand your market reach and getting better challenging projects. These days, many organizations prefer project managers who are PMP certified for managing their projects. Hence, PMP certification is the wise choice to invest in because it demonstrates an individual’s knowledge and experience in handling projects. Besides, it represents a high level of professionalism and experience which helps to boost credibility in the market.

PMP certification is a widely recognized certification, accepted, and identified as a benchmark by project managers across the globe.

The PMP is the most renowned project management credential (regardless of in which industry you are working) internationally. Regardless of your background, the quickest way to re-energize your career and create new opportunities for professional growth is to become PMP certified.

As per a survey by Project Management Institute, PMP certified individuals garner a higher salary (25% higher on average) than noncertified individuals.

1- PMP Certification Exam Requirements

PMI requires you to meet the following PMP certification requirements before you are eligible to sit for PMP certification exam

1. Experience Requirement
2. Education Requirement
3. Pass the PMP Exam

For Bachelor Degree or Global equivalent

• Minimum 3 years or 36 months unique non-overlapping project management experience
• You must have worked for 4500 hours in leading and directing projects
• You need to earn 35 contact hours of formal project management education

For High School Diploma, Associate degree or Global Equivalent

• Minimum 5 years or 60 months unique non-overlapping project management experience
• You must have worked for 7500 hours in leading and directing projects
• You need to earn 35 contact hours of formal project management education

2- PMP Certification Exam Content

PMI carries out the PMP certification exam. PMP Exam contains 180 questions. There are 230 minutes to complete the exam. The PMP Exam Questions will be a combination of multiple-choice, multiple responses, matching, hotspot, and limited fill-in-the-blank types of questions.

PMI has included these questions in the PMP certification exam with the purpose to monitor the performance of these questions and validate them for inclusion in the future exam database. The challenge is that you cannot identify these pretest questions in the exam as they are randomly placed.

The duration of the PMP Certification Exam is 4 hours. 

Key points for the PMP Certification Exam:

1. Firstly, this exam is not a test of the information in the main reference book i.e. PMBOK Guide
2. Secondly, you cannot pass the PMP certification exam by just focusing on real-world experience.
3. Last but not the least, PMP training in project management which is aligned to the PMBOK Guide plays a vital role in passing the PMP certification exam.

PMP certification exam plays a vital role as it reflects the practices of the project management practitioner accurately. This exam has been designed to objectively assess and measure project management knowledge.

All the questions on the exam are written and reviewed by qualified PMP certified experts.

These questions are further mapped with the PMP exam content outline which ensures that an appropriate number of questions are placed in the PMP certification exam.

PMP Certification Exam Content Outline

The below table represents the percentage of questions from each domain that will appear on the PMP certification exam. Hence, these percentages will be used to determine the no of questions pertaining to each domain and task that should appear on the PMP exam.

Here, 5 process groups are defined for Project Management i.e. Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, Closing.

The best way to define a project management process is what you need to do to manage the work throughout the project lifecycle. It includes managing the efforts related to initiating, planning, executing, monitoring & controlling, and closing the project.

Here, 175 scored questions shall be distributed among the domains as per the above table.

And remaining 25 pretest questions will get dispersed throughout the domains. These questions will not count in the candidate scores.

PMP certification exam is based on content in PMBOK Guide.

What is the PMBOK Guide?

PMBOK Guide, published by the PMI, is referred to as “A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge”. Its purpose is to document the best practices for project management practitioners. Besides, it provides a common language to discuss the project management profession.

Moreover, PMBOK guides about proven traditional practices that are widely applied as well as innovative emerging practices for the project management profession with widespread consensus.

Further, it allows companies to standardize the practices or processes across the departments.  Besides, it discusses what is practical to implement in the real project scenario. It also discusses what doesn’t work in a real project, thus reducing the chances of project failure. Additionally, the experienced project managers who are familiar with PMBOK content can tailor processes to suit their project and meet the organization’s needs. Above all, it guides entry-level professionals to learn how to manage risk or procurement or scope in the project.

PMBOK 6th Edition composes of 10 Knowledge areas and 5 process groups. To manage the project to success, you need to know the importance of 10 knowledge areas in PMBOK and rank the importance level of each knowledge area.

PMBOK 6th Edition – Latest PMBOK

Project Management Institute releases a new version of the PMBOK guide every 4 to 5 years to be compliant with the changes in project management trends and practices. PMI conducts “Role Delineation Study” which evolves these changes.

PMBOK Guide is used as a reference guide for Project Management Professional certification. The latest version used is PMBOK 6^th Edition. PMI released this version in September 2017. Hence, the current PMP certification exam uses the PMBOK Guide 6th edition as a reference book.

As per PMI’s latest update, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the PMP certification exam is going to change after 31^st Dec 2020. But, there is no plan of new version i.e. 7th Edition till 2023. Hence, PMBOK 6th edition will be used as a reference guide for the upcoming change of PMP certification exam i.e. 2^nd Jan 2021.

Therefore, there is no need to worry. Irrespective of the fact if you are planning to appear for the PMP certification exam before or after 2^nd Jan 2021, you have to use PMBOK Guide 6^th edition as your PMP certification exam reference.

What is the PMP Certification Exam Passing Score?

In the past, PMI published 61% as the passing score for the PMP certification exam. It can be achieved if the PMP aspirant correctly answers 106 or more out of 175 exam questions. PMI does not declare the PMP certification exam official score. Recently, PMI has adopted a more scientific approach by giving proficiency level (Proficient, Moderately Proficient, and Below Proficient) or Target level (Above Target, Target, Below Target). Furthermore, they determine the score through sound psychometric analysis.

The course structure of PMP

The curriculum is based on the latest PMBOK edition i.e. 6^th Edition

1. Introduction

A. Overview and Purpose of this Guide

• The Standard for Project Management
• Common Vocabulary
• Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

B.Foundational Elements

• What are the Projects?
• What is the Importance of Project Management?
• Understand the Relationship between Project, Program, Portfolio and Operations Management
• What are the Components of the Guide?
• What is Tailoring?
• Project Management Business Documents

2. The Environment in which Projects Operate

• Enterprise Environmental Factors
• Organizational Process Assets
• Organizational Systems

3. The Role of the Project Manager

• Definition of a Project Manager
• The Project Manager’s Sphere of Influence
• Project Manager Competencies
• Performing Integration

4. Project Integration Management

• Develop Project Charter
• Develop Project Management Plan
• Direct and Manage Project Work
• Manage Project Knowledge
• Monitor and Control Project Work
• Perform Integrated Change Control
• Close Project or Phase

5. Project Scope Management

• Plan Scope Management
• Collect Requirements
• Define Scope
• Create WBS
• Validate Scope
• Control Scope

6. Project Schedule Management

• Plan Schedule Management
• Define Activities
• Sequence Activities
• Estimate Activity Durations
• Develop Schedule
• Control Schedule

7. Project Cost Management

• Plan Cost Management
• Estimate Costs
• Determine Budget
• Control Costs

8. Project Quality Management

• Plan Quality Management
• Manage Quality
• Control Quality

9. Project Resource Management

• Plan Resource Management
• Estimate Activity Resources
• Acquire Resources
• Develop Team
• Manage Team
• Control Resources

10. Project Communications Management

• Plan Communications Management
• Manage Communications
• Monitor Communications

11. Project Risk Management

• Plan Risk Management
• Identify Risks
• Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis
• Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis
• Plan Risk Responses
• Implement Risk Responses
• Monitor Risks

12. Project Procurement Management

• Plan Procurement Management
• Conduct Procurements
• Control Procurements

13. Project Stakeholder Management

• Identify Stakeholders
• Plan Stakeholder Engagement
• Manage Stakeholder Engagement
• Monitor Stakeholder Engagement

3- PMP Certification Exam Training

One of the main prerequisites to appear for the PMP certification exam is to earn 35 contact hours or Professional Development Units (PDUs).

These 35 contact hours can be earned if you attend any project management course or education from some recognized training institute for 35 hours or approx 4 days.

You can attend training in 2 different modes depending upon your requirement:

1. Classroom Training
2. Online Training.

Both the training i.e. Classroom as well Online training has its advantages and disadvantages. You can read more at PMP certification online.

1. Classroom training

Here, you need to attend the training in classroom mode with a group of audience with an instructor conducting the training.

Advantages are:

• The classroom environment gives a personal touch to individuals or you get individual attention when required.
• You get to interact with the instructor face to face
• Moreover, you have an opportunity to clarify your doubts instantly.
• You get a chance to learn from peers

Disadvantages are:

• Classroom training is more expensive
• The schedule needs to be coordinated to get everyone in one place and which suits everyone.
• You have a compressed schedule to grasp entire training content
• You need to be a fast learner else you might miss some topics
• Moreover, you don’t have the flexibility to learn at your own pace
• You cannot refer to any topic again for instructor lectures once the training session is over

2. Online Training

It can be further categorized into self-learning or instructor-led training.

Firstly, self-learning online training mode gives you the flexibility to learn at your own pace, location, and time.

Whereas instructor-led online training mode gives you an online classroom environment where an instructor will deliver as per the schedule and you need to attend as per instructor’s availability.

Advantages are:

• You need to have access to the internet and can access the material using a laptop, tablet or mobile from anywhere
• It gives you the flexibility to learn at your own pace
• Every individual needs a different amount of time to absorb and process information that you can get in this mode of learning.
• It delivers the same content to everyone no matter you refer it as many times
• They are more accurate and updated unlike hard copies circulated in classroom training
• Regarding the PMP certification cost, this is cheaper as compared to classroom training

Disadvantages are:

• You don’t get a chance to resolve your queries instantly
• Further, you require a lot of self-discipline to complete online courses
• Moreover, learning from a computer for hours without breaks can affect vision, body posture, etc.
• At times, the topic requires hands-on practice which cannot be cover up with online lessons.

 How to study for the PMP Exam?

There is no single way to prepare for the PMP certification exam. You need to have a robust PMP Certification Study Plan to guide you for the preparation of the PMP certification exam. Hence, we will be listing a 7-step study plan which will help aspirants to prepare for the PMP certification exam.

7-Step PMP Certification Study Plan:

1. Check the PMP certification requirement based on project management experience to verify eligibility.
2. Plan for 3-4 months to prepare for the PMP certification exam if you are a working professional and set the target date accordingly.
3. Read the PMBOK Guide along with a supporting book.
4. Likewise, while studying the material, start noting down the notes which will help you in the last weeks of preparation.
5. Once you have thoroughly understood the content, then, practice as much as you can. Try to choose question banks from different sources or practice multiple PMP certification simulators to get the flavor of the real PMP certification exam.
6. Then go through the result of mock exams and remember to go over the incorrect answers. Find out where you went wrong and then go through the knowledge areas pertaining to those answers to understand the concept. This way, you will strengthen your weak areas and as a result, reduce the risk of selecting the wrong answer in the real PMP certification exam.
7. Once you start scoring 80% and above in 5-6 PMP simulation exams, that means you are ready to appear for the PMP certification exam.

4- PMP Certification Exam Schedule

Regarding the exam schedule, there is no defined schedule or PMP certification exam date. You can schedule the exam based on your schedule and testing center’s availability. PMP certification exam is conducted by Pearson VUE test centers. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, PMI is also offering an online proctored testing (OPT) for the PMP exam. So you can take the exam from your home or office.

PMP Exam Changes

PMI conducts research every 3-5 years on change in trends, the progress of profession and implications, etc. Hence, the new PMP certification exam content outline comes into the picture accordingly.

Further, the new PMP examination content outline got published on 30th June 19. Earlier last date to take the current version of the PMP certification exam was 30^th June 2020. As per the latest update by PMI, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, PMI has decided to extend the date of the current PMP certification exam from 30^th June 2020 to 31^st Dec 2020.

Hence, a new exam with a change in PMP content will be launched by 2^nd Jan 2021.

Changes in new content are:

Regarding the current PMP exam content, it is based on 5 performance domains. However, exams starting from 2^nd Jan 2021 will be based on 3 domains.

New PMP certification exam with changed content outline requires candidates to have experience in and answer questions from 3 domains:

• People (42%)
• Process (50%)
• Business Environment (8%)

Based on the PMI latest update, it is explicitly mentioned that about half of the examination will be based on predictive project management approaches. Whereas the other half of the examination will be based on agile or hybrid approaches.

5- PMP Certification Exam Cost

The cost of the PMP certification exam is the PMP exam fee that you need to pay online at www.pmi.org once the PMP application you have filled for the PMP certification exam has been approved.

Nevertheless, if you are a PMI member then you have the advantage of saving money in exam fees.

It’s quite a simple process to become a PMI member, you just need to pay the membership fee of USD 129. There is no prerequisite to attain PMI membership. Also, this membership remains valid for 1 year.

There are numerous benefits you can enjoy after becoming a PMI member like accessing unlimited material, resources like books, sample questions at the PMI website. Moreover, you can attend free webinars that help you gain knowledge as well as earn PDUS. Furthermore, becoming a PMI member will help you in networking among your peers and people across the region by attending local chapter programs and events.

PMP Examination Fee

• For PMI members, the PMP certification exam fee is 405 USD or 340 Euros
• For Non-members, the PMP certification exam fee is 555 USD or 465 Euros

PMP Re-Examination Fee

It is the PMP certification exam fee when you appear for the PMP certification exam for the 2nd or 3rd time. This means that you have not passed the PMP certification exam in your 1st attempt. So you have to reappear for the exam.

Once the application for the PMP certification exam gets approved then you have 1 year eligibility period to take the PMP certification exam up to 3 times.

• For PMI members, the PMP Re-Examination fee is 275 USD or 230 Euros
• For Non-members, the PMP Re-Examination Fee is 375 USD or 315 Euros

PMP Certification Renewal Fees

Once you passed the PMP certification exam and become PMP certified, then you must maintain the PMP certification actively. Thus, you need to renew your PMP certification every 3 years.

• For PMI members, the PMP Certification Renewal fee is 60 USD
• For Non-members, the PMP Certification Renewal fee is 150 USD

PMP Certification Renewal

Once you sit and pass the PMP certification exam, you must earn 60 PMP PDUs every three years to renew your PMP certification. Otherwise, if your certification expires, you may need to retake the PMP certification exam.

How to renew the PMP certification?

There are 6 steps involved in renewing the PMP certification

1. Earn 60 PDUs to meet the Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) for your certification. You can read details at the PMP PDU post.

2. Then, enter PDUS in the online CCR system by entering the Provider name, Activity name, Activity Dates, and number of PDUS claimed under 3 components of the Talent triangle. Finally, click on the ‘Submit’ button. Then you will receive an update on the number of PDUS accepted or rejected.

3. Fill the online renewal application by mentioning contact information along with payment details before submission

4. Agree to the code of ethics by PMI

5. Pay the renewal fee.

6. Receive the confirmation from PMI. Then, you will receive a certificate indicating a new CCR cycle. And, next to your profile, your status is “Active” and “PMP in good standing”. Hence, once you have completed a single cycle, then a new 3-year cycle begins.

Scenario 1: What happens when you have earned 60 PDUs before the end of 3 years renewal cycle?

Once you have earned 60 PDUS then there is no need to wait for 3 years to complete. Then, you can pay the fees and renew your certification. However, PMI will renew the PMP certification date from the date of expiry only not from the date of payment of fees.

Scenario 2: What happens when you couldn’t renew your certification within the certification cycle?

Suppose if you are not able to complete your renewal within the completion of the CCR Cycle. The reason could be that you do not earn the specified amount of PDUs by the end of the third year of PMP certification. Then, you will be under the “Suspended” status up to 1 year after the CCR cycle. And further, it will no longer be valid.

Summary: PMP Certification Exam

To summarize, the PMP certification is considered as the best project management certification for project managers across the globe.

As per the market survey, professionals with PMP certification gain up to 25% higher salary than non-certified individuals

Moreover, PMP Certification is a must to have to even be considered for a project manager position.

Further, there are 2 modes of attending PMP training i.e. Online and Classroom-based so you can choose the method based on your requirement.

The most important point to note is that the PMP certification exam is going to change after 31^st Dec 2020. And main reference book used is PMBOK Guide 6^th edition. Besides, the changed PMP certification exam will be based on a new PMP content outline.

PMP certification exam fee for PMI members is 405USD. PMI membership saves USD 150 in PMP exam fees. Being a PMI member saves 100 USD in the re-examination fees and 90 USD in renewal fees.

PMP certification renewal needs to be done every 3 years by earning PDUs and paying renewal fees.

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