How2Day: PMP Test Tips

Get a pencil and write down some good PMP test tips. ICHIRO/Digital Vision/Getty Images
The Project Management Professional (PMP) exam has been called one of the most challenging professional standards exams out there. Part of the "challenge" lies not in the test itself, but in the minimum three to five years experience as a Project Manager required to be eligble. Even for experienced Project Managers, the test can be difficult since it covers many areas of project management. Studying effectively can help you succeed.

Visit websites that offer free online PMP practice exams such as TestPrep Review, Dummies.com, or the Project Management Institute (PMI). Plan to take at least one practice section each day that you study, and take at least three full-length exams before you sit for the actual exam, so you have a good idea of your potential score.

Buy a PMP exam study guide such as "PMP: Project Management Professional Study Guide" by Kim Heldman, "The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try, Forth Edition" by Andy Crowe or "PMP Exam Prep, Questions, Answers and Explanations" by Christopher Scordo and take your book with you wherever you go. Read it on the bus, while waiting in line, or waiting for a meeting to start at work.

Find a friend or group that is also studying for the PMP exam. Studying together will allow you to ask each other questions and to leverage the unique knowledge and project management experience you each have.

Find a study spot. Sometimes the best study spot is not at home or at work where there are many distractions. Depending on your preference, it might be the dining room table, the local library, or an empty classroom. Whatever it is, pick a place with an atmosphere that helps you study and think best.

Plan daily study time with a planner to block out daily PMP study time and color-code your planner with one color for each section of the PMP exam to make sure that all sections are given equal study time.

Make flashcards and take your flashcards with you. Keep them nearby while reading or studying. This is a great time-saver and it helps you learn the information a little bit each day instead of cramming right before an exam. Some people prefer books of flashcards that are bound together with a ring so that they stay together and in order.

If you planned on studying and decide to do something else instead, or something unexpected comes up, write in the time on your planner later on in the week where you will pay yourself back for the missed study time.

A study skills class teaches you valuable skills like how to retain what you read, how to take tests, how to take good notes and how to manage your time. The class also helps you identify what kind of learner you are (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, read-write), so you can use more effective learning tools.

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